The Tupelo journal., 1904-06-17
mrs, HANNAH ELIAS
/ WAS DISCHARGED
New York Scandal is Brought to
q Fitting Climax.
PLATT COULDN'T Remember
His HeIpIessnesD and Apparently
Unreliable Memory Surprised
Those Who Attended the
Examination.

New York, June 11.-Mrs. Hannah
Elias was discharged on motion Of
Assistant District Attorney Rand, at
The conclusion of the testimony OF
John R. Plat, the old millionaire, who
caused her arrest for extortion.
Mr.. Platt proved a disappointing wit
ness. To questions bearing directly on
the charges on which the woman's ar
rest had been made, he answered re-
p~eatedly: Il don't know" His help
.essness 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 connec-
ton with his charges against her.
Ordeal IA Trying One.
The ordeal was a trying one for the
old man, and his replies became scarce
ly audible toward the last. AS soon as
he left The witness chair, Assistant DIS
trict Attorney Rand said:
"Your honor, l think the 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 thereupon 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 $685., 900. She was
released a few minutes later on $4,000
bail, and was escorted by detectives
through the crowded corridors of the
criminal court building to the street
where her carriage was waiting. Sew
eral thousand persons, among them
hundreds of negroes, attracted by the
case, throneed the building, and stood
crowded in the streets outside.
When Mr.. Plat, feeble and trembling
and apparently dazed, was helped out
Of the building, the crowd booted and
Kissed.
Mr.. Plat was the first witness. He
said he was SO years old, and had lived
in New York city since 1865. He first
met Hannah Elias at the time the vol
unteer firenen came on from San Fran
cisco, about Is years ago.
Snys He 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 it was 'all right"
Then you were afraid of herr"
II gave her the money to keep things
quiet"
did you give her the money willing
ly?"
Eyes"
Magistrate Ommen then took the wit
ness in hand, but Mr.. Osborne, counsel
for Mrs. Elias, objected to the manner
in which questions were framed, on the
ground that the magistrate was putting
the answers in the mouth Of the wit
ness. Magistrate Ommen did not press
the point, and as Mr.. Osborne declined
to cross examine the witness, Mr.. Platt
was excused.
Lyman E. 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 %corrcborate Mr.. Platt's testi-
mony. He declined, however, to give
any information, on the ground hat he
was counsel for Mr.. Plat.
Mr.. Osborne, attorney for Mrs. Elias,
admitted that Mrs. Elias had received
the $500 mentioned in the complaint,
but said that it was not given to her
by reason of any threats.
Again Mr.. Osborne moved for the dis
charge of Mrs. Elias, and Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Rand said that he would
not oppose the motion.