The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-02
SENATOR AFRAID
OF CRITICISM.
-----------
Kept Marriage to Mrs. Wood
Secret Because First Wife
Had Just Died.
WOMAN MAKES THIS CLAIM
O'Flahcrty and Fulton Have Sen
sational Papers, But Decline
to Discuss Case.
WOMAN MAKES THIS CLAIM

Tho fact that o'E1aherty & Fulton, Of
this city, one OF tho best known law
firms in tho State, are counsel for Mrs
Mae Catherine Wood of Michigan, IN
her suit for divorce against United
States Senator Thomas Collier Plat. adds
Mr.. O'Flahcrty was member Of the
Virginia Constitutional Convention of
10000, and his partner. Hon. M. u:
Fulton, Is u member of the Senate Of
Virginia. Both stand high at the bar.
These facts alone give assurance that
the two gentlemen believe they have n
good case. They ar9 confident that
Fifth Avenue Hotel In New York, on
November g. 1901. prior to the mar
riage OF the Senator to Mrs. LILLIAN Jane
way which occurred In October, 1903.
They have what purports to be tho
marriage certificate. duly signed. It Is
understood that prior to 1902 a license
was not required for a marriage In
New York State, but that since that
date there has been such a requirement..
When Mr. O'Flaherty, the resident mefl;-
Der Of the concern. was asked as to the
story which was telegraphed from kala-
mazoo, Michigan. and IN which MIS-.
Wood alleges that she had received 4
letter from her attorney intilnatins that
Senator Plat had offered to mako set
out of court, he stated that If Mrs.
Wood made such a statement they know
nothing of it and cannot discuss 1t for
publication.
In connection with the story as to
Abe Hummels securing q settlement with
Senator Plat in Mrs. Woods behalf,
whereby she agreed to surrender Ger.
tain letters, Mr.. O'Flaherty ad'nittea
that he had heard Of this, but had not
seen the agreement. If it is true, how
ever Mrs Wood did not surrender all
the letters, for there is evidence that she
still has in her possession certain com
munications claimed to have been Writ ]
ten to her by the Senator. 1t is SAID
that this agreement whereby attorney
Hu1nme secured a settlement OF Slo,Voo
In Mrs. Woods favor, of which sum he
secured a portion, was made soon after
Mrs. Woods threat to publish, under
the title, Love Letters of a Boss, the
letters written to her by Senator Platt.
Mr. OFlaherty was asked whether or
not the bill OF complaint In the divorce
proceedings contained any provision with
reference to alimony. lie stated that 1t
did not. but that this question would
necessarily come up incidentally IN the
event of a. decree Of divorce. me pro
ceeding is now in it's initial stages only. !
Miss Wood or Mrs Wood, as 1t is saih
she Is, is about forty years Old IL Is
alleged that her acquaintance with Scna-
tor Platt began on her return from
trip abroad in 1900, and that soon there
after she secured Il position in the gov
eminent service in Washington through
the influence and aid Of the Senator. AS
stated, it is alleged that the couple We're
married on November 9, 1901 whereas
the marriage to Mrs. Janeway was sub
seuuent thereto by nearly two years.
1t is said that the reason given by
Senator Plat for keeping his alleged
marriage with Mrs. Wood secret was
that the ceremony occurred soon after
the death of his first wife, and that he
might be criticised by his friends If his
marriage We're made public at the time.
1t can be stated authortatively that tie
bill filed in the case does not name fiji
teen or sixteen correspondents as alleged,
nor any indeed, but merely recites the
fact of Senator Platt's marriage to Mrs.
Janeway as ground for divorce, it not
being deemed necessary to drag in any
other matter not necessary to the es-
tablishment of the claim on which the
divorce is sought.
While the firm of O'Flaherty & Fulton
| decline to disclose their evidence in adj
| vance of the trial. they express the be-
| lief that they can establish the marriage
| OF Mrs. Wood to Senator Plat at the
| time alleged and that the suit is n
| bona fide one in every detail.