The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-05-01
MAY WOOD
SUES LOEB
Senator Platt'S Love Letters
Taken by Force
WANTS $4,000 DAMAGE
Young Norman Vas Preparing for
Publication a Book Entitled
Love Letters Of a Boss"
WANTS $4,000 DAMAGE

OMAHA. Neha May Miss Mae g.
Wool an attorney III Omaha. who was
once clerk Boz the postofiice depart.
mcnt ~ Washington. has aicd In the
district court suit for dsmnFcs Of
$1,000 against William Loeb. scrrcia.
~ 90 President Roosevelt. former Poet.
master General Wyune. now consul 20
London. and ! Martin Miller. consul az
AiK.la.Chnpclic
Miss Wood charges fhai the defend.
ants hy "foroe and threats" ecurei
from her lugo letters which. She alleges.
were written 90 her hy senator Plat
~ New York These letters. she SAYS
10 her charges formed the basis ~ =
book fhe manuscript Tor which shc had
completed aud Tor the Publication 81
which she bad contracted with "a pub
Usher Miss Wood alleges that former
Postmaster General Wyunc met her NJ
r. hotel in Washington. where be- de.
ialnci her Tor two days arl by threats
and force took from her the alleged
love letters She says Mr.. wynne was
accompanied by two men. one Of whom
gave his name as Iiummel
The petition In part follows.
THAT beginning about May /. 1903.
plaintiff had prepared rs literary pro-
duciIon and FOR publication manu-.
script entitled The Love Letters OF a
Boss which manuscript was largely
made up from actual letters received
by this plaintiff from a very prominent
man IN the United States senate lSen-
ator T. G. Platu. seventy-one years old.
and who pretended to be desperately
In love with this plaintiff.
THAT plaintiff had been engaged 10
marry said prominent elderly man and
had received attentions from him which
could only be excused on the ground Of
such engagement; that because OF the
conduct OF said sutton the said engage
ment was about 10 be cancelled on
April 10 1903.
THAT for the purpose Of trying 10
make an independent living IN a liter.
airy field and ms compensation FOR the
peculiar humillations and prosecutions
she had been subject 10 she determined
to utilize such unfortunate and dis
agreeable experiences and publish the
said book containing verbatim para
graph after paragraph Of the silly love
expressions contained In said letters
which were mixed with political ami
mosities and news. said manuscript
also being prepared with an actual ac-
count Of the replies thereto as near as
It was possible for this plaintiff 10 re-
member.
THAT said defendants. obtaining |
knowledge OF plaintiffs intention to get |
out such book. conspired with each 9th
er and the author Of said original let |
tiers or with the political enemies Of |
the said author of said letters.
THAT ]. Martin Miller. who in reall- !
~ was detective, was engaged by |
the defendants to represent himself |
to plaintiff as an author and publisher
and solicit the manuscript for said |
book, together with a contract 10 pub |
fish the same under his own name |
through publishers or friends in Phila-
delphia. That this plaintiff finally con
scented to enter into publication con
tract with the said Miller for the pub
LEGATION of said book, The Love Let
tiers of Boss and surrendered the
manuscript for said purpose of publca-
ton as aforesaid and for no other pur-
pose That the said Miller at the time
of procuring said manuscript borrowed
of this plaintiff 500 for expenses while
in Philadelphia to superintend the pub
LEGATION of said book"
Miss Wood then states that while on
her way to visit sick relative she
was decoyed by Miller TO New York
for the ostensible purpose Of reading
proof of the story. She alleges that no
proof was forthcoming when she ar
rived but that Miller. by intimidation
and otherwise threatening, caused her
to give up for the time her pursuit for
the proofs. She says that Miller dis
played badge and demanded that she
turn over letters written her by Sena-
tor Plat and Lillian r. Janeway. Fear
ing disgrace. she says. both to her fam
lily and to herself, she went to the New
York Life building. accompanied by
Of nd lnlf.--