The San Francisco call., 1906-10-15

cletE has been diverted this week by
two scandals in high life. The aston
lshing details of the Platts marital
troubles We're rich morseIs Of gossip
for the -four hundred" when. direct
upon its heels came the story OF an
arrangement between Howard Gould
and his wife
senator Platt is in q pitiable con-
elron, both physically and mentally
he is rs thin as a shadow and so feeble
that he is literally carried TO and from
his carriage Yet this grim Old poll
lclan OF 50 retains his grit. and his
lips curve scornfully at the mere sug-
gestion that he viii retire from the
senate He is much worse of than his
colleague in the Senate, Chauncey De-
new, who is at Wrestler Muldoon's re-
-reat, just north OF town, trying to
uild Up his shattered nerves. Both Of
tnese old men, long past the age Of
tlree-score and ten. married young
wives a year or so ago and both of
them lived TO regret IL. tt seems that
senator Depew's wife is now with him
at the sanitarium, but for many months
after the expose connecting Senator
Depew's name with the unsavory in
slrance scandal she elected TO remain
IN Europe with her mother, and il was
considered doubtful whether she would
ever return 10 the Senator His physi-
cal and mental condition became so alb
5ect that she was compelled to come
back and minister to the wants Of
dying old man; for there seems 10 be
no doubt whatever that Senator Depew
is rapidly approaching the end. In fact
u IS a question which viii pass away
Irst-Platt or Depew. Yet neither Of
them purposes 10 loosen his grip on
the Senate seat. Both were assailed
for their connection with the insur-
ance frauds. and neither Of them
wishes TO retire under fire. Although
neither one Of them is fit for business
Depew retains his Craftsmanship of the
New York Central board Of directors at
an enormous salary, while Senator
Platt continues TO draw $4,000 q year
as president Of the United States Ex-
press Company. II is an edifying spec
tacle-that Of these two old men, both
mentally and physically infrm. both
tainted with charges OF corruption,
both beset with the usual marital in
felicities that attend the union Of May
and December, both drawing enormous
salaries from corporations for doing
nothing and both resolUtely refusing 70
resign from the Senate.
Platt has been q Senator for twenty
FIVE years. At first he was not taken
seriously by that body. He was COM
pletely OvershadoWed by the brilliant
and IOrdly Roscoe Conkling, and Platt
was his only echo. Me, too, Tommy
Piatt" was q byword in those days.
When Conkling resigned Platt followed
suit But afterward, when Platt was
returned 10 the Senate, not being con-
stantly overshadowed by Conkling, he
gradually emerged from obscurity into
the iimelight Of national politics. Al
though nothing Of speaker, he was
great organizer, whose advice was
highly valued, and he soon took rank
as one OF the leaders Of the Repub-
licans in the Senate and he maintained
that position up 70 a very recent time,
understanding the charges of insur-
arce grafting and Notwithstanding his
physical and mental inlrmity-
This is not the first time the aged
Senator has had trouble about women.
u is only a few months since he was
threatened with a breach of promise
suit by Miss Mae Wood, formerly
clerk IN department at Washington,
which position was secured for her by
senator Platt She was in high favor
with the Senator until the present Mrs.
Platt appeared on the scene Platt got
place for her, too-in the Congress
sional Library
Mrs. Janeway drew a salary Of about
z hundred dollars a month, and. being
economical, in q few months she saved
enough money TO buy a fine brOugham
and moved into handsome apartments
!. Immediately opposite the Arlington
Hotel, where the Senator resided She
worked among the books in the library
with costly gems sparkling on her
fingers, her gowns were Worth cgea-
tions OF amazing richness She was a
devoted friend Of Senator Platts wife.
an invalid, and her daily ministrations
70 the sick woman were said TO be
touching. After Mrs. Platts death she
turned her attentions openly TO the
rode each day TO the Congressional
Library in the Senator's own carriage,
with a footman on the box with the
coachman. Her daughter (now Mrs.
Carmody) was also given a place in
the library through senator Platt's in
fuence
The residents in the vicinity Of tho
Army and Navy Club. an aristocratic
quarter Of Washington, had been specu-
Iating for some time as to the owner
ship Of a costly mansion then being
erected in that neighborhood. 1t be
came known soon that ii belopged to
Mrs. Janeway. and after ITS completion
IL was furnished in sumptuous style
from top 10 bottom It became noised
about in the society of the capital that
Mrs. Janeway was engaged to the aged
New York Senator. and Senator Platt
neekly admitted the fact. The mar
rage was duly celebrated and Mrs.
Piatt gave a series or lavish entertain
nents. such as comported with the so
eisl station Of United States Senator's
wife. but society" as rule held aloof
from these functions and they wera,
freQuented by another set, but q merry
one.
Miss Mae Wood had been a clerk in
the Postoffce Department at salary
0f $1,000 a year. She was also one of
Senator Platt's proteges. and as he was
an all-powerful politician and Senator
she-came and went as she pleased. She
got leave Of absence. and, having been
economical also. like Mrs. Janeway, she
took a trip 70 Europe. While there
rumors had reached her of Senator
Pletts attentions TO the dashing Mrs
Janeway. or rather OF Mrs Janeway's
attentions TO the Senator. and she hur-
ried back TO Washington. But she
was twenty-four hours too late. Mrs.
Janeway had stolen a march on her
and had married the rich and power
full Senator. Miss Wood threatened
srit for breach Of promise, and exhibit
ed q satchelful OF love letters alleged
10 have been written her by Senator
Platt She took them 10 the White
House 10 show them 10 the President.
but Private Secretary Loeb by strategy
prevailed upon her to desist from
r--~rIer rur1fcffr affervard she took