Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-05-29
A WINS SUIT.
Mae Wood Is Committed for Perjury
in Divorce Case.

Mae Wood Is Committed for Perjury
in Divorce Case.
Mae c. Woods divorce suit against
Senator Thomas C. Platt was dismissed
by Justice O'Gorman in the New York
Supreme Court Thursday afternoon and
Immediately afterward the Justice com
mitted Mrs. Wood to the Tombs in de
fault of $1,000 bail on a charge of per-
jury. This startling end to the case
was no less sudden than sensational.
The taking of evidence over, Justice
O'GOrman had asked her a Few ques-
lions concerning her claims and had
hen listened to a short address by her
counsel in opposition to n motion to dis
miss the suit on the pleadings and evil
dence.
The lawyers apologize argument
ended, Justice O'Gorman leaned for
ward in his chair md delivered himself
of this short but positive opinion:
The court cannot credit the plaintiffs
evidence as to the alleged marriage, and
the testimony in the case impresses the
court with the belief that it is a most
wicked design to support a fictitious claim
by forgery and perjury. The court can
not believe from the evidence that there
ever was a marriage. On the merits on
the case every issue has resulted in the
courts impression that the plaintiff has
committed willful perjury in this case.
Being impressed with plaintiffs guilt OF
perjury. the court commits her to the city
III son unless she furnishes bail III 5000.
Delivered with all the impressive
ness that goes with n black silk gown
and a judicial position, these words fell
like thunderbolts on the Wood camp.
The case was one of the most remark
able suits yer to come up in New
York City. 4 United States Senator
a feeble man Of rs years, the president
of the United States Express Company
q grandfather, the father of adult sons
the husband of a second wife whom he
married five years agO-Such Il man be
ing sued for divorce by a woman who
claims to have secretly married hin
nearly seven years ago. The woman
who brought this astounding action i:
Mrs. Mae G. Wood, or Wood-Platt, Il:
she calls herself. The defendant wa.
Thomas Collier Platt, for decades til,
political boss of the great State of New
York and now representing that com
monwealth in the upper house of Con
gress for the third time. "
Mrs. Wood, who was herself divorced
by Albert Wood years ago, began hel
suit for a divorce from Senator Plat
on the ground of his marriage to Mrs
Janeway, and it was the trial of this
suit hat resulted in her commitment tc
jail as a perjurer. The two O I'M
portant links in her chain. the mar
rage certificate and the confession
were made her own worst accusers
when the defense finally displayed its
hand. Months of patient detective
work. weeks of microscopic study by
handwriting experts, and day after day
of testimony taken by deposition in va
rious cities and States, demolished tht
carefully built fabric of evidence Mrs
Wood had prepared. The marriage. GER
tificate was traced to the s]tationers
who sold It; from them to the litho
graphers who printed it. 1t was shown
conclusively that this certificate, pur
porting to have been drawn on Nov. 8
1901, was not printed until 1902. TIL,
other link in Mrs. Woods chain. thu
confession in which Plat was mad,
to acknowledge her as his wife. seemed
to almost cry out for itself that it wa.
an impudent fraud.