The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-04-19

rectangular room, with dirty green walls,
dirty gray plaster ceiling, the very plain
est kind of rough benches and not Il vestige
of ornament or color anywhere to relieve the
somber baroness. If closely packed, it
might hold 700 people, but after the case
got fairly started the court admitted but
few, while hundreds more crowded the
halls and eagerly beset every one who came
out to know how the case was going. When
ever all the women in the courtroom except
the plaintiff, her two supporters and the
witnesses were peremptorily ordered to
leave, and so or more of them filed out
looking very much disconnected if not
ashamed, the male crowd which remained
has been so ungallant as to indulge in
general smoker.
1t was in this queer old room that Con-
gressman-now General-Sickles was tried
just 35 years ago for killing Philip Barton
Key Six years later the conspirators
against the life of Abraham Lincoln and
Secretary Seward sat here through many
weary days while their fate was deter
mined, and about II years later Guiteau's
fate was determined in the same place. All
the parties and lawyers connected with this
case have each a special interest. Justice
Bradley has already made an interesting
record. Two long tables were ranged across
the bar in front of him. Behind the first sat
the plaintiff and her lawyers, and behind
the second the defendant and his, and as the
eyes of the spectators ranged from one to
the other it was noticed that she OCCASION
ally turned square around and glared upon
him with a look which in our minds fully
justified his appeal to Colonel Moore, chief
of police, for protection against her pocket
pistol,
A Picture of the Defendant.
Colonel Breckenridge is Sc years old and
looks every day of it and more. Every hair
of his head and his beard is of a dead white
not white like snow, but rather like well
bleached tow. His eyes are seemingly of
blush gray, but very dull at present and
almost concealed by heavy and dropping
eyelids. His forehead is quite low and
broad, his nose fine aquiline, and his
broad face is almost red In form he is so
heavy as to look quite awkward, with shout
der like a buffalo, and is generally heavy
limbed and stocky.
Directly to his left the form of Ben But
terworth attracted much attention. He is
also heavy man. but far more shapely and
active In fact, he is the active man of the
defense on questions of law. Against him
as the active man in law stood Calderon
Carlisle, a heavy built and rudy man, with
an attractive manner and appearance.
Messrs. Shelby and Stoll are comparatively
young lawyers of Lexington, Ky. The
well known Colonel Phil Thompson of
Kentucky completes the roll at that table.
Directly TO the left of the plaintiff sat her
principal counsel, Hon. j. NJ. Wilson, a
rather spare man, who in southern phrase
Is known as "hatchet faced" To the right
of the defendant were the two ladies known
as her aids-de-camp, Sisters of Mercy or
something of that sort. But they were hon
ored with mere glance.
The Plaintiff and a Dude.
Every one stared long and earnestly at
the famous plaintiff She is far from pref
ty. That much ! can swear to, but will
say no more. l have never succeeded in de-
scribiug heroine and am too old to try it
now. Her dress was dark blue, and after
the third day her manner might be called
composed - more composed indeed than
that of the defendant, whose eagerness often
led him to suggest points of law in an audi
BILE voice.
Although the proceedings were on tn,
whole solemn, yet an occasional witness in
voluntarily contributed great deal of fun
Among these was Mr. Francis, the mos
perfect specimen of an Anglomaniac eve
seen in Washington. In dress, eyeglasses
and language he completely filled the bill
He created great amusement by his ex
treme anxiety to show that his knowledge
of the case came by mere accident, and
speaking with almost rasping grammatical
his testimony from time to time a short ex
PLANTATION of the duties of a gentleman OF
such an occasion. He told how he called a
the house of Mrs. Thomas and saw plaintiff
and defendant sitting together upon tn
sofa in the parlor; how he stepped into tn
hall and really couldn't go up stairs, yol
know, until the servant announced him
how there was only portiere between hin
and the parties, and he really couldn't hell
l,aft harr oil
At length he reached the point wher
Mi. Pollard told him that she intended /
shoot herself If Colonel Breckenridge di
not marry her and kept the pistol by he
bedside for that purpose and then he added
II really felt called on as a gentleman, yo
know, to encourage her, and so / said, oh
dear Miss Pollard, you really must no
shoot yourself, for although Colonel Brock
inridge is "A very fine looking man, yer
distinguished man, an orator and a con
gresham, yet there are very many othe
good men in the world" At this court
jury, lawyers and audience broke into un
comfortable laughter, which was not check
ed for nearly minute
A Verdict That Kills.
The testimony of Colonel Moore was ais
entertaining But as to the interest felt b
the audience, no other witness could com
pare for a moment with Mrs. Blackburn
And here the correspondent might apprc
priately stop, and would stop If there wer
any longer any doubts as to the public veI
dict. But If there is any serious division O
sentiment in Washington no sound of /
comes to my ears, The judgment OF al
whose Judgment is worth anything Is on
way. The verdict of the jury cuts no figure
1t is the verdict of society which kills.
Looked at from that standpoint this