The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-01-19
lE CAVE THOUSANDS
Hanna Elias Takes Stand In
Own Defense.
AGED ADMIRER PAID HANDSOMELY
Negroes, Defending suit of John L..
Plat to Recover S0S3,OOO, TELLS
Her stOry-Testiied TO Giving
giO2, 900 without Voucher.

SiO2,OOO without Voucher.
NEW YORK, Jan. 10 Hanna Elias.
the negress sued by John II. Plat for
S6SJ0OO, took the stand in her own
defense here Sls told in the boldest
manner of her relations with Platt.
She lifted her veil ms she amounted the
stand, looking around the courtroom
with her bold stare.
During two and half hours OF
questioning and cross questioning the
negress maintained perfect composure
and sang froid
One Of the startling pieces Of infOr-
nation revealed by her was that short
ly before the attaching OF his property
in connection with the present action
she had drawn $l62,O00 in cash from
the Lincoln National bank and given
it TO Patrick Dugan, an upholsterer,
who had worked for her at various
times. She had asked for no receipt
and had received none,
Mrs. Elias" Mr. Black, in opening,
said, describe how you first met Mr..
Plat"
II first met him about nineteen years
ago at Fourteenth street and Sixth
avenus. We went to the French Mid
ANS in Thirty-drst street Then he
gave me $500. said was nice girl
and told me to 20 to Pop Millers and
he would take care of me"
Did he give YOU any money while
you were thereY
Yes. Sometimes $500, sometimes
$1,000. Lots Of money"
what did he call yOuf"
Irene. He said he had known girl
by that name down SOUTH
Did you have SERVANTS
Yes"
Did he ever give you more than ST.
600 at IA time"
Eyes. Sometimes $1,000. He was
very kind to me-"
Did he advise you as what to do
with the money!
Yes He told me to put il in a saw
ings bank. as he couldn't mention me
in his will because of his relatives"
did you ever lose track of him.
"Only when he went south. When
he came back he would put an adver-
tisement in the newspapers. 1t would
read 'Besse-Tell me where you are.
Pepper Then | would answer by put
ting In an advertisement reading. Pop
per-Dime Savings bank at $3.50. Bes-
sie.'"
Now, how much did you pay for
the house at 1888 West Sixty-elghth
streetT'
Eighteen thousand five hundred dol
lars"
why did he want you to move from
the Fifty.third street houseW
Because it was so Objectionable.
"Why?"
There were so many colored people
in the neighborhood."
why did you go to the Central park
west house,
We'll. Mr.. Plat wanted me TO move
there because nobody lived opposite
Did he look at the Central park west
housef'
Yes. He said it wasn't worth $l5,-
O0O"
rs that what you paid for it,
AYES
"What else did you buy?"
NO. 1866 West Seventy street,
for $40, 800"
why did you move from 23G Cen
tral park west?"
Because of the notoriety brought on
by Andrew II Green's death"
How about Mrs. De Craft
We'll, Mr.. Plat came to my house
in LenoX avenue very early one day in
February, 1904. said to him. Why.
pepper, what are you doing here So
earyT and he said; The devils to
pay. Mrs De Craft has told my broth
err Isaac all about it,"
did he tell You he had a wife,
'Yes, and two daughters one Of
whom was in Nebraska"
what did Mr. Plat have to do with
your divorce from Matthew DavisT
HE told me to get nm absolute di.
tnrsn a nj ba NV.ttII nav f.,. II