The sun., 1903-11-19
ELIAS WOMAN NAMES FRIEND
WHO MADE HER RICH-STORY OF
A S1OO,OOO CHECK.
vll,ian,s. the Negro Murderer OF Andrew
II. Green. Gives His Lawyer a Long
History OF His Llfe-Lawyer Still Nf,s-
terious About New Murder Defence.

n, Green. Gives His Lawyer a Long
History OF His Llfe-Lawyer Still Nr,s-
terious About New Murder Defence.
story was current yesterday that one
ofthe reasons why District Attorney Jerome
vent to the residence Of Mrs Hannah Elias
at s26 Central Park West, on Tuesday and
had personal interview with the woman
WAS that he had heard rumors of large
amount of money having been paid to the
woman by some person whose friends
feared that his name would appear on
the trial OF Cornelius Williams for the mur-
der of Andrew H. Green. This story took
a more definite shape yesterday, when
Il was said that u check for slCO 900 had
been paid,
Mr. jerome declined positively yesterday
10 discuss this phase OF the case, but he
reiterated his statement Of Tuesday night
that his talk with Mrs. Elias confirmed him
absolutely in his opinion that Mr. Green
had never known the woman and that she
had never so much as seen him. A firm Of
LAWYERS and one or two individuals who
have become conspicuous since the murder
of Mr. Green said that they had heard OF
the cheek. but could give no details OF the
transaction OF which 1t was part.
Wien Mr.. jerome saw Mrs. Elias, on
Tuesday afternoon. she was in bed and her
hapgard face showed that the stories of
her illness were not manufactured. She
answered all questions freely and ap-
narentlv concealed nothing. Mr.. jerome
asked her about her apparent wealth and
she admitted to him that while part Of it
was the result of fortunate speculation, a
good deal of it was derived from man in
his city whose friendship she has enjoyed
Flo, n,Nffl lad l,,.-
not been disclosed and will not be. 1t
has never been mentioned in connection
with the inurder. w
The negro Williams is still very cool over
the murder and has shown no signs OF in
sanity. The keepers have rather looked
for q demonstration ol some Rlnd rom
him such US is usual when a murdercr's
counsel contemplates defence OF insanity,
but he has made none.
LAWYER Kaffenburgh was still very myste-
tous Yesterday over what Willians's de-
fence is going to be. lie said:
-The defeict will bc u very unique one,
can assure vou. 1t is one that has never
been set up before in murder case 80 far
as know, but we are confident that il will
be sufficient to inGuce II jury 10 acquit him
Under no circumstances will it be disclosed
until We appear at the trial
Williams has made five-thousan nd-word
statement for his LAWYER, parts of which
we're given ont by Kaf'enburgh yesterday
In this statement Williams tells good
deal about Mrs, Elias, or Bessie Davis, as
he calls her He says that he was engaged
to marry her and that they had fight
over wealthy white man who showed her
attentions.
Williams saws that he was born at FINN
rastle, Va, 4S years ago, that his parents
both died Of consumption and that he now
has a brother Perry. who lives at Blue
Ridge, W. Va. There has never been the
elightest taint Of insanity in his family,
he says.
He was educated at public schools for
four years and entered Hampton Institute
in 1851. He remained there that year and
then for two years taught in country schools
in Virginia, Then he worked as a waiter
in the Jordan and Atlantic hotels in Nor
folk, going from there to Baltimore, where
he worked at the Howard House.
Late in 1855 he was waiter at the High
land House at Red Bank, n j., and in 1884
a waiter on the Albany Day Line boats.
Inthe fall OF that year he worked in board
ing house, kept by Mrs, Hyatt at s20 West
M denaats sFse boarding. m sss Sohse hs was a 10 %
East Forty-ffth street. from where he
went to the Wildman Hotel at Scranton.
He had one or two other jobs in places
outside Of New York and then went to
at Taylor's Hotel. From there he went
to the Mansion House at Far Rockaway,
where he worked for three years In
1901 he worked at Narragansett and in
Boston and the following year worked
for a Mrs. slayton on West Twenty-fif,h
terer named Phillips. in Twenty-third
street, and in 1893 worked in the Hotel
Kaaterskill For the next seven years
he worked in Mrs. Goff's boarding house
at 159 West Forty-fourth street, remaining
there until she died and her establishment