The Washington herald., 1908-05-20
CONFESSION SHOWS
LOEB AIDED PLATT
Continued from Page One.

Postmaster General Senator T. c. Platt
was fully informed Of ali the matters by
me, as I was instructed to cooperate with
him. but the original papers were not 70
be given 10 Plat. but 10 8Ir Loeb, in
Washington.
Il was got into the conspiracy by pow
erfui officers, whom I would not dare
displease. from a newspaper or political
standpoint I consulted Mr.. Howe Platt's
secretary. frequently. and acted at ali
times under the direction of Loeb and
Platt
j. MARTIN MILLER
Call 1t MiIIer's Signature.
Persons who have seen the signature Of
Mr. Miller frequently while he was in the
newspaper business. SAID to-day that the
signature TO the document was remark
ably Ike his.
The admission OF this document in evi-
dence marked the close OF the redirect
examination OF Mae Wood by Lawyer
lie Barber. AR Stanchheld. for the Sen
aU6i. saving suddenly closed his cross
examination shortly after recess.
Mr. lie Barber offered no other evi-
denee for his clients case, save a deposit
ton made by Mrs. Dunning. which was
taken without opposition and accepted as
read Then sMT lie Barber rested his
case. and Justice O'Gorman remarked:
The case is now with the defendant
AIr. Stanchheld arose, and without argu-
ment moved that the court dismiss the
suit upon the pleadings. on the ground
that the plaintiff had failed 10 establish
any marriage IN law
Justice OGorman bit the end OF q pen
Gil for perhaps two seconds, and then
remarked:
Motion denied"
Long Dispositions Read.
With that il was up TO the attorneys
for Senator Plat TO offer their defense
and they spent the rest Of the afternoon
session in reading into the record deposit
tons of witnesses taken out of the
State
II had not been expected that Mr.
Stanchfeld's cross-examinati0n would
end so abruptly. and the plan to termi-
nate it with a question after recess was
evidently arrived at during a consulta-
ton in the lunch hour between Frank IL.
Platt, son of the Senator, and members
Of the law firm of O'Brien. Boardman.
Platt & Dunning. who are the attorneys
of record for the defense. Young Mr..
Platt accompanied Mr.. Stanchfield to
court In the afternoon and remained dur
ing the session.
Senator Platt was not IN court during
the day, bat It is expected he will be
called as a witness tomorrow. or as soon
as the numerous dispositions in the hands
Of Mr. Stanchfeld have been disposed OF.
The situation at the end of the day,
viewed from legal standpoint as TO eyi-
dence. was simply this:
The plaintiff has testified to a marriage
between herself and Senator Platt at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel on November 9, 1901,
and has produced what purpoTts to be
a marriage certificate made out on that
date by one Edward W Rice, who. she
says. officiated at the ceremony in Sena-
tor Platts rooms IN the hotel. Though
her credibility has been severely as
sailed by Mr.. Stanchfeld. and as persons !
have cast upon the authenticity of the
certificate, not word has yet been pro-
duced 10 offset her statement that such
a ceremony did occur. as she relates.
Produces Marriage Certificate.
On the other hand. she has produced
and put in evidence a typewriter paper,
to be an admission by Sena-
tor Platt. on December 10, 1906, that she
was his wife.
The signature is not disputed The
Platt lawyers do, however, contend that
the typeWTitten matter was put on the
paper after Mr.. Platt had signed it. His
signature, they contend, was obtained un-
der sr,5;ss.aanly pleading for an autograph
That paper as in evidence and In the
cross examination of Mae Wood Mr.
was unable to shake her state
ment that the Senator had signed it de-
lberateiy, after reading the typewritten
matter above his signature, and though
in some respects it is an unusual paper. J
it remains, as until disprOved, as an ad-
mission by Senator Plat that the plain
tiff in the present suit had good cause
10 call him her husband.
The paper reads az follows:
Washington, D. c.. December 10. 1896.
Mae c Wood Washington. D. C.:
May Dear Mae-I am willing to admit
you are my legal wife and win sign such
a statement and to irrevocably and un-
waive any right under the
law 70, in any way. use the papers signed /
by you en- October H. 1908, as I know the
same were unidWfully obtained through
fraud and duress. Further than this / am
powerless to right the wrongs you have
suffered BE patient and silent a little
longer. when all VIII be well and believe /
ne. Yours t.uly.
.sT. &. PI.ATz.
y.