New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-11


defence. Mrs, Hannah Elias was discharged
yesterday and the criminal action against her
dismissed on recommendation OF the District
Attorney. There was practically no prosecu-
tion. Only two witnesses were examined. John
r, Platt the complainant. tottering In mind as
in body. contradicted himself time and again;
declared that he gave her money willingly ana
stood in fear OF her. and twice explicitly de-
MED that the woman was his mistress, himself
defeating his Lyman L. Warren, his
counsel. put on the stand to tell OF the evidence
with which he was TO back up Platts state
ments as TO blackmail, under the examination
OF James w Osborne assumed the attitude Of
defendant refused to answer many questions,
and, on being ordered by the magistrate to
answer. made most peculiar admissions. He re-
tired from the encounter flushed. hustered and
extremely angry.
In dismissing the case Magistrate Ommen ex-
pressed considerable dissatisfaction with the
way the District Attorneys office had handled
II. Evidence which had been laid before him
when he issued the warrant for the wOnans
arrest he said had not been brought out by the
prosecution. and he seemed to feel that there
would be censure for him II he dismissed the
case after issuing the warrant.
To this Assistant District Attorney Rand
acting for Mr.. Jerome, replied that he had made
the most dnIgeut search for evidence Of Grim
inality but had found Platts story
taken at it's highest valuation. would hardly
prove extortion. and the story as delivered on
the witness stand almost worthless as evil
dence He almost insisted that the ease be dis
missed to let the parties 10 this miserable
scandal stew I'm their own grease"
Il hope I'll never hear the name Elias again"
said MAGISTRATE Omrnen To himself he left
the bench.
Immediately after her discharge Hannah Elias
was arrested In tI.A civii suit. A bond for SEQ
600 was depositeJ .vir!. the Sheriff. and she
drove at once TO ne, 'eutra! Park West house
with her lawyer. Washington Brauns-
Seated in her pariJr last night she fairly huo-
bled with eagerness to tell her story. ttat the
long misunderstan ding 81 her might end
Il never had anv ccr3t as to the outcome Of
the trial" she saii 'i knew that had done
nothing wrong; Ioy conscience was clear.
was pe4fectIy willing 30 go on the stand. There
was only one story for me to tell-the truth
felt sorry for poor old Mr. Platt to-day.
think his evidence on the stand showed how the
case stoOd. / never blackmailed him
Il have been treated with the greatest consid-
Grafton by the authorities but il hurt me to
part from my baby. l wanted her badly.
and was worried about her all the time. The
first thing l did when l got home to see
by. and she's fat and fine and healthy
not touch. on the advice of her lawyer because
of the civil action pending. She was very will
ing 10 deny. however, that she had ever heard
of Andrew II. Green until he was shot Men
tion of other names met with the same vigorous
denial. accompanied, al times. with great merri-
ment, the idea seemed to her preposterous.
NO Mr.. Platt was the only man who gave
me money she said.
To many other questions her replies were
frank. She is eager that many false statements
about her be contradlcted. The statements
about her personal appearance annoyed her.
Il don't have TO wear a wig she declared.
Il never did. save once, when had n fever. and
Dr. Robinson ordered that my hair be cut of.
Now it's come in again. and it's all my
beautiful hair. l held any Cleopatra
revels in my parlor anywhere else. Neither
did l hire women to dress them up then hui
initiate them by tearing up their inery l have
always hired white servants-Irish girls or Jap
anese."
Two astonishing admissions were made. Asked
about the girl who came from Philadelphia
bring suit against her. she said:
That's not my daughter"
In speaking of the false reports circulated by
an old Philadelphia neighbor. she said
Il don't care about that l don't care about
colored folks. anyhow. I've made white people
my friends"
This Mr. Brauns her lawyer. deemed subject
TO great miscOnstruction. and he FASTENED to
show letter from Industrial Home for Col
ored Boys. acknowledging a liberal contribution.
oh yes laughed his client Il always gave
literally 10 all kinds of charities. Why, even to
this Belle Marshall who said she was my house
keeper and circulated all kinds OF stories about
me. ! gave money when she was in need in Bal
timore She never was my housekeeper. She
was a manicurist. who visited me once week
for time"
Mrs Elias win probably leave town soon for a
seaside place. She has fear Of any develop
ments in the civil suit and In this her lawyer.
Mr. Brauns shares her confidence For few
days she will stay in her home here. with her
baby.
The scene at the Criminal Courts Building
yesterday has seldom been equalled In any cele-
brated case Hours before the time set for
court opening throng OF hundreds had gath
cred in the side streets. and every time a car
riage drove up there was wild surging OF the
crowd toward 1t. Inside the building the ground