The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-19
NHlR[SS GOT MUCH
MONEY FROM PAPA
Mrs. Elias Tells How She Dis
trlbuted the Gifts Of
Old Mr.. Plat

r
NEW YORK, Jan. 10. Hannah
Elias, the negress whom aged John r.
Flatt is suing to compel her to return
$685. which he claims she extorted
from him during an acquaintance of
twenty years, today told the story of
her life before Justice O'Gorman in the
supreme court.
1t was an extraordinary tale of sud-
den elevation from the lowest and most
vicious surroundings to a position of
afHuence, where money was literally
ralned upon her and where she had
everything that great wealth could
provide. She declared that she had
nothing to conceal, and insisted that
every dollar that Plat gave her had
| been given voluntarily. She believed.
she said, that she was under no obli-
cations to return any part of the mon
ey which she now possessed. How
much money Plat gave her she could
not say even approximately, as she
never kept any accounts OF his gifts,
which were made in large sums at FREE
quent intervals After the death of
his wife in 1893 he told her that he
! wanted to provide for her handsomely,
and explained that if he mentioned her
IN his will a contest might result. He
had decided, therefore, to give her a
great deal of money while he was yet
alive. He advised her to invest this
money carefully
Presented Dead Wife's Treasures.
Six months after his wife's death he
gave the witness Mrs. Platt's watch
and pocketbook She identified these
articles when they were produced by
Mr.. Black. Mrs. Elias apparently made
no attempt to cover the details of her
early life. She admitted that she had
served two terms in prison, one In
Philadelphia for larceny and the other
in this city for disorderly conduct.
It developed today that Mrs. Elias
had distributed her wealth with a free
hand among those who had been of
assistance to her. Lawyer August c..
Nanx said she had paid him $4,000 in
fees. Lawyer Washington Brauns re-
ceived from her over $4,000 in fees.
She paid more than 100000 to one firm
for carpets and furniture.
Good Wage for Godfather
A man who acted as godfather at
the christening of her child received a
present of $1,000, and when the child
died it was placed in a mausoleum,
which she erected at cost Of 5000.
Patrick w. Dugan, an uphOlsterer
who did much work for Mrs. Elias. said
that Plat made him present of $500
bill every Christmas for three years.
because he had been good to Dolly"
the name by which Mr.. Platt always
addressed Mrs. Elias. She called him
papa. Plat had offered him more
money when he called at his Office to
tell him about Mrs. Elias. but-he de-
clined it. Dugan said that Mrs. Elias
had given him about $500 a year in
presents during the past eight years.
On cross examination Mrs. Elias said
that she drew 100000 from the bank
when she heard that suit was to be
brought against her. After her arrest,
she said. she gave this money to Pat
rick Dugan and took no receipt for it.
She had since received $4,000 from
him.
When the defense rested a lawyer
representing the banks that were
brought into the case by an order Of
court directing them not to dispose of
moneys in their possession belonging
to Mrs. Elias. asked for a dismissal Of
the order and the judge granted the
request. After adjournment Mrs. Elias
was driven away in her carriage