Evening journal., 1894-04-12
MADELINE A DELILAH.
Ben Butterworth Begins His
Plea In the Coloners Behalf.
BRECKINRIDGE LIKENED TO A STAR

WASHINGTON, April l2-The local de-
mand for oratory was largely satisfied by |
the finish of Col. Phil Thompson's speech |
in the Pollard-Breckinridge trial and the |
beginning Of plea by Major Ben Butter |
worth, both ex-members of congress Be |
ginning is said advisedly, for although |
Major Butterworth talked more than half |
of the day he progressed no further than |
the first relations between his client and |
Madeline Pollard back in 1854
His whole argument was devoted TO the |
point that the young woman had not been
the pure and unsophisticated girl Of 10
when the silver haired colonel met her
that she had represented herself 20 be- IL
was strong display Of Oratory. His speech
was free from the vulgarities which Colonel
Thompson dealt in; probably was rs clean
presentation of such case as could have
been made and was proportionately well
received by the audience.
There was an interesting incident during
the morning when Judge Bradley carried
into execution the threat he has several
times made Of clearing the room Of spec
tators. Mr. Butterworth had been paint
ing glowingly the virtues of his client,
whose friendship he had enjoyed for many
years. and was declaring q dhmatically that
no man TO whom Ben -Stterworth had
been a friend in his prosperous days would
be deserted by him in adversely, when sew
eral men broke into applause.
Cleared the Courtroom.
The Judge Immediately ordered all who
were not members of the bar to leave the
courtroom. Only "A small proportion Of the
spectators removed themselves in response
10 the order. Soon afterward the judge
again took a hand in the case admonish-
ing Mr.. Butterworth to conhne himself to
the evidence in the trial when the speaker
was relating the comments that were be
ing made by the public appearance Of the
| principals in court. 1t is probable that
Mr.. Butterworth will continue all Of to-
day in rounding out his plea, and Judge
Wilson is expected to occupy not less than
two days in his closing speech.
Mr. Butterworth said he himself had
much at stake He had daughter and a
wife. He could not afford that justice
should not be done. He was not there to
extenuate the conduct Of Colonel Breckin-
ridge. II he did he knew the colonel
would discharge him from the case. The
country had been solicitous about a 16-
year-old schoolgirl, but there was no such
person in the case. If she had been but
l6, why had not her mother been called to
prove iti If she had been but 16, she was
as much skilled in lovemaking as any
woman he had ever known.
The other side had talked about the fas-
cination Of silver tongue. He paid a
tribute to the bravery of Colonel Breclin-
ridge and declared that the jury knew
that such a man was not bad at heart. He
was going on TO describe how, If Colonel
Breckenridge smiled, people said he was a
monster; if he looked grave, they said he
was shamming, but If Miss Pollard laugh
ed they said, Behold, she smiles even
through a veil Of tears" when Judge
Bradley interposed saying; "Mr. Butter
worth, don't you think you had better con-
fine yourself to the evidence in the case.
This is all what you have heard outside
and has no connection with the case"
Not at all nonplused, the attorney re
piled;
"Of course as a judicial officer these
things would not affect your honor, but
want to show what things influence mems
minds"
Not an Unsophisticated Girl.
He then told the jury that the case was
for recovering for a specific act, and a yer
dict for Colonel Breckenridge would not
mean that they cOndoned his conduct
After this he spent an hour reading Miss
Pollards early letters and discussing the
testimony to show that when she met the
kentucky congressman she was not the
unsophisticated country girl she had rep
resented herself to be.
incidentally Mr. Butterworth paid
tribute TO Mary Anderson as a Kentucky
girl who, under the most adverse circum
! stances, had acquired the greatest promi
nence. Madeline Pollard he said, ha,
twined her hand about a star and was try
ing to pull it down, the star being W. c
p. Breckenridge. What had taken plac
between them had occurred many time
, before and will many times again, al
g though it was to be regretted. Either tina
I pivotal letter (the letter Miss Pollard al
: leges is a forgery, he asserted, had beei
s written by Madeline Pollard, or William
e c. p. Breckenridge, the worthy successo
], Of the Clays, the Becks, the Blackburns
a save for one lapse, was forger.
q The chilling atmosphere which sun
d rounds a pure woman was painted wit
q apostrophes to mothers, sisters, sweet
d hearts and wives, and then the occurrence
e in that first carriage ride was rehearseC
!, The instinct of virtuous woman woul
{ have led her to say. Get out, you leper!
. Mr.. Butterworth shouted, rushing dow
10 the aisle toward his client fiercely Blu
10 no. She had arranged to mee5 him tn
IS next day.
IF He pounded one Of the jurors on tn
knee as he reproduced with mixed metz
d phor the still small voice crying loudly i
& the name of her mother TO shrink bac
Of from this man. The next day the colonI
DO had taken her TO an assignation house.
is Mr.. Butterworth said that he was viii
W ing to give Miss Pollard credit for being
y great genius in certain lines, but the har'
est part of her story to believe was thu
part of it that in that half hour alone,
the hovel of Sarah Guess, while the d
"a fendant had gone home TO his dinner, 81
a. had thought over the whole matter; hs
go given up life, honor, friends and futu
Is and had decided to enter into Colon
~ Breckinridge's life, and Mr.. Wilson won
al tell that to the jury as though he belle
~ ed it.
~ Compared to Delilah.
IN The speaker told some funny stori
he about his boyish escapades and went ON
~ compare the plaintiff to Delilah, who h'
Is her haRds in the hair Of Samson, al