Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-20
HIGH OFFICIALS
FIGURE in CASE
SECRETARY L0EB'S NAME IS
MENTIONED
FORMER POSTMASTER GENERAL
ALSO INCLUDED
Statement Introduced In Miss Wood's
Suit Against Senator Plat Says
They Tried to Get Love
Letters
BY Associated Press.

by A2BOciuteu EToso
NEW YORK, May 19.-High govern
rnent officials at washington are al
legged to have conspired to obtain pos
session of love letters said to have been
written by United States senator
Thomas c. Plat to Miss Mae O. WOOD
in n signed statement introduced as
evidence during today's hearing In
Miss Woods suit for divorce against
the senator.
The statement. which was introduced
after the court had denied motion by
counsel for Senator Plat to dismiss
the complaint, bears what purports to
be the signature of ]. Martin Miller.
and Miss Wood said that, while she
did not see the signature affixed, she
was assured by Mr.. Miller that IT
was genuine.
The statement was prepared by Miller
at her request, she testified. 1t declares
that Miller was asked by high govern
ment officials in Washington and new
York to get possession of Senator
Platt's love letters that the papers
when obtained were not to be given TO
Senator Plat, but were to be turned
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 to terms.
Wynne Started Things
'Wynne, first assistal =. postmaster
general, started the ball rolling by get
ting a New York newspaper to print
the article as It first appeared says
the statement, which concludes:
IT was brought into the conspiracy
by powerful officials whom I dared not
Cisplease from a newspaper or political
standpoint. consulted Mr.. Howe.
Senator Platt's secretary, frequently,
and acted at all times under the direc-
ton Of Loeb and Plat"
Former Postmaster General Robert
Wynne Is the present American consul
general to London. J. Martin Miller.
former newspaper man, recently was
American consul at Rheims. France.
did Miller ever say anything to you
about the letters?" asked the examining
attorney OF Miss wood, who had been
on the witness stand In her own behalf
since early yesterday.
YES" she replied. HE said that II
he got the letters the Flats would
never get them"
What was he going to do with
them?'
lieve," she answered
The statement purporting to have
been signed by Miller bears date of Oc-
tober Is, 1908. 1t reads:
II was asked by high government Of
ficials In Washington and New York to
get possession of Senator Platt's love
letters to Mae C. Wood. In order to
do this I had to pretend I would get
out book for which she gave me the
manuscript on October 8, 1908. 1t was
agreed by all parties interested that
was to get her to New York and get
the papers out of her room.
Loeb Notifies Plat
Mr.. Loeb called up Plat in New
York and told him Miss Wood was
suing him for breach of promise. Then
Plat said he would be a party to the
scheme. I failed to get possession OF
any original documents or letters. We
then began the scandal In the newspa-
pers to force her to come to terms.
Wynne, first assistant postmaster gen.
eral, started the ball rolling by getting
New York paper to print the article
as It first appeared.
II established my headquarters in the
Tribune building, disseminating such
information as could get from the Of
fee of the first assistant postmaster
general. Senator T. c. Plat was fully
informed of all matters. was instruct
ed to cooperate with him. but the orig
inal papers were not to be given to
Platt, but to Mr.. Loeb at Washington.
II was gotten into the conspiracy by
powerful officials whom I dared not
displeased from newspaper or politi-
cal standpoint. / consulted Mr.. Howe,
Senator Platts secretary, frequently
and acted at ALI times under the direc-
tion of Loeb and Plat.
~. MARTIN MILLER"
Releases Plat
In her testimony given earlier in the
day, Miss Wood, then under cross ex-
animation, was led to tell of the cir
cumstances under which she signed In
1908 in this city release of Senator
Plat from any claims she may have
had against him. She testified that she
received from A. Hummell the sum of
$500 for the statement, but denied
that she was aware of all of its con-
tents.
The cross examination ended early in
the afternoon and was followed by
motion on the part of the defendants
counsel to dismiss the complaint. This
was denied by the court, and Attorney
Lebarbier, for Miss Wood, then intro
duced the statement purporting to
have been signed by Miller. and was ex-
aiming Miss Wood regarding 1t when
court adjourned for the day.
LOEB DENIES KNOWLEDGE