Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-03
Miss Platt Alleges Breach Of Promise
Of Marriage.
MAJOR GEORGE A. ARMIES DEFENDANT
The Plaintiff Charges Cruel Treat
ment and Fraud.
HISTORY OF THE CASE |

Major George A. Armes. retired officer
OF the United States army who is we'll
known in this city and who has gained ma
tlonal notoriety in several wayS-once by
tp'eaking the nose of James A. Beaver when
the latter was governor of the state of
Pennsylvania-was this afternoon named
defendant in suit at law instituted in the
supreme Court of tho District of Columbia
by which the plaintiff Miss Ella NJ Platt
who Is an artist, seeks to recover damages
in the sum of $4,000. Breach of promise of
marriage. the practice of deception and the
commission Of personal assault on the plain
tiff are charged.
Miss Plat informs the court that
about the 10th of July, 1897, and the 4th
of August, 1897 at the special instance of
Major Armes, she promised to marry him.
and. vice versa. he promised to marry her.
Although, since the dates mentioned she
has requested Major Armes to fulfill his
promise and marry her. says Miss Platt, he
has wholly neglected and refused to do so.
By reason OF this refusal she maintains
that she has been damaged in the sum of
S15, coo.
In the second count Of her declaration
Miss Platt says that. confiding in the
promise of Major Armes and in his integri-
ty and honor and being assured by him
that. under the laws Of the District Of Co
IuIuDld, Will WHICH ne Sdiu lie VAS per
fectly familiar. 1t was only necessary to
constitute a legal marriage that the con-
tracing parties should sign agreement
setting forth their purposes and intentions
with him a paper bearing date the Goth of
July. 1897. 1t recited. according to Miss
Plat. the following:
Eve do hereby agree that we will and
do hereby become man and wife, and agree
to love. honor and obey each other and to
live together as such and for the mutual
benefit Of each other.
Both Amxed Signatures.
Both Maj. Armes and herself signed the
paper, Miss Platt informs the court. and
thereupon the major assured her that they
were lawfully married, and would be man
and wife upon living together. Conflding
in these statements Of Maj. Armes Miss
Plat says. they commenced living together
| as husband and wife about the 4th of Au-
gust. 1897.
The couple lived together about four
months. SO the plaintiff recites. all of which
time she supposed herself to be the lawful
fraud, Miss Platt adds, she demanded and
requested that Major Armes marry her as,
she said, he had promised to do. But in
tending to craftily deceive, wrong and in
jure her. Miss Plat declares, Major
Armes refuses to marry her. by reason of
which she has undergone great mental suf-
| leTlIlB ana distress. Sne assesses the DAM
agse for this specific alleged occurrence at
$1,000. in addition to the amount heretofore
referred to.
In the next count of her declaration Miss
Platt takes up entirely new subject matter.
She sets forth that the 9th Of October, 1887,
she entered into an agreement with major
Armes by which he promised to place her
In charge of his hotel Fairfield near
Chevy Chase. and pay her 20 per cent of
the profits or income arising from the hotel
business. Major Armes was to furnish
everything in connection with the conduct
Of the hotel. says Miss Platt,s and she was
simply to give her time and attention
thereto.
In about a month. next says Miss Plat.
Major Armes refused to keep his part of
the contract, and forcibly removed her
work and position under the contract with
out fault on her part This action. she
claims. resulted in her damage in the ad-
ditional sum of $4,000.
Personal Violence Alleged.
In the fourth and last count of her dec
| laration Miss Platt changes direction once
again and incidentally applies for 10000 in
addition to the $4,000 previously asked
She declares that the Goth Of January,
1898. Maj. Armes. with great force and vio-
| lence. beat her. shook and pulled her, threw
her upon the ground. violently kicked her
and tore her clothes As a result, she says,
she suffered great pain. and was obliged to
pay large sums for treatment Miss Plat
IL represented Dy Attorney ii. Il. MOultOn.
By decree signed April 3d. 1897 Mrs. Lucy
H. Armes granted divorce from
Major George A. Armes. For some time
prior thereto the parties had figured in
the divorce courts. Mrs. Armes once with
drew proceeding she had instituted for
divorce against the major Later. how
ever she filed a suit. in connection
with which she granted divorce and
the custody of the children Of the couple
New Jersey Will Cooperate.