The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-20
Aged Senator Enters Court Sun.
ported by Two Men
10 Give Evidence in Miss Wood,s
Divorce Suit.
DENIES EVERYTHING.
Declares He Never Proposed to
the Woman,
Married Her or Gave Her 4
Wedding Ring.

Wedding Ring.
New York, May Ex-senator T. C.
flatt went on the witness stand todav
TO give testimony in his own behalf in
the sensational suit brought a~ainst
MIN by Mae c. Wood, the Omaha wo-
man. who is suing him for divorce ON
the allegation that he entered into a
marriage contract with her in 1902.
The senator entered court leaning
heavily on the arms of two Of the at
tendants. He seemed very feeble and
walked with difficulty. He was accom-
panied by his son. Frank H Piatt and
stylishly attired woman.
Inc prospect that the senator would
ne IN court today drew large crowds to
the county building, where the hearing
is in progress. This prospect was re-
vealed during yesterdays sensationa!
session OF the haering when the court
denied the motion of the defense to dis
miss the suit. Following this decision
MISS Wood continued her testimony
with the result that the statement al
legged to have been signed by j. Martin
Miller was put in evidence. This al
legged that Secretary Loeb, Robert c.
Wynne, former first assistant postmas-
ter general, now consul general at Lon
don and Senator Platt conspired to oh
| tain from Miss Wood certain letters
which she claimed were written to her
| by the senator. Both Mr.. Loeb and Mr..
any such action.
In opening his testimony the senator
said he was nearly rs years old. His
| first wife died in 1901. He first met
| Miss Wood in 1901
| DO you remember seeing her at the
Oriental hotel?" was asked.
I never saw her at the Oriental
hotel in my life.'
DO you remember asking her in the
month of August, 1901, at the Oriental
hotel, to become your wife?"
| Il never asked her. It's false"
| The senator described his rooms at
the Arlington hotel and said No 15S
was the parlor and there were two bed
rooms and a bath.
Did you talk to the plaintiff in Mo-
, vember, 1901 about marriage?"
NO" t->.s-
s Denies Proposing.
did you on Thursday, November 9.
ask her to marry you, the ceremony to
take place on Saturday and say you.
yourself would make all arrange
ments?"
II did not" replied the senator.
The senator denied emphatically that
he had given Miss Wood a photograph
, of himself on which he had written
ITO my dear wife, Miss Wood testi-
fled that she was sitting on Platt's
knee while he wrote these words.
Mr. LeBarbier, Miss Woods counsel,
asked Platt If he ever addressed Miss
Wood in endearing terms. Platt said:
II may have foolishly done SO some-
: times
Platt said he saw Miss Wood some
times at his business Office at 49
Broadway and that Miss Wood called
! with a Mrs. Garfield who was a can
didate for an appointment in the Phil
ippines.
5 How many times did you see her
at the Fifth Avenue hotel?" asked Mr..
LcBarbier.
= "I could not say 1 saw her there
r great many times"
did you call her Katie?''
2 II called her Catty in my letters.
was very much pleased with her and
liked her very much"
3 Did she call you by any pet name?
Never in my life
: "Why did you like her?''
Because she was an agreeable
woman"
did you ever at any time or place
marry the plaintiff in this suit?" asked
! Mr.. Stanchf1eld, counsel for the sena-
! tor.
"Did you ever promise to marry the
plaintiff?''
ct did not"
did she ever promise to marry
mot that know off,
e Read 1t in q Newspaper.
3 The senator said that he first learn
=
wife from a Chicago newspaper, ne
: thought in 1908; he could not remem-
Der the year.
Did you ever give the plaintiff
II never gave the plaintiff wedding
q ring in my life"
e Ibid you ever have a wedding ring
: inscribed for herr"
Never in my life was the answer.
The lawyer handed the senator the
; alleged marriage certificate and the
q senator said he never saw the paper
Il | before in his life. although he hao
I. seen a photograph of it:
"Did you, on the night of November
9. 1901, hand that paper to the pain
tifr?"
IT never did"
"Do you know where that exhibit
, was procured or who procured it?'
e "Is there any handwriting of yours
The senator looked the paper over
back and forth. and answered: There
a is not
number Of the letters alleged to
- be written by the senator to Miss
e Wood were read and he denied that he
had written any Of them.
The letter reading: Your letter is
e so bright it almost reconciles me to
e Odelrs election;' was dated 1905.
n and Mr. Stanchfield asked:
= "OdelI was elected way back IN
% 1900 was he not?"
lti Eyes, that was the year he beat
le me, and I thought I could not be
mistaken" said Mr.. Stanchfield
20 which raised laugh in the court
50 room in which the senator Joined.
that he had never maintained i'm
.rooar ralatiopS with the plafntiff