Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-21
APPEARS AS WITNESS IN HIS
OWN BEHALF
SAYS SIGNATURE WAS SECURED
BY AUTOGRAPH HUNTERS
Justice Says Divorce Trial Must Con-
cIude Today, Even If Night
Session of Court Is
Necessary
CONTINUED from fage one,

Q, 1901, hand that paper to the plain
tiff"
IT never did,
"Do YOU know where that exhibit was
procured, or who procured it?'
"I do not"
us there any handwriting OF yours
on that paper?"
The senator looked the paper over,
back and front, and answered, There
Is not"
All the letters alleged to have been
written by the senator to Miss Wood
were read, and he denied that he had
written any of them. The letter read
ing. 1.-THE letter is so bright it almost
reconciles me to OdelFs election" was
dated 1905, and Mr.. Stanchfield asked;
"OdelI was elected back in 1900, was
he not?"
HE was
Eyes. that was the year he beat me,
and I thought could not be mistaken,
said MIR. Stanchfield, which raised a
laugh in the courtroom, In which the
senator Joined.
The senator declared positively that
he had never maintained improper re-
lations with the plaintiff.
did you ever call her by more
endearing name than 'Catty'-call her
'dearest?'' asked Mr.. Lebardier.
L l.
Ever tell her you were miserable?'
81 don't remember it,
dearest Mae"
Mr.. Lebardier read a letter alleged to
have been written by Platt to Mae
Wood in 1902 calling her Dearest Mae, -
saying she must not expect much from
him as his time was occupied and life
is hardly worth the living
q
meet her. It ended
Peace and plenty be with you
Platt said:
st don't think it is a genuine letter.
I would not write a letter in such a
tone to her now or at any time"
why did you address her so?"
questioned Lebardier.
her."
1.-THE only one?"
"She was one"
"Why did you send Miss Wood word
to occupy a certain room in the Fifth
Avenue hotel?"
IT don't understand why / did it.
told her to await my signal because
| was going to take dinner with her"
The senator said he could not re-
member whether he kept the engage
ment, but he was certain Miss Wood
did not stay with him in his suite that
night. He said he was not in the
habit of inviting women to the Fifth
Avenue hotel.
He could not recall whether his sec
rotary, Mr.. Howe, was at the hotel
on the night of November 3, 1901, nor
could he say whether MIR. Howe, who
had been a clergyman, remained a
licensed minister while in his employ.
No Secret Arrangement
Asked if Mr.. Howe signed his letters
in facsimile of the senator's writing
the witness said he never had seen
such signatures. The senator did not
recall how many times he met Miss
Wood in 1902. He went to the house
of Mrs. Lamont in West Thirty eighth
street at times, he said. but never
sent for Miss Wood to meet him there.
He was not permitted to answer a
question as to whether he used an
assumed name when visiting at the
Lamont place.
between you and Miss Wood about
marriage?" he was asked.
THAT is absolutely false" the sem
ator replied.
The senator said he met ]. Martin
Miller frequently, but he denied any
knowledge of the plan for obtaining
his letter to Miss Wood which was told
of In the statement purporting to be
signed by Miller which was introduced
in the case yesterday.
did you obtain letters written by
yourself to Miss Wood in 1902"
81 did not"
when did the letters come to your
attention."
Il don't recollect that 1 ever had the
letters"
What part did j. Martin Miller have
in l1tiY7 %,
Il don't recall that he had anything
to do with it," the senator answered.
Endorsed Note
He denied also that Miller ever de-
nanded money from his son Frank for
similar purpose. He did, however, in
dorse a $1,000 note for Miller, he said
This now has been almost entirely
paid.
Asked if he recalled receiving a let
ter from Howe 81 Hummel in reference
to the case which they contemplated TO
bring against him, he replied that he
did. At that time he gave his son
Frank Plat $4,000 to secure the return
of certain letters in this case. He I'M
derstood the case was brought for Miss
Wood, he said.
Replying to questions by Mr.. Stanch-
field, Platt said that when he said pre-
viously that he paid no money for the
letters he meant that he paid none tc
j, Martin Miller.
In support of Senator Platt's conten-
ton that his signature to statement
acknowledging Miss Wood as his legal
wife was obtained by deception, counsel
for Senator Platt today submitted to
the court an affidavit by Mrs. Dunning
in which she said that she secured
Senator Platt's autograph by sending
"A book to his rooms III the Arlington
hotel with a request for his. signature.
Mrs. Dunning said she gave the auto
graph to Miss Wood and that Miss
Wood was delighted with it.
Interviewed PIatt
A deposition by Thomas r. Porter. q
newspaper man of Omaha, which was
given in evidence by Senator Platt 3
counsel today, gave the substance of an
interview which Porter had with Miss
Wood. Porter quoted Miss Wood as
saying that she was at work for Les
lies publication in New York in 1901, and
was sent to interview Senator Platt
who gave her an interview and invited
her to call when she wanted another
Later when she wanted an appoint
ment as teacher in the Philippines she
went to see Senator Plat again with a
woman friend, who also wanted an APP
nointment. Aftelward this woman
Miss Wood was a.. led as saying, made
herself so disagreeable that Senator
Platt thought 1--WE would have to clope