Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-02-21
Feelings For Slain Wo-
man Were Not For
Good People
HE FEARED HER
Letter Telling of His Fear
and Threats Against
His Life is Read in
Court

different kinds OF love, according
to Thomas Pollard, Richmond real
ty broker on trial here for the
alleged murder of Mrs. Thelma
Ham Richardson, his former typ
list. Mrs. Richardson was dis
charged from his employ Just 10
DAYS before she was fatally shot
in a scuffle with him in front
of his home the night of Decem-
Der IL, last.
Pollard undertook to define the
kinds OF love yesterday afternoon
while being crosS-eXamned by
Richard Evelyn Byrd, assistant
prosecuting attorney.
There is the kind of love, nc
explained, which one bears good
people. There is another kind
which one has for people who
are not good. 1t was this kind
Of love which he had for Mrs
Richardson, he admitted, after
first denying ne was ever in lort
with her.
Mr.. Byrd read several notes
couched in endearing terms which
Pollard wrote the typist in 1921.
when she was away from work
ON account of sickness. One re
fcrred to the sunshine which ra-
dated from her when she was
in the Office and voiced the hops
that she would soon be back at
work. The note began witt
Dearest Ham" and closed viii
''lots of love-"
As for Mrs. Bertha Louis
Been, known as the ''other wo-
man" in the case, Pollard insist
ed that his feelings toward her
were only those prompted by
purest friendship. He referred
to her as 1.-THE most wonderful
woman he had ever known and
declared that there has ncVe
been person he thought more
of" She had a most uplifting
Influence on him and he believec
that the Lord had sent her into
his life in response to prayers
BIZ some one, to lead him out OF
the evil ways into which he had
fallen. he said, Next to his
mother he regarded her as III
best woman of all the persons he
knew. nc added,
1t was brought out in the cross
examination that he began goln2
regularly with the young choir
singer of South Richmond Just
about the time he admitted ceas-
ing his intimate relations with hi
typist last August.
He was pressed for an cXpla'
nation as to why he had showcred
costly gifts of jewelry upon this
Young woman during the ensuing
several months if she were only a
friend and nothing more. All b
could say in explanation was that
he believed the jewelry would
look well on her and he wanted
to show his appreciation Of her
interest in him. Reports that he
had been paying court to hcs
had their origin in the nnwspa
pers and had absolutely no fom-
dation in fact, he said.
At times Pollard seemed con
fused by questions put h. Mr
Byrd.
The examination had proceeded
barely an hour when court adj
jourued for the day. 1t was in
dictated that Pollard would be In
the hands of Mr.. Byrd at least
all the morning session today.
He had been on the stan'
since noon with the exception
the recess period, and the strain
was clearly telling on him when
he left it at the close of the. day.
The line Of examination pur-
sued by the prosecuting attorney
indicated that he desired to inn
press upon the jury that Pollard
did not finally determine to dis
charge his stenographcr unit!
after she persisted in making
trouble BECAUSE of the attentions
he was paying Mrs. Beck, and
that his act in getting rid Of
her and his effort to shut off ali
relations with her was in no
wise prompted by his profesSed
desire in letter to his wife last
June to effect a reconciliation
with her.
In his direct examination, Pol
lard re-enacted with Hiram Smith
his attorney. the scene in the YES
thule of his home, in which he
claimed to have wrerched the
pistol from the hand of Mrs
p;oharJro, v-bso Sba fla sba5 ~