Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-05-20
WANTED PLATT'S
LOVE LETTERS
MAN TELLS HOW
HE TRIED To GET POSSESSION
OF TENDER MISSIvEs-To BE
DELIVERED To LOEB AT
WASHINGTON.

naNV oeSh written Dy United states
Senator Thomas C. Platt to Miss
Mae c. Wood. in a signed statement
introduced as evidence during yes
terday's hearing in Miss Woods suit
for divorce against the senator.
The statement. which was intro
duced after the court had denied a
motion by counsel for Senator Plat
to dismiss the complaint. bears
what purports to be the signature
OF j. Martin Miller, and Miss Wood
said that while she dbl not see the
signature affixed she was assured
by MIR. Miller that Il was genuine.
The statement was prepared by
Miller at her request. she testified.
II declared that Miller was asked by
high government officials In Wash
ington and New York To get posses
sion OF Senator Platt's love letters: I"
that the papers when obtained were
not to be given TO Senator Plat, but
were to be burned over TO Mr.
Loeb. in Washington" and that
when the plan to get possession of
the original papers failed, scandal
was begun In the newspapers to
force Miss Wood TO come 90 terms.
"Wynne, first assistant postmaster
general. started the ball to rolling
by getting New York newspaper
to print the article as Il first appear
ed says the statement, which con
cludes:
IL was gotten into the conspiracy
by powerful officials whom / dare
not to displease from a newspaper
or political standpoint. consulted
Mr.. Howe. Senator Platt's secretary,
frequently, and acted at all times
under the direction OF Loeb and
Plat"
Former Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral Wynee is the present American
consul general to London. j. Mar
tin Miller, a prominent newspaper
man, recently was consul at Rheims.
France.
did Miller say anything to you
about no letters" asked the exam
ming attorney OF Miss Wood who
had been on the witness stand IN
her own behalf since early yester-
day.
Yes" she replied, "he said that
II he got the letters the Platts
would never get them"
What was he going to do with
them?"
Hold them over Platt's head, Z
believe" she answered.
The letter purporting to have
been signed by Miller, bears the
date OF October IS. 1903. H reads:
Il was asked by high govern
ment officials in Washington and
New York to get possession OF sena-
tor Platt's love letters to Mae c.
Wood. In order to do this, I had to
pretend ! would get out book for
whihc she gave me the manuscript
on October s. 1903. It was agreed
by all parties that / was 20 get her
to New York and get the papers out
OF her room.
Mr.. Loeb called up Plat In New
York and told him Miss Wood was
suing him for breach OF promise.
Then Platt said he would be a party
to the scheme. / failed to get DOS
session of any original documents
Of letters. We then began the
scandal in the newspapers to force
her to come TO terms. Wynne, first
assistant postmaster general started
the ball rolling by getting a New
York paper to print the article as
It first appeared.
II established my Headquarters I'm
The Tribune building, disseminating
such Information as / could get from
the office OF the first assistant post
master general. Senator r. G. Plat
was Informed OF all matters by me
and / was instructed to cooperate
WITH him but the original papers
were not to be given to Plat but t.
Mr.. Loeb at Washington.
~ was gotteR into the conspiracy
by powerful officials whom dare
mot TO displease from a newspaper
or political standpoint. I consult
ed Mr.. Howe. Senator PiatCs secre-
tary, frequently, and acted at all
times under the dir sctlon OF Mr.
Loeb and Platt
-. MARTIN MILLER
In her testimony given earlier I'm
the day, Miss Wood. then under
cross examination was led 70 tell OF
the circumstances under which she
signed. in 1903. in this city. a re.
lease Of Senator Platt from any
claims she may have had against
him. She testified that she received
from a. n Hummell the sum Of g..
500 upon signing the statement. but
denied that she was aware OF all Il,
contents.
/ The cross examination ended
early in the afternoon and was fol
lowed by q motion on the part ot