Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-19
ron" W3oTE loVEr puskY notes
Woman Tells About Marriage Which
is Alleged to Have Been Performed
in Newport Hotei-letter " Which
He Denied He Was Ever Going
to Marry.
IBy Associated freSS)

NEW York May lS.-Mae Gather
Inc Wood was on the witness stand all
day today testiying in her suit for
absolute divorce from United States
Senator Thomas c. Plat before JUS
tice O'Gorman in the Superior Court.
In support of her assertion that she
had been secretly married to Senator
Plat at the Fifth avenue hotel on
November 9. 1901. her counsel intro
duced in evidence a marriage certi
ficate which she said had been h7ld
ed to her by the minister who per
formed the ceremony: and copies of
a number of letters alleged to have
been written to her by the senator
addressed in terms of .endearment.
She testified that Mr.. Plat first
promised to marry her at Manhattan
Beach.
HE said the marriage must ne
secret As he was an old an added
the witness. | demurred and ted him
he knew nothing about me but he
said he knew all my past life"
Miss Wood said she had two let
tiers from Senator Platt but that one
of them was demanded from her by J.
Martin Miller and another man i'm
October 1903. and that she had never
seen it since. Her counsel showed
the witness a typewriter copy of a
letter and she identified 1t As con
tanning practically the contents of the
missing letter. 1t was offered in evil
dence and admitted despite the OBJ
jections of John B. Stanchfeld. Scna-
tor Piatt's counsel. The copy was
dated Friday, November s. 1901. and
read in part as follows: MY Little
Bride to Be: have made all arrange
ments You are not to say anything
TO anybody. You are to obey my in
structions implicitly. enclose card
to the hotel You will lc there at
four o'clock and have room 1873. ! am
an old fool but you shall never re-
gret this step.
(Sfgned) Lovingly
Tom"
The witness said she waited as
directed. that Senator Platt came ia
her with two men. that he embraced
her and introduced her to the men
Tells About Ceremony"
Il took his hand" said Miss Wood.
land one Of the men began the civil
ceremony by saying: You take this
woman to be your lawful welded wife
and you take this man to be your law
full welded husband Miss Wood
said that PIatt gave her a wedding
ring. and she displayed the ring in
court. II bore no inscription. She
declares that she thought the man
who performed the ceremony was
minister and that he gave a marriage
certificate This alleged certificate
was offered in evidence. Following
the ceremony the witness said she
remained at the hotel for three days
and then returned to her duties.
The marriage. she said. was mt
made public because Mr.. Plat: wanted
!; to he Kept secret
"Hc would not YET ne have a lady
friend even SAIL Miss Wood for.
he said. what two women hSow j. To
longer. secret He wanted me'to live
in the next room 10 him ard saw that
was his secretary. hut ! refused"
Several copies ri letters aileecd tn
have boon written by Mr. Plat were
read nv Miss WOODY counsel. They
wore addrc2Srd in terms of cpdrar.
mont and signed Faithfully yours
Tom
In Irtt-r frum Washington. Sos~n-
bcr 3. 1901 vas the phrase Your lot
tors have bouycd me M 80 ihat ! am
rrcopt led 10 O'dcIrs clcction
Tho writer told Miss Wood not IN
worry about his children as thcy arr
all taken care Of AMI that nc can do
~ he plcagscs. His frxi wife. he
~ruic. had saved M something and u
was divided l-iwcen his cons and
himself and he had told 'hrm he
would moi take one cent ~ u.
Sent Kisses BY Thousands.
Another clause IN tho icttcr vas:
Il sent you a thouysnd kisses for the
one you sent me-.
A picture Of tho senator or tho h3rt
NJ sksrh was written To Nv iiifr
Wife was offered In ~vidcncn.
How was that wriftcn7- asked Miss
wocS's counsel
Well. 2 ~as sifiing M his lap. Pan
ri III. time I held his hand We
wrote q together. The words fii,tle