The herald., 1894-09-14
SAYS IT WAS A RETA|NER'S FEE
Emil Harris Gives His Version
of the Case.
Nearing the Close of the Famous
Blackmail Trial.
All tho Testimony In and the Arguments
Partially Msds-Soms of tho
Incidents of the
Day.

Inc oIthtt-ddrfl6 trlhl WAS Foty ucniiJ
concluded yesterday, and the arguments
will be finished today.
1t has been a curious combination In
the trial, and it developed to greater
extent yesterday. The defendant Plat
had been examined Wednesday alter
noon by his attorney, ex-Judge Cheney.
and yesterday morning when he took
the stand. he was turned over Tor cross
examination first to Emil Harris coun'
sci, Henry I. Gage, before the govern
ment got chance at him.
It must be rememb bered that In this
charge of conspiracy to blackmsil T.. T..
Crandall, on which the two defendants
are being jointly tried, both must be
convicted or both must be acquitted.
Mr.. Gage. tho very fret thing, asked
Mr.. Platt again about the note he wrote
to E. E. Crsndall, telling the latter thai
he had seen Emil Harris, and had been
offered money by Harris to make wood
cuts to go in the Police Gazette, reflect
ing on Crandall.
He again admitted that he wrote the
note, and then Mr.. Gage, in his most
impressive manner. asFed Platt:
"Do you mean to say, sir, that Mr.
Emil Harris ever in his life made you an
offer to make q cut? ?"
"No. sir" meskly responded Platt,
che did not"
HE knew nothing" continued Mr..
Platt, intent on making a good job OF
his testimony, "about the letter, its
contents, or anything about 1t.
M AHlnC
letter received by Mr.. Orandall, signed
"A Lady Friend" advising him to settle
with Harris. He examined it for some
time, and reiterated that he had nothing
to do with it.
Judge Ross had been looking very OBJ
servantly at Platt while he was testify
ton:
You say yoH acted entirely as Mr..
Crandall's friend in all this matter ?"
"Yes, your honor" replied Mr.. Platt.
Judge Ross-"Then how do you ex-
plain or reconcile the statements in the
letter in the indictment?"
The witness -"Well, Mr.. Crandall
asked me to see Harris; to see what the
trouble was, and all about it and what
it meant. He said he understood the
matter WAS in Harris hands. l sup
posed it was these letters. Crandall
said he knew they had something OF
that kind"
Mr.. Gsge-"Who had ?"
Mr.. Platt-"Mr Croft and Mr.. Knox"
Mr.. Gage-"Do you pretend to say
that Mr.. Harris ever pretended that he
had any cuts OF Crandall, or photo
graphs ?"
Mr. Platt-Nevar
This ended the cross-examination on
the part OF Emil Harris attorney, and
Platt was turned over to Mr.. Will Har-
ris, assisting the prosecution.
Mr.. Harris-We have no questions to
ask.
Mr.. Gage, wish great dramatic effect,
said he introduced the "lady friend'
note and note admitted as Crandslls
handwriting as written by one ard the
same person.
The court said that both documents
were in evidence and could be examined
by the jury.
Mr.. Gage then called A. ]. Tilden, q
young man in Emil Harris employ in
1892, who said he remembered Mr..
Crandall coming to Mr.. Harris Office
some time in August. Mr.. Crandsll
had testified he never found Harris as
his Office. The witness said Mr.. Harris
was there, that Crandall came in and
he went out, nos hearing any of their
conversation.
Emil Harris was then called to the
stand. He stated that after he left the
police force in 1888 he formed detective
agency, which he is still running.
In response to a question about Mr..
CrandalPs claim that he first had con-
versation with Harris in front of the
Farmers and Merchants bank, witness
said:
THAT is untrue. / never met him
until he came to my office"
The witness then narrated the con-
versation he claimed to have had at that
time. 1t consisted OF Mr.. Crandall tell
ing him about his domestic trouble and
saying that he understood Hstrie was
working up evidence against him. The
witness told him he was not, and il any
one tried to blackmail him to come to
him and he would help him.
"As far rs | am concerned you have
nothing to fear" is what Harris said he
said at that time.
He never met Mr.. Crandall again un-
til the night OF the arrest; never sent
him any letters or notes; never inspired
any; in fact, never had anything to do,
directly or indirectly, with an attempt
to black mail him.
His attention being directed to the
testimony Of w. I. Hsrrie, Platt's part
ner, as to a conversation in which w.
L. Harris told him of the use of his
name, the defendant admitted the con-
versation az given "a substantially cor
rect.
Coming to March 23d last the defend
ant said Platt came to bis house and
talked and talked about Crandall, and
hia wanting him TO set price on his
services so that he would not be on Mrs.
Crandall's side. He told him $1,000
The arrest was the night of March 26th
and the witness gave his version OF the
check transaction.
81 was talking with Mr.. Meredith
about O'Clock in the evening"" he said,
''in front OF the Nadeau. when Plat
came up and said We had better 60 and
see Crandsl. / said if it would not take
long would 60, as / was going to lodge.
We went to his room, sat down and Platt
engaged in conversation with Crandsll.
''Mr. Crandall said Mr.. Platt had in-
formed him that his (Harris') price was
$1,000 to be retained on his side in the
contest with Mrs. Crandall. He said
that was high price. l replied l
thought not"
After some dickerin9 the witness said