The sun., 1903-11-18
JEROME SEES HANNAH ELIAS.
SATISFIED THAT SHE NEVER
KNEW ANDREW III. GREEN.
Two Men Appear on Health Board
Records as the Father OF Her Child
Villa MS. the Murderer. to Go to
Trial--No Allegation That He Is Insane

District Attorney Jerome, accompanied
by Deputy Assistant Appleton and a
stenographer, went yesterday afternoon
to the residence of Bessie Davis, or Hannah
Elias, the colored woman whose name
was dragged into the story of the murder
OF Andrew II. Green by Cornelius Williams,
the murderer. Mr.. Jerome had heard
stories attributing dealings with more than
one rich man to the woman who has grown
rich since $685. when she kept negro board
ing house. He spent an hour talking with
the woman. On returning to his Rutgers
street residence at 9 o'clock he gave out
this statement:
Il talked with this woman for an hour,
and questioned her very closely. am
satisfied that she answered me truthfully
in all matters that we discussed. Her
answers, together with certain information
which have, but which l cannot disclose,
convinced me absolutely that she knows
nothing of this crime; that she never knew
the late Andrew H. Green, and that she had
never even seen him. Her attorney, Mr..
Nanz, was present at the interview. That
is all that have to say Of the matter"
Health Commissioner Lederle, at the re-
quest Of number Of persons, had the GER
tifcates registering the birth and death
Of the woman's daughter. Gwendolin Toye,
who died in her house last spring. looked up
yesterday. The birth certificate gives the
name Of the ather of the child as John Platt
and the mother as Hannah Elias, and says
the child was colored and was born on
Oct. l5 1902, The death certificate gives
the father as William Elias Of Pittsburg,
Pa. and the mother as Hannah Elias, de.
scribes the child as white and is dated
April IS, 1903. The name OF DR.. A. H.
Robinson is on the death certificate.
Because of the two names given for the
father OF the child Dr. Lederle said yester-
day that he might call on the mother and
on DR.. Robinson to straighten the record.
DIR. Robinson said yesterday that after
he filed the death certificate of the child
Mrs Elias asked him to change the name
he said and made the change. but he
couldn't remember what the original name
was or what he changed 1t to. ALI he couId
remember was that he made change.
He had attended Mrs. Elias for two years,
he sai id, during hich time she had been in
poor health When Mrs. Elias asked him to
make the change in the record, he asked no
questions Of her, as he didn't regard it as
any of his busi' ess.
Williams. the negro murderer. was ar
raigned before Judge Cowing in General
Sessions yesterday morning to plead to the
indictment found against him on Monday.
His LAWYER, A, II. Kafrenburgh, put in plea
Of not guilty and Williams was taken back
to the Tombs.
District Attorney Jerome then addressed
the court, saying i was his intention 10
force the trial OF the man as quickly as
possible. II the defence is to be insanity,
he said, the sooner tho prisoner was ex-
amined by competent medical authorities
the better.
Mr. Kaffenburgh said that he wasn't
ready to tell his defence just now, and that
closed the matter.
Williams is without means and Mr.. Kaifen-
burgh had himself assigned as counsel for
the man vest erday. Williams's case will
go on the calendar on Monday next and an
early date for the trial will be set.
Mr.. Kaffenburgh was asked yesterday
what his defence would be- He said that
1t would not be justifiable homicide and he
wouldn't say whether it would be insanity
or not.
we think We have an excellent case,
though" said Mr.. Kaffenburgh, "and when
we go into court we will present 1t and not
before"