The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-18


THE plaintiff never made any claim
that she was married to me until De-
cember, 1906 says Senator Platt in
his answer, nor did I ever hear of
her making any claim of marriage
prior to that time, except that in June,
1906, an article appeared in a Chicago
newspaper and an interview purport-
Ing to come from her. in which she
stated that such a marriage had ia
ken place and that article was ac-
companied by a picture or alleged fac
simile of a wedding certificate con-
tanning my name In association with
the plaintiffs. =
produced in the newspaper was a
forgery. He charges that since 1906
Miss Wood had tried to get money
from him by threats that she would
sue him for breach of promise of mar
riage.
The plaintiff gave testimony In court
today. The young woman was smart
ly attired 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 cheer
ciled to Odells election 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, 1 was sitting on his lap.
Part of the time he held my hand
and part of the time 1 held his hand.
We wrote 1t together The words
little wife were written by him,
think"
came to her room in her hotel with
two men, and that he formally &C
knowledged her as his wife before
these two men.
Senator Platt was not in court to-
day.
Miss Woods Story.
Miss Wood was the first witness.
She testified that Mr.. Plat first prom
Used to marry her at Manhattan Beach.
He said the marriage must be Sc
cret, as he was an old man, and" ad-
ded the witness, Il 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 Senator Platt, but that one of
them was demanded from her by J..
Martin Miller and another man in
October, 1903, and that she had never
seen 1t since. Her counsel showed the
witness typewriter copy of a letter
and she identified it as containing
practically the contents of the missing
letter. 1t was offered in evidence and
admitted despite the objections of
John B. Stanchfield, Mr.. Platt's coun-
sell The copy was dated Friday, No
vember s, 1901. and read in part as
follows:
MY little bride to be: 1 have made
all arrangements. You are not to say
anything to anybody. You are to
obey my instructions implicitly. en-
close card to the hotel. You will be
there at 4 o'clock and have room
1888 1 am an old fool, but you shall
never regret this step. Lovingly.
Another letter of the same date was
offered in evidence in which the
writer advised Miss Wood that he
would not reach the hotel until after
o'clock and that she was to go to
her room and await a signal from
him.
The witness said she waited as d.
rected, that Senator Plat came to
her room with two men, that he en-
braced her and introduced her to the
men.
''I took his hand" said Miss Wood
land one of the men began the civil
ceremony by saying you take this
woman to be your lawful welded wife
and you take this man to be your law
full welded husband p"
Miss Wood said that Platt gave her
a wedding ring. and she displayed the
ring in the court. 1t bore no in
scription. 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 evil
dence.
Following the ceremony the witness
said she remained at the hotel for three
days and then returned to her duties
The marriage. she said, was not made