New-York tribune., 1905-01-18
ONLY HIS CLOTHES LEFT.
SO JOHN r. PL4TT SAYS.
Testifes in Detail as to His Retd-
tions scith Mrs. Elias.

II have nothing now but the clothes have on"
said John r. PlRtt. yesterday testfying In his
suit against Mrs. Hannah Elias a negress. TO re-
cover ~5e.o00 which he says was eAtorted from
him by the woman. The trial was begun yesterday
before Justice O'GormRn. in the Supreme Court.
The elderly plaintiff was the stand most Of the
day. telling the details OF his relations with the
woman. He feeble and almost blind. His
voice failed him many times through the day and
his memory was bad
Soon after he called TO the stand Mrs Elias
entered the courtroom escorted by her counsel
and by former prizehghter. and white woman,
whom she has employed to protect her at the trial
She kept her eyes fastened steadily on Mr.. Platt
throughout his testimony. She showed no emotion
at any time In the rather poor light Of the court
room she appeared TO be almost white. Mr.. Platt
showed much dlscomposure whenever he caught
the defendants eye.
First the case OF the plaintiff was outlined Mrs.
Elias had threatened often to expose Mr.. Platts
relations 10 her. said counsel, unless she received
certain large sums. Mr. Patt he said paid last
year bin for 500 for medical services. and later
5000 or 5000 more Sums extorted from him
various preteKts in the eighteen years he knew the
woman. his counsel said. brought the total up 10
sSS5 600
Mr.. Platt testified that he met the woman about
eighteen years ago in Pop Mler's resort. in
Twenty-seventh-st.. while showing the sights" TO
members OF the Exempt F1remen's Association from
San Francisco. Mrs. Elias he said, and other
women danced the ''can-can" that night. Afterward
oid her again until she moved place in
Third-ave-. where he went in answer 10 her ad-
vertsement. TO be treated for rheuma tsm He could
not remember whether he gave her 5000 on the
casion OF his first visit 10 her in Thrd-ave. After
borrowing pair Of eyeglasses from his counsel he
tried 10 refresh his memory by means of various
memoranda but without result. He thea took
other entry book and from it read memoran0s- OF
the money he had given the woman. His tone
so low that few but his counsel heard. One Of the
largest amounts he identified 5000 given her
August 8. 1901. followed by few days late- of
5000.
A big bundle OF checks on the Chemical National
Bank was then shown the witness all payable TO
bearer. After much fumblng and hesitation, Mr..
Plstt said he guessed he drew the checks"
Asked what he knew concerning James p. Mat
thews, Platt testified that Mrs Elias told him she
had to give Matthews money. OF the man would
make trouble by bringing suit. and she would have
TO expose the relations between herself and the
plaintiff. As usual. Mr.. Platt gave the money. He
said he gave the money 10 q lawyer named Nance.
Another time she got money from him the
ouse that Daniel DAILY. lawyer. would her
II he did not receive pay. She told him about the
debt 70 DAILY several times, and each time she got
the money from him. He also settled many other
bills, real or alleged. for her
Ex-Governor Black, for the defendant, then began
the cross-exarination. Mr.. PIatt rehearsed the
the woman. his memory proving faulty at times.
He said he believed he had a family. He said he
used TO give Mrs. Elias money when they met. He
called her Dolly then and she called him Papa"
Mr Black then showed Platt his ledger.
Q-car you tell which OF these accounts were
psid 10 Mrs. Elias? Al cannot
Q-You have recollection of any of these
Items? A.-No recollection. but know paid her.
Several checks shown 10 the witness He
had no recollection Of any of them
Counsel then took Mr.. Platt for redirect ex-
animation, and asked him about a mortgage on
certain Twenty-ninth-st. property. He said took
the property for the mortgage. He could not re-
member II he had any trust account. but after re-
ferring 10 his books sad he recoIected having one
Witness said that there money in his per-
sonsI account other than that paid either TO Mrs.
Elias or 10 the lawyer Nance.
IN his examination by the police magistrate Mr
Platt said he believed Mrs. Elias would not ex-
pose him unless she had He said yesterday:
I believe that she would have stood pat as I
would nave done, had my brother let alone"
Dr. Andrew Rose Robinson the next witness
-t renllIeQ heaIth department birth certificate
me ceIIncate was dated october =, 1903 signed
"A r. Robinson. Of No 24s West Forty-second-st.
ana stated that the child white; its father
J@onn @ X FIaSt; It's Hother Hannah Elias. and its
lhe death certificate OF the Health Department
also shown the doctor 1t declared the ply
sician had attended the dead child from April l.
1903. 70 April ., 1903. The OF death was
given as bronchial pneumonia. The fun name OF
fathers name William Elias, and the mothers
name as Hannah Elias. Of No. 256 Central Park
The trial will be resumed at 1880 O'Clock to-
day when the plaintiffs counsel will put on several
Mrs Elias left the courtroom, accom- panied by
her white bodyguard, her maid and counsel and
went down the inside passageway 10 the Chambers
waiting Outside the courthouse a thousand per-
had gathered, and as the negress appeared
shout went up, Elias! Elias!' from the crowd