Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-11
HANNAH ELIAS
IS DISCHARGED.
Millionaire John H, Platt's Charges
Against Her Fall to the
Ground,
HIS MEMORY WAS VERY POOR.
10 Questions Bearing on the Case,
Which Was Extortion, His Answer
Was, 81 Don't Know"

New York, June lO--Mrs Hannah
Ellas was today discharged on motion
OF Asst Dist Atty. Rand, at the con
cluslon Of the testimony OF John H.
Platt the old MILLIONAIRE, who caused
her arrest for extortlon.
Mr. Plat proved Disappointing witt
ness. To questions bearing directly on
the charges on which the woman's ar
rest had been made, he answered re-
peatedly, Il don't know" His helpless
ness and his apparent unreliable menu
DRY surprised those who attended his
examination. lie did not remember
whether he had given Mrs. Elias large
sums Of money during the last 10
years, as charged, and did not remem-
per signing certain papers In connec-
uon with his charges against her,
Inc ordeal was a trying one for the
old man, and his replies became scare
~ audible toward the last As soon as
he had left the witness chair Asst.
DIST, Atty. Rand said: Your Honor
think the parties 70 this miserable
scandal ought to be allowed to stew IN
their own grease, There is no evidence
before you that win possibly serve to
hold this woman on charge OF extar-
ton. | recommend that she be dis
charged The magistrate thereu ION
discharged the woman
Immediately afterward Mrs. Elias
was rearrested on writ in the tIyIl
SUIT originally brought against her by
Mr. Platt TO recover $685., 900. She was
released few minutes later on 5000
pan, ana was escorted by detectives
through the crowded corridors OF the
criminal courts building TO the street.
where her carriage was waiting. Sew
eral thousand persons, among them
hundreds Of negroes, attracted by the
case, thronged the building and stood
crowded In the street outside.
when Mr.. Plat feeble and trembling
and apparently dazed was helped out
or the building. the crowd hooted and
Kissed.
Mr. Plat was the first witness ue
SAID ne was SO years old and had lived
in New York city since 1865, lie nrst
met Hannah Elias at the time the vol.
unteer firemen came on from san Fran
cisco, about 10 years ago. Some
time ago he again met the woman at
Ihlrd avenue massage establishment
through am advertisement and had kept
up the acquaintance since. His rela
tons with her had been OF tender
character, and he had bought for her a
house and had given her large sums of
money.
She was your mistress?" asked
Asst Dist Atty. Rand
She was not my MISTRESS" replied
Mr.. Plat
Asked II he had not signed paper
several In Nxkf h., a al.
Mrs. Elias had extorted hundreds of
thousands OF dollars from him, Plat
replied that he could not remember. He
mad signed certain paper several
nights ago, but did not remember sign
ing a longer paper which Mr.. Warren
gave 10 him.
Mr.. Plat would not give direct an
swer to question as TO whether he had
paid the woman more than $500. 900
since January, 1896, but did remember
that he gave her $500 last month. This
pavment was made, he said, because
Mrs. Elias told him she was being sued
and would have to go to court and ex-
pose him unless the money was paid.
He could not recall that two men
whom the assistant district attorney
named, were about to bring suit
against her, She did tell him that II
she was taken to court she would be
obliged 20 testify as to her relations
with the witness.
What were those relations" asked
Mr.. Rand, Business
Did you not pay her because OF re-
lations OF a more tender character than
doctor and patient"
II had relations with her and paid
her sums Of money" replied Mr.. Platt
u gave her the money because she said
she would be put out"
At the request OF Mr., Rand. Plat
read the first paragraph of the COM
plant in the suit brought against Mrs.
Elias and said Il was "all right
Then you were afraid Of her?N 81
gave her the money to keep things
quiet"
Did you give her the money will
ingly?" yes"
Magistrate Ommcn then took the wit
ness in hand, but Mr.. Osborne, counsel
for Mrs, Elias, objected TO the manner
In which questions We're framed on the
ground that the magistrate was put
ting the answers I'm the mouth OF the
witness. Magistrate Ommen did not
press the point, and ae Mr. Osborne
declined 10 cross examine the witness
MIR Platt was excused.
Lyman T.. Warren of counsel for Mr.
Plat then was called TO the stand. In
reply to "A question by Mr.. Rand. he
said that he knew Of evidence which
would corroborate Mr.. Platts testl.
mony He declined, however, to give
any information on the ground that he
was counsel for Mr.. Platt.
Mr.. Osborne, attorney for Mrs. Elias
admitted that Mrs Elias had received
the $500 mentioned In the complaint
but said that " was not given to her
by reason of any threats. The court
discharged the prisoner.
Mrs, elias sald tonight that she did
not know Andrew II. Green and had
never heard ~ him I'm TO the time Of
his death, ~ absolutely exonerate him
and | am exceedingly sorry that he
met 10 untmely fate through the re-
suit Of another man. she said. She
declared that she had no charges to
make against any millionaire, and that
there would be no further charges made
against her by Plat, Washington
Brauns. her counsel, who was present
when this statement was made, added