The herald., 1894-11-29
{ HARR|S-PLATT CASE.
A Sensational Case Commenced
in the Federal Court.
Elmer E. Crandall Tells His Story
ON the Stand.
This Check for S70O Claimed to Have
Been Extortod by Biackmail,
Handed Over While Pc.
lice Were Present.

States district court. before Judge Ers-
kline M. Ross, Emil Harris, ex-captain
Of the city police, and ]. Plat. the jew
eler, were brought to trial for the Sec
ond time.
The arrayNof counsel wac imposing.
For the prosecution appeared United
States Attorney Denis and Special As
sistant Counsel Harris. For the de-
Tense appeared Senator 8. NJ. White,
Henry T. Gage, W. T. Williams and
Judge Cheney.
The indictment being first read to the
jury. the first witness. in the person OF
Elmer +. Crandall, WAC put on the
stand. He is the retired hardware mer-
chant, residing at 24l South Main
street. whom, it Is alleged, the defend
ants sought to blackmail, but with un-
fortunate results to themselves.
The witness told what was apparently
. very straightforward story. He said I
II nave known Dir. fiatt Tor about min 8
years, and Mr.. Harris, by sight, the
same length OF time. l got to know the
latter personally in August, 1892"
| Senator White entered general OBJ
| lection at this point, claiming that the
indictment did not charge an actual
offenss against the United States. The
senator desired that this objection should
stand against all the testimony intro.
duced.
Judge Cheney intimated that the
same objection prevailed a. to Plat,
whose interests he 10 specially watch
ing.
Resuming, witness said: II met Mr..
Plat at Santa Monica in July, 1893. He
was seated close to the pavilion. He
motioned mo to the seat at his eide,
He asked me II l was aware that Emil
Harris had in his possession certain let
ters. and that he intended to publish
them with my picture in the Police
Gazette. He told me that he had my
photograph, but that he had refused to
make a cut for Harris because he made
one once before and it got him into
trouble. He advised me to empower
him TO settle with Harris, and told me
he would 60 and, il possible, steal the
damaging matter. to show me that what
he eaid wac true. Plaintiff identified
the first letter received by him. The
letter 10 in the same condition az when
received it, save the memorandum made
by the court. l received it on August
4th."
The letter was read by Special Coun {.
sci Harris to the jury. 1t was from
Plat ami intimsted that Emil Harris
had all the papers they had talked
about.
The witness, resuming the thread OF
his narrative, said: II saw Mr.. Plat
again at Santa Monica. l had gone to
see MIR. Harris three times. but ON each
| ha in hov
l saw Mr.. Plat asked him if he knew
what he was talking about. He said !:
| Yes. do; he's got all those papers and
your photograph, and you'd better do
something
! shortly after met Mr.. Harris out
side tho Farmers and Merchants bank,
and introduced myself. He told me my
business with him was OF such q nature
that should not be seen talking with
him on the street. proposed going in
doorway, hut he refused, and We ad
journed to his office. handed him the
letter 1 had received from Mr.. Plat. He
read and returned it. He said he had
in his possession Q good deal of informa-
ton detrimental to my character, and
that he vas in = position to squelch it if
paid him for his trouble. / said:
This ssvors very much OF blackmail,
Mr.. Harris, and wouldn't give Is cents
for all the information you have regard.
ing me-
Each time thereafter when 1 saw
Mr.. Platt he sought to impress upon me
the fact that had offended Mr.. Harris,
and that he certainly would publish my
record. with my picture, In the Police
Gazette
Witness was proceeding to tell OF q
II
| OF the present year, when Senator White
objected to the introduction OF testimony
subsequent to the contamination of the
| crime alleged.
Continuing, witness said: II saw him
ON First street and he told Inc that
WAS being followed. told him to leave
me alone, that for q year and half hs
had logged me and told me about Harris
and the Police Gazette. and l was tired
OF the whole business. In March re-
ceived an anonymous letter." Witness
identified the letter produced as beiug
the same he had received.
The letter referred to purported to be
from a ''lady friend" and simply adj
vised Mr.. Crandall to 60 and see Emil
Harris.
AFTER receiving this letter l COM
pared it with previous letter received
from Emil Harris, and went to my at
torney, Judge Stephens, and then to the
chief of police. At his suggestion
went to see Plat at his residence. l
told him about the anonymous. letter;
that was going to leave the city and
would like to got possession of the
letters he had spoken to me about. He
said: Yes. it is wise for you to get
possession Of them. I've been telling
you all along that you shouldn't leave
the matter He suggested that l 90 to
Emil Harris Office. but refused. He
said he would zee Harris and find out
what he could do, and would let me
know without fail the next day. Next
day found letter under the door of
my Office" WITNESS identified the let
ter produced.
This Communication intimsted that
arrangements had been made for wit
ness, meeting Emil Harris for the pur.
/ pose of conference.
ION Saturday night Mr.. Plat came to
my room and said he had seen Harris.
He valued the stuff 80 he termed it,
at good price. and he was hard to han.
die. He told me, however, that no
thought he could manage it for me; that
he had Harris under his thumb, and he
could make him do what he wanted. At
some length he told mo about the other
men whom Harris had gotten money
from, and told me that | would not
prove any smarter than any of them.
He promised to see Harris and get q
"a v>sk 49, \ y