New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-06
PLATT WANTS ONLY MONEY
NOT TO PRESS CHARGE.
Jerome to Decide To-day Whether
to Take Case to Grand Jurg.

With all the information from both sides in the
Platt-Elias at its disposal, the District At
torney's Office is in position TO take action to-day
If any evidence of criminalty is shown by the in
formation 1t has acquired. Assistant District At
torney Lord in conference with Lyman T.
Warren of John R. Platts counsel yesterday al
ternoon at Mr.. Warren's house. Last evening Mr.
Warren went to the Elias house to warn his men
waiting there to the woman If she should
attempt to go away, to be extremely vtgllant.
Mr. Platt's attorney also placed three more men
on the watch making five instead Of three Mr..
Warren said he had placed the original complaint
OF Mr.. Platt before the District Attorneys office
for its further information. but that he did not
intend to urge criminal action. "All 1 am AFTER
he said is the restoration of my clients money.
1 have desire to become a criminal lawyer.
have not received any overtures from Brauns. and
do not expect any. I do not wish TO have anything
to do with him. and If he should come to my ONCE
he would not get a cordial receptiOn
Mr.. Warren intimated that he did not approve
the methods pursued by the District Attorney S
office in the case. but would not make any specl-
fcations.
Mr. Jerome did not return from Lakewood last
night as had been planned He will be back this
morning. The June grand jury Will be sworn IN
to-day, and with the information obtained on Sat
urday night from the negress and the material
given to Mr.. Lord by Mr.. Warren yesterday, Mt.
Jerome will know whether to present the case to
the jury. 1t has been reported that NUMBER Oh
witnesses in this case will be examined to-day, pre-
paratory TO indictment. OF these witnesses
nothing can be learned, and Mr. Brauns. the wom-
ans lawyer, says that such witnesses exist
When Mr.. Lord and Mr.. Kernochan went to the
Elias woman's house Saturday night. with MI
Brauns it examine her particularly with
reference the charges of blackmail in the Plat
complaint Their questions she answered willingly
She was not disturbed by them apparently. Mr.
Rrauns would not say yesterday what her answers
were but he seemed confident that there was
nothing which would cause him or her any uneasi
In only one instance did the other side seem to
have any corroboratve evidence he said. Some
one, according to the stories he had heard, a
woman had approached Isaac S. Platt John
brother. threatening exposure. Even II this were
true it could be easily explained Mr.. Brauns said,
the attempt of some one. who had heard OF
Plat trying to graft on her own account
The extra precautions which Mr.. Platt's lawyers
had taken to be able to serve the injunction order
in the case and the other papers on Mrs. Elias II
she tried to leave town Yesterday did not seem TO
worry Mr.. Brauns. Just when he VIII be able 10
file his answer he does not know or its PHrporf
legations Of oppression duress; fraud, coercion or
any other influence brought to bear on the old man
Does it look much as If Mrs Elias were q black
mailer" no said, when for these many years she
3MvnE mortsages removed instead Of putting on
money to run? Mrs Elias Is living in her own
place when this thing happened. shi could have
been out Of the country long ago. with all TIE
money. if she had had any fear On the contrary,
she's never mentioned going. and 1 had NOT
thought Of It until the other people suggested II
by their wonderful precautions. My client does
not object to the prosecution but she does TO per-
secution. II the ordinary legal method had been
adopted. the papers in the suit could have been
served long ago"
Sarah Holmes. n maid in the employ OF Miss
Hammond an actress in Charles Hawtrey's com
pany. told few additional facts about the Elias
woman. They girls together born in adj
Joining houses in Philadelphia. Miss Holmes has
not Hannah since she sixteen years old
The Elias woman comes from fairly well to do
people she says who felt her disgrace keeniy
Her grandmother white woman who mar
ried light mulatto. Her mother could hardly
be told from white woman. while her father
light, and when she herself girl she passed
white