New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-18
TILE PLUME-POTTER CASE.
TESTIMONY OF THE TWO PRINCIPALS.

| SOME OF Mr.. PoTTERs LETTERs-YoUNG PLUME
NEVER EXPLAINED HIS ACCOUNTS
The trial of the suit OF Robert c. Plume against
Thomas Potter wealthy Jersey City contractor. TO
recover $4,000 damages for alleged libel, was con-
nued yesterday in the Circuit Court at Jersey CITY,
The plaintiff resumed the stand, and testified that
while in Portland, Ore he shown letter written
by Mr. Potter to Charles w. Atwood in which Mr..
Atwood was informed of the charge OF embezzlement
against young Plume The witness identified another
letter written to G. L. Fay. of Portland in which Mr..
Potter said:
You and your good wife are not likely to be proud
of too great intimacy with the Pllmes mother and son.
She left her position here as n public schoOteacher
under compulsion He left my employ with dis
crepancy in his accounts the only of my employees
who ever did So Young Mrs. Plume is an estimable
girl who to have made mistake If they deny
what say dare them to face me, and am response
bic for what say"
The witness testified on cross-cxamnatiOI that he
had been intimately acquainted with Mr. Potter
almost from his infancy and that he and his mother
had lived in Mr.. Poters house at various times for
number of years. After he was graduated from
Rutgers College 1881, Mr.. Potter took him into his
emplov and made him assistant to the Boston superin-
tcndeut In July 1884. he lett Mr. Potters employ.
When on October g. of the same year. he learned that
gIaphed Miss Cole in Boston, to whom he was to be
married on the following day to meet him in Proyi-
dcnce He desired to allay fears that she might
have AMI was also anxiOu. that the Wedding should
not De postponed on.account OF the charge Miss Cole
met i'm in Providence and they went to Boston aud
| were married the next day. He did not go to Mr..
! Potter to explain the apparent discrepancy IN ms
accounts although he said he could do So nor did he
ever make or attempt any explanation, until he
appeared in the Municipal Criminal Court IN Boston
to answer the charge. lie know ot the charge from
letter wi ten to his mother by Mrfotter on Vctouer T.
ls-l aud shown to him on October q. The letter was
! "Dr,R JrLE: would have spared you this. but
yuu would not let me- i little more than year ago l
| rave i'm Boston my chocG for 100, which vas duly
presented the bank and paid. ON my books. Kept IN
Boston. the check Is entered aS 500 Both booh anu
check here th" house II You are curious 70 see
! them before | take them with me TO Boston hy tram
tonight TO put them tomorrow INTO the hands OF the
| proper legal authorities lor pro o-ecuuon Yours
Thomas Potter. tho defendant. was called to the
stand and testified Ny attenti was directed to the
| discrepancy on September 20, lNNI. On September
- wrote to Mrs Plume but received no answer On
October 4 / wrote letter to Robert asking him to
meet in thc Fremont House IN Boston anu explain
the discrepancy. lie did not meet lac. went to the
Hotel Winthrop where he and bis friends were stop
| ung and found that he not there. thcn con
suited my lawyers. and by their advice complaint
was drawn up but when 1t came to signing II coulu
80 Why not p asked counsel
'' Because hc was his motLcr'S SON" answered the
witness with evident feeling When the examination
did take place tho young man made statement winch
! NY counsel desired To contradict, but refused,
ant the charge was dismissed
Tn cro.s-eyamnation the witness testified; had
agent, m Portland. ore. 10 furnish ne with lniorma
tiou ab1nt Mrs.. Plume and her son. /. +. Crawford
/ wa, my principal correspondent. Another one was a
| Mr. T.hcrwoud | sent II o or 900 to Portland n
! bc paid TO U~herwood Mr.. Crawford Is Supenn-
tcndcnt of Public Schools IN Portland. lie wa re
que,ted by me tn have discrcet person observe
aud report T. me the movements OF Mrs Plume and
! her SON.
AZ this point tie case was adjourned until next
! Tuesday.