The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-11-14
TO SAVE Ills SILLY SON.
Ex-Governor Waller and the
Platt Divorce Case.
HIS EFFORTS TO SHIELD HIs HEIR

HIS EFFORTS TO SHIELD HIS HEIR
To Paid Money to sIrs. Plntts Lawyer.
who was to Make No Defense, but tho
woman, After Agresing TO Help Saws
Young Waller, Backed Down.
NEW YORK, Nov. 1.-The correspond.
enoe Of Ex-Governor Thomas H. Waller
Of Connecticut, promises 10 play very
important part in the adjustment Of tho
domestic wraugle Of Minnie A. platt and
her husband, Engineer Willinm II. Piatt,
United States navy. According to Che
wife, who Is made defondent In an action
for divorce IN which the son Of ex-Gov-
ernor Waller is named as correspondent,
her defense rests almost solely upon lottera
which, she says, were written by tho ex-
governor and his son and are now IN her
possession.
Mrs. Platt infers strongly that some one
has broken faith with her, and after agree
ing to shield the name OF the correspondent
from the public was practically instru-
mental in making it known.
1T is true" said Lawyer Graves to O re-
porter last evening, "that the utmost po.
crecy has been maintained regarding thia
case. We desired TO avoid all publicity.
Both plaintiff and defendant were OF the
same opinion. We succeeded until few
days ago. That was my only object IN ask
ing for private hearing, and on that CO.
sasion J stated my reasons to the presiding
| Judge In full
what tho Ex-Governor Paid.
a. af.s "a
1 the part Of counsel not to force Publicity
/ Governor Waller agreed to pny Mrs
/ Platts counsel fee, and her husband.
| through me, agreed to pay her thirty dol
! lars a month. That he paid until a short
time ago, and only ceased, as far as
know, because he stated to me that he
| thought more was being done for young
Waller than for himself
! "What Mrs plntt's relations with the
| governor OF his son may have been since
| this difficulty other than this ] do not
1 know. The only money paid by him was,
/ as far as I know, to Mrs. plattis counsel.
What hush money he may have paid, as
inferred Ia an intervew In a morning pa
per, / cannot imagine In view Of the
seemingly strong assertions in this regard,
/ think some letters / have may throw
some light
MIR. Walier's Letter.
Mr.. Graves then produced the following.
Aue. II, 1891.
While ! have MOTT the pleasure Of a personal
acquaintance with You, friends Of mine assure
! me thaf shall receive from you in the matter
IN which nm interested the full courtesy due
from one member Of profession to another.
You are acting the attorney in certain mat
ters in which a wayward son Of mine seems TO
be involved. 1 am desirous Of saving all PARTIES
from unnecessary notoriety aud scandal, and
with this in view l should like 10 SEQ you per
sonally tomorrow, II convenient
THOMAS NJ. WALLER
This was written about the time tho
case first appeared in court.
That no time was lost in preventing tho
scandal from leaking out is proven by
Governor Walters letter under date Of
Aug 25. In it he states that in coming Ia
an understanding with Mrs Platts coun.
sci be tried to get Lawyer Patterson to ac
cept 800 as his fee. The latter, the lettel
continued, declared the courts would alloN
him more, and he would not accept less
than 500, which sum was finally paid.
Two days later exc Governor Waller again
wrote and mentioned having received from
Lawyer Patterson a receipt and an agres'
ment not to renew his motion for Slimor4
and counsel fees.
The Scandal sure TO Come out.
1t was at this time, said Mr.. Graves
that plaintiff agreed to pay his wife THIRTY
dollars a month Other letters passed be
tween the governor and Mr. Graves, in
Guiding the following
My DEAR stR-Your noto Of yesterday re-
ceived- l agree with you that you have in tn
interest of decency done all can ask you b
I do TO prevent the public acandal which the trle
Of Platt W. Platt is likely 20 produce. an
confident her lawyer is to blame foT her chang
Of mind. I should like to know when the tfia
Is 10 occur, that / may advise my silly g0i
! against taking any course 20 sink him deeper n
his folly THOMAS N WALLER.
The following letter was written three
days later by the ex-governor's private sec
retary;
Horace Graves, Esq:
DEAR sui-I regret did not have an 0ppor
tunity 10 call aud SEQ you today. / received
letter from the plaintiff in which Il is suggosce'
3 that there are but two ways Of settling th
! case She does not name the ways. hav
D asked her in a letter 10 do 80. ! should like 3
have her proposition in writing. l am satishe'
that It will only require little money 70 hay
a default IN the case and l shah suffer o littl
money to escape scandal IL necessary. hop
! you will not object to postponement Of th
matter until my retugn Yours very truly
5 4. 81. WALLER, per 4. r. I.
: THAT resumed Mr. Graves, gives th
: truth regarding any expenditures o
! money in this case as far as know.
( you think have done wrong in agreeinl
10 secrecy to protect an honored nhfne
r when it could in no way preiudioe th
g merits Of the case, / wish you would tel
me- Whether Mrs. Pntt has suggestel
money 10 Waller or his father cann0
say. The governors tdference seems plain
: My impression is tltt she intended q
} marry young Waller aiter her HUSBAND
D had obtained his divorce, but finding tina
4 this would be impossible. on account o
the close watch kept by the elder Nj
Waller on his son, she broke her agres
ment She has not seen young Waller 70
: some time because the father did not per
+ nit him to visit her"
9 Counselor Patterson refused Rbsolutel
r TO discuss abe case or reply to Governo
{ Walters criticisms and insinuations Of hi
methods and motives
I Ex-Governor waller Speaks.
q Ex-Governor 7. NJ. Waller seemed greai
4 ly disturbed over the fact that his letter
to Lawyer Horace Graves had been mad
public,
The money that was paid, the ex-eal
1 ernor said, had been given to Mr.. Grave
he declined TO make public the amount
d but said It was small Both his son an
Mrs. Platt he said. claimed to be iunocsn
Of the charges, and he felt satisfied tha
upon the trial they would have nc troubl
q in establishing this fact Mrs. Platt % al
oused Of being improperly intimate wit
young Waller at IT, Long Branch hote
y corner Of Washington and Sands street.
+ June % and July B. s and O.
|. PuEnist Pat siattery Ia TroubIe.
s ROCHESTER,, y. y, Nov. 1a-Pat sla
2 terry was arrested on a warrant issued
a the district attorney Of Cattaraugus couI
y, charged with prize fighting He IS
jail here.