Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-19
my LITTLE WIFE
ON PLAT PHOTO
MAE C. WOOD TESTIFlES IN
DIVORCE CASE
SAYS AGED SWEETHEART USED
ENDEARINo TERMS
Produces Evidence to Show United
States Senator Formally Entered
Into Marriage Contract
with Her
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May 1S.-Mae Gather
inc Wood was on the witness stand all
day today testifying to her suit for
absolute divorce from United States
Senator Thomas c. Platt before JUS
tice O'Gorman in the supreme court.
In support of her assertions that sne
had been secretly married to Senator
Platt at the Fifth Avenue hotel on
November 8, 1901, her counsel intro
duced in evidence a marriage certifi-
cate which he said had been handed
her by the minister who performed the
ceremony, and copies of a number or
letters alleged to have been written TO
her by the senator addressed in terms
OF endearment.
On cross-examination Miss Wood told
how she came to give Up the papers
and letters she possessed relating to
Senator Plat, alleging she did so un-
der duress and was compelled to sign
a receipt for 900 in settlement of all
her claims against the senator.
Miss Wood In her suit named as CO.
respondent Lillian Janeway, whom Sem
ator Platt married in 1903
Senator Platt was not in court to-
day.
The young woman was smartly at
tired and self possessed. She identified
copies of several letters which she said
were received by her from Platt. They
were mainly of an affectionate nature,
but in several there were interesting
sentences on other affairs. In one
communication was the phrase, Your
letter has cheered me up SO that am
almost reconciled to OdelPs election" T"
A picture Of the senator was shown,
upon the back of which was written
ITO my little WIFE"
Telling how this was written Miss
Wood said "Well, was sitting on his
lap. Part OF the time he held my hand
and part of the time / held his hand.
We wrote 1t together. The words lit
tie wife were written by him, / think" I"
Was Formally Acknowledged
Miss Wood said that the senator
came to her room in her hotel with
two men and that he formally acknowl-
edged her as his wife before these two
men.
Miss Wood in her complaint declared
that she was married to Senator Platt
in this city on November 8. 1901. She
named as correspondent in her suit Mrs.
Lillian Janeway, who was married to
the senator in 1903. In his answer the
senator declares that Miss Woods al
legation that he married her about
November 9. 1901. in New York is
absolutely false.
1.-THE plaintiff never made any claim
to me that she was married to me until
December. 1906 says Senator Platt, in
his answer, NOR did ever hear of her
making any claim of marriage prior to
that time, except that In June, 1905, an
article appeared in a Chicago news
paper containing an interview purport-
ing to come from her, in which she
lItated that such a marriage had taken
place. and that article was accom-
panied by picture or alleged fac
simile of a wedding certificate contain
ing my name in association with the
plaintiffs"
Says Certificate Is Forgery
He declares that the certificate re-
produced In the newspaper was for
gerry. He charges that since 1906 Miss
Wood has tried to get money from him
by threats that she would sue him for
breach of promise of marriage.
Miss Wood was the first witness.
She testified that Mr.. Platt first prom
ised to marry her at Manhattan beach.
HE said the marriage must be secret,
as he was an old man." added the wit
ness.
II demurred and told him that he
knew nothing about me, but he said he
knew all my past life."
Miss Wood said she had two letters
from Platt, but that one of them was
demanded from her by ]. Martin Miller
and another man in October, 1903, and
that she had never seen 1t since. Her
counsel showed the witness typewrit-
ten copy OF a letter and she identified
it as containing practically the con-
tents of the missing letter. 1t was
admitted in evidence, despite the OBJ
jections of John B. Stanchfield, Mr..
Platts counsel. The copy was dated
Friday, November s, 1901, and was in
part as follows
my Little Bride to Bel have made
all arrangements. You are not to say
anything to anybody. You are to obey
instructions implicitly. l inclose card
to the hotel. You will be there at 4
o'clock and have room los. am an old
fool, but you shall never regret this
step. Lovingly, TOM"
Another letter of the same date was
offered in evidence in which the writer
advised Miss Wood that he would not
reach the hotel under after o'clock
and that she was to go to her room and
await signal from him.
Tells Of Civil Ceremony
The witness said she waited as di-
rected, that Senator Platt came to her
room with two men. that he embraced
her and introduced her to the men.
'T took his hand" said Miss Wood,
"and one of the men began the OWL
ceremony by SAYING s,,; You take, take this this
WOuiotu W pS JOui A@"Aei "SNuSN "iiSb
and you take this man to be your law
full welded husband
Miss Wood said that Platt gave her
a wedding ring, and she displayed the
ring to the court. 1t bore no inscrip-
ton. She declared that she thought
the man who performed the ceremony
was a minister and that he gave her
a marriage certificate. This alleged
certificate was offered in evidence
Following the ceremony the witness
said she remained at the hotel for
three days and then returned to her
house. The marriage, she said, was
not made public because Mr.. Platt
wanted 1t kept secret.
HE would not Net me have a lady
friend with me-" said Miss Wood, "for
he said What two women know Is no
longer a secret He wanted me to
live in the next room to him and say
that / was his secretary. but I refused"
Several copies of letters alleged to
have been written by Mr.. Platt were
then read by Miss Woods counsel.
They were addressed In terms of en-
dearment and signed Your Tom"
Children Cared For
In a letter from Washington dated
November. 1901, the writer told Miss
Wood not to worry about his children,
as they were all taken care of and that
he could do as he pleased. HIS nrst
wife, he wrote, had saved up some-
thing and 1t was divided between MS
sons and himself, and he had told them