The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-06-18
MRS, HANNAH ELIAS
WAS DISCHARGED
New York Scandal is Brought to
a Fitting Climax.
PLAT COULDN'T REMEMBER
Ills Hclpicssnesu aud Appnrentty
Unreliable Memory Surprised
Those Who Attended the
Examination.

New York. June il.-Mrs. Hannah
elias was discharged on motion OF
Assistant District Attorney Rand, at
he conclusion OF the testimony OF
John X, Plat, the old millionaire. who
caused her arrest for extortion,
Mr.. Plat proved a disappointing wit
ness, To questions bearing directly on
the charges on which the Nomau's ar
rest had been made. he answered re-
~peatediy: II don't know" His help
,ossness and his apparently unreliable
memory surprised those who attended
his examination. He did not remember
whether he had given Mrs, ELIAS large
sums OF money during the last ten
years, AS charged, and did not remem-
Der signing certain papers in conncc-
ton with his charges against her.
Ordeal IA Trying One.
The ordeal was n trying one for tho
old man. and his replies became scarce
!y audible toward the last, AS o o as
he left The witness chair, Assistant Dis
trtct Attorney Rand said:
Your honor, | think tho parties to
this miserable scandal ought to be al
lowed TO stew In their own grease.
There is no evidence before you that
will possibly serve to hold this wom-
an on a charge OF %extortion. | recon-
mend that she be discharged" The
magistrate t%hereupon discharged the
woman.
Immediately afterward, Mrs. Elias
was rearrested on a writ In the civil
suit originally brought against her by
Mr.. Plat to recover $GS5 900. She was
released n few minutes later on $40, 900
ball, and was escorted by detectives
through tho crowded corridors of tho
criminal court building to the street.
where her carriage vas waiting, Sew
eral thousand persons, among them
hundreds of negroes, attracted by the
case, %thronGed the building, and stood
crowded in tho streets onside.
When Mr.. Plat, feeble and trembling
and apparently dazed, vas helped out
Of the building, the crowd hooted and
Kissed. o
Mr.. Plat was the first witness. He
said he was SO years old. and had lived
in New York city since 1866. He first
Hannah Elias at the time the vol
nnteer iiremen came on from San Fran
cisco, about Is years ago.
Says lie Was Afraid.
AT the request of Mr., Rand, Plat
read the first paragraph OF the COM
plant in the suit brought against Mrs,
Elias, and said 1t was "all right"
"Thcn you were afraid of herr"
Il gave her the money to keep things
did you give her the money willing
|y?"
eyes"
Magistrate Ommen then took the witt
ness in hand, but Mr.. Osborne, counsel
for Mrs. Elias, objected to the manner
IN which questions were framed, on this
ground that the magistrate was putting
The answers In the mouth OF the wit
ness. Magistrate Ommen did not press
he point, and as Mr.. Osborne declined
% cross examine the witness, Mr.. Plat
was excused. aa
Lyman II. Warren, OF counsel for Mr..
Plat, then was called to the stand. In
'eDly to a question by Mr.. Rand, he
laid that he knew Of evidence which
would corrcborate Mr.. Piatt's testi-
nony. He declined, however, to give
my information, on the ground that he
vas counsel for Mr.. Plat.
Nh. Osborne, attorney for Mrs. Elias,
that Mrs. Elias had received
he $500 mentioned In the complaint.
,ut said that 1t was not given to her
" reason Of any threats.
Again Mr.. Osborne moved for the dis
barge of Mrs. Elias, and Assistant Dis
riot Attorney Rand said that he would
ot oppose the motion.