New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-18
SAY SUIT WAS A FAKE"
IMPLTCATE LAW FIRM.
Opium Smoking Couple Confess
Railscay to Push Case.

The contention OF the street railroad COM
NAMES that they are mulcted out of thousands
of dollars annually by fake claims for dam
ages was IN a measure substantiated yesterday
at White Plains. when Albert Woods and Mae
Woods his wife confessed that their suit for
damages against the New-York City Railway
Company was fake, and that they had COM
rnitted rank perjury on the trial OF the suit
one year ago.
The couple. who were indicted for perjury
when arTaigned, pleaded guilty. Their confess
sion followed They not only made clean
breast of their own wrongdoings. but they i'm
plicated two we'll known New-Yorl lawyers,
and an effort will be made to-day TO have the
Westchester County Grand Jury return in
dictment Cor subornation OF perjury against
them as well as against the witnesses used in
the case
The two prisoners are confirmed opium
smokers. and are beginning TO show the effects
Of the loss Of this drug. Their general confess
sion. given in a talk with the officers, bears out
the oft repeated assertion that 1t is easy to
obtain this deadly drug in almost any drug
store IN New-York and II was through their
love for opium that the railroad detectives
finally captured them after a years chase.
The woman in the case comes from Provi-
dence. r /. her father being Edward S. Stimp-
son. who has been a Sherif's keeper for over
years
and al the present time he is wanted in Boston
or & charge OF illegal registration.
In June. 1904. Woods obtained employment
With the New-York City Railway Company
under the name of Walter T. Gardiner After
= few weeks work he was discharged by the
company for cause. Almost Immediately the
company was served with a summons and COM
plant in a suit brought by Mae Woods She
alleged that in June. two weeks after Woods
had been employed under the name of Gar
diner. she had been thrown violently from a
car while attempting to board it and had Sc
verely injured the lower portion Of her spine
No report Of the accident was found. Woods
when found admitted that the accident had
happened but said he had made no report of it
through fear OF being discharged.
The company suspicious, but offered
terms Of settlement which were refused. Then
a thorough investigation was ordered. with the
result that at the trial. despite the denials OF
Woods and his wife, il shown that they were
married and that Mrs Woods had received her
injury on the stage, where she once worked
an acrobat. The case was thrown out Of court
Immediately thereafter the couple disappeared.
The railroad company took steps to bring the
matter TO the attention Of the grand jury, with
the result that indictments followed.
When first arrested, the couple were inclined
10 deny their guilt but q short session at Police
Headquarters convinced them that confession
would be the best thing for them
They told how, as Woods went 10
work for the company he was approached by
lawyers representative who offered him cash
consideration for every accident case he was
instrumental III turning over TO them The
couple claim that Mrs. Woods really did fall
from the car, and naturally enough, they turned
the case over TO the lawyer who had been recon-
mended them. The damaging feature OF their
being married was disposed of. they say. by the
lawyers advising them 10 deny it The WOODS
also say that one Of the lawyers sat in the
courtroom. and they were instructed TO watch
him while they testifytng. When ne
nodded his head they were to say yes, and when
he shook his head they were to say no. Many
other features Of their lawyers advice were In
Guided in the confession, which made later
10 District Attorney Young, Of Westminster
County.