The Van Buren press., 1904-06-04
A new YORK MURDER
IS NOW EXPLAINED
The Killing of Andrew Il. Green,
"Father of Greater New York."
Result of a Mistake.
MILLIONAIRE JOHN R. PLATI
WAS The INTENDED VICTIM.
The wealthy OctoG-nnrinn, by
Suit Entered against Hannah
Elias, an Octoroon, For Alleged
BlncLmail, Lays Bare the Motive
For Williams Crime.

New York, juno 1.-The persistent
contention by The friends OF the late
Andrew H. Grecn. the venerable phi
lanthropist and Father Of Greater New
York" who vas shot down at the door
Of his Park avenue residence by the
negro, Cornelius Williams, that the
murderer mistook him for another
man, is borne out by a suit which has
been started in the supreme court by
John r. Platt, an ocJogenarlan million
aire, against Mrs. Hannah Elias, the
octoroon, who vas the indirect cause
of the murder, for the recovery OF
nearly million dollars worth of prop
erty, obtained from aim by blackmail.
In 10,000-word affidavit, supporting
his claim to property, now held by Mrs,
Elias, Mr.. Platt lays bare his relations
with the woman, which began in 1896,
and have continued IN one way and an
other up to the present month.
That he was the gray-haired man
whose attentions to Mrs Elias when
she ran boarding house on West Fiji
ty-third street first excited the jealousy
of the demented Williams; that he was
the aged admlrer who vas much seen
al the Central park west establishment
and was known to some as MIR.
Green" and to others as Mr.. Flat, there
seems now to be no doubt.
Admits Admiration,
Mr. Platt makes an open avowal in
his affidavit that his admiration for
the woman, whom he thought was a
Spaniard, was his andoing. She knew
he was a married man with two grown
daughters, he says, yet she pretended
to believe that he was single for n
time, She then got her first money
payments out Of him by threatening to
expose him to his family and his
friends
BY far the greatest success ;he wom-
an had with Mr.. Plat, however was
in deceiviug him into the belief that
the child that was born to her and
afterward died was his. Although over
so years Of age, he firmly believed that
she spoke he truth. and answered de.
mand after demand for moAey when
such demands were coupled with
threats Of exposure.
lie Claims x8S5,3s5.
AS nearly rs Mr.. Platt can now fig
ure, he Is entitled to recover $6S5,355
from Mrs, Elias, but this does not rep
resent all in money and property that
she had from him. Fifteen thousand
dollars Of ;his morey he alleges was
procured from him during the present
described, Mr. Plat asks the appoint
ment Of receiver for all Of Mrs Elias
property, pending tee decision of the
suit, Mr.. Plat says he Is upward Of
81 years OF age, and In feeble health,
and was formerly ngaged In business
In this city, Dut has for some years not
been engaged IN business lie says he
is widower, having two married
daughters aoS living.
Before the Elias woman gained so
much prominence through the mention
Of her name by Williams, the crazy
negro who murdered Andrew II, Green,
she lived in a handsome house at 25G
Central Park west, She had large
retinue Of servants and lived in great
style, much 10 tho wonder - the ne
grocs who mad known her before she
became so we'll 70 DO, anancally.
The woman wao IL good-lookIng
octorooD, came TO the city In 1887 ana
II was no long af,erward chat she be.
came well to do Mnen she first came
tc this city she kept boarding house
for negroes In West Fifty-third street,
Before this ghe had been divorced from
her husband, Davis, Pullman car con
OuCtOr