The sun., 1908-06-03
$4,000 FOR pLATT'S WIFE
on SEPARATION, BESIDES REAL
ESTATE SEE GOT.
she Coyenanted Not to sue for Divorce
On the Ground Of Aduitery-suit
Against the senator on Extra Bills OF
Hers said to Have Conc Against Him.

On the Ground Of Aduitery-Suit
Against the senator on Extra Bills OF
Hers Said to Have Conc Against Him.
The details Of the agreement Of separa-
ton signed on November Ia. 1900, between
United States Senator Piatt and his wife.
who was Mrs. Lillian Janeway. were re-
yealed yesterday ON the trial before Justice
Ford and jury In the Supreme Court Of
a suit brought by Mrs. Platt's lawyers
against the Senator to recover moneys
which the lawyers say they advanced for
the payment Of some pressing bills incurred
by Mrs. Platt before the agreement was
signed.
1t developed that Senator Platt agreed
10 pay his wife SIS 900 In heu Of all her claims
upon him. besides recognising her as the
absolute owner Of Tioga Lodge at Highland
Mills and Of several other smaller pieces
of property which he had decided over to
her while they were still good friends.
In return Mrs. Platt agreed not to bother
him any more with any demands for her
support. She also agreed to drop her suit
for divorce. which she had already begun
in this county. and to institute no other
action for divorce against him anywhere
or at any time based ON charge Of adultery.
But she reserved the right. specifically set
forth in the agreement, to sue him for a
divorce at any time in any State where
desertion or other cause than adultery Ii
recognized as good ground for a divorce
suit Mrs. Platt did discontinue her suit
in this county. and as far a. the Senator's
lawyers are aware she has not yet begun
any suit for divorce in any other State up to
date.
The agreement also set forth just how
the $4,000 was to be paid to Mrs. Plat.
Frank H. Platt. the Senator son, managed
the settlement. ex-Judge Hatch acting a.
the official negotiator. and 1t was recognised
among all hands that the only safe way
to insure that the money 80 paid by the
Senator would not be squandered or diverted
10 improper channels would be to have the
money paid over to q trustee. who would
dispense the funds to Mrs. Plstt as he con-
sidered necessary. There was fight over
this. but Mrs. Piatt was finally persuaded
to accept the trustee arrangement on con-
dition that she should select her own trus-
tee. She chose for this office one Of her
lawyers, Daniel De Wolf Viewer OF the firm OF
Marsh, Winslow Il Viewer. 40 it was then
known. That firm is tho real plaintiff in
the suit against Senator Platt which was
on trial yesterday. though the nominal
plaintiff Is Edgar Joseph, managing. clerk
Of the firm. to whom the claim was assigned
Under the trust agreement Mrs. Piatt
received S25,000 cash down. and Senator
Platt agreed to pay her $4,000 year In
monthly instruments Of ssss,ss for five
years These payments have been made
regularly to Mr.. Viewer as trustee. since
the agreement was signed.
The suit In which Justice Ford and Jury
we're told Of this agreement and Its terms
arises out Of o dispute over some bills which
Mrs. Platt incurred between September 20,
1908, the date Of the actual separation,
and November ~ 1eca. tho date Of the
signing Of the agreement.
According to the testimony Of Lawyer
Viewer. a. he gave II ON the stand yester-
day, II was agreed that the Senator would
accept responsibility for and pay all debts
incurred by Mrs. Platt up TO tho date Of the
actual separation. But the Senator de-
INJURED to paying the bills which she had
contracted after that date. except such as
were for the ordinary necessaries which
husband Ia legally responsible for. He
demurred In particular to bills from Tif-
fany's. from Altman & Co. and from Nine.
Mooney. dressmaker; and through his
SON Frank. who In turn sent the news through
e1-Judge Hatch to Mr.. Wover. who COM
municated It 10 Mrs. Platt. she was in
formed that she would have to pay those
bills herself out Of the cash payment she
was to get when tho agreement would be
signed. Mrs. Piatt, who sat In one room
Of Mr.. Viewers office. while Judge Hatch
sat in the next, Viewer acting as the tr ans
mltter. refused point blank to accept any
such proposal. She wanted all her bills
paid to date, 50 that she could start fresh
with the full cash payment In hand.
Mr.. Viewer testified that as he and Judee
Hatch were anxious TO get the affair settled
before the scandal then surrounding the
relations between Mrs. Plat an the Sen
ator had been aired any further an under
standing was arrived at between the two
lawyers by which Viewer. In the name of his
firm, agreed to accept responsibility for
all Mrs. Platt's debts since September 40
and to pay them on the promise by Judge
Hatch that he would Gee that the firm was
reimbursed Mrs. Platt was then told,
according to Viewer, that she was to yet
the $4,000 In full without deductions for
her debts, and on that understanding she
signed the agreement and got the s25.0oo
Tho bills footed up between $1,000 and
$1,000, according TO Mr.. Viewer. and included
several items for diamonds. expensive
dresses and 30 on. Marsh. Winslow a
"sver paid of several Of them. including
me Tiffany. Mooney and Altman accounts,
before they were advised definitely by
senator Platt's son. Frank. that the Sena-
Tor did not propose to reimburse the law
yers for these expenditures. The total
amount paid out by the lawyers was
U'47l.eo, and that is the amount OF their
claim in the Supreme Court action.
Mrs Platt and her daughter, Mrs. Car
mody. were in court all day yesterday
listening to the trial. and Mrs. Platt her
self was on the witness stand for a few
minutes. She testified that she had in
Cured the bills which her lawyers had
aENl AI.A