The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-05-29
PLATTW0N;MAE WOODIA JAIL
Suit Against United States Sena-
tor Dismissed as Fraudulent.
Alleged Marriage Certificate. Dated
1901, Was Written on 8 Blank
Form Not Printed Until 1902.

New York City.--Mae Catherine
Wood, who for four days had been
trying to convince Justice O'Gorman
that she was the legal wife of United
States Senator Thomas Collier Plat,
and therefore entitled to decree of
divorce because of the Senator's mar
riage to Mrs. Lillian Janeway in Oc-
tober 1903, was placed under arrest
by order of Justice O'Gorman and
committed to the City Prison, THE
Tombs," in default of $4,000 bail on
a charge of perjury.
Miss Wood was taken to the Tombs
by Captain Lynch of the court squad
and locked in cell.
Justice O'Gorman had sent letter
to Acting District Attorney Carl Mott
subsequent to the arrest of Mae Wood
in which he gave q brief outline Of
the case and informed the District At
torneys Office that he had acted as
committing magistrate and had held
Mae c. Wood for the Grand Jury.
Justice O'Gorman also pointed out
that none save a Supreme Court JUS
tice could accept bail.
District Attorney Jerome. when he
heard of the developments in the
Wood-Platt case, hurried to the Grim
inal Courts Building. He announced
that the case would be presented to
the Grand Jury Immediately, and
added: AZ think this is a case in
which there should be speedy action:
/ shall force it to trial as quickly as
can"
The arrest of Mae c. Wood was the
climax of one of the most sensational
trials had in the civil court for many
years. The woman was absolutely
unperturbed. Although a triie pale,
she talked cheerfully with her law
yers, Charles LIE Barber and Joseph
! Day Lee, and wrote note to the
| manager of the Hotel Manhattan in
/ which she asked him to send her linen
to the Tombs. She signed this Mae
| c. Wood-Platt.
On her way to the Tombs she
chatted with Captain Lynch, and told
him she had no fear of the result
that she had powerful friends. At no
time during the ordeal did she loSe
her nerve.
The last crushing blow to Mae
Woods case was the submission of
proof that the marriage certificate
which she submitted as evidence, was
actually not engraved until the Feb
ruary following the date of the al
legged wedding. Then came the dra-
matte incident of the trial.
Mr. LIE Barber had made a short
speech in opposition to a motion to
dismiss the complaint. his client sit
ting beside him. A few feet away
stood Captain Lynch, with legal
document in his hand. 1t was Justice
O'Gorman's order committing her to
the Tombs.
Justice O'Gorman, after patiently
listening to what Mr.. lie Barber had
to say, suddenly Strengthened himself
up, and. looking Mae Wood in the
eye. said:
The Court cannot credit the plain.
tiff's evidence as to the alleged mar
riage; and the testimony in the case
impresses the Court with the belief
that it is most wicked design TO sup.
port fictitious claim by forgery and
perjury.
THE Court cannot believe from the
evidence that there ever was a mar.
riage On the merits of the case every
issue has resulted in the Courts i'm.
preston that the plaintiff has com.
mitted wilful perjury in this case.
Being impressed with the plain
tiff's guilt of perjury the Court com.
mits her to the City Prison unless she
furnishes bail in $4,000 :"
Captain Lynch touched the woman
on the shoulder She uttered not 6
word, her lips frightened and the color
came and went in her cheeks. Wip
ing the moisture from her eyeglasses
she held a hurried conference will
her lawyers, and then turned to Cap
tain Lynch and said, II am ready t
accompany YOU"
John B. Stanchfield and the othei
Plat lawyers seemed to be as mucl
amazed as the Wood lawyers The,
were prepared to have the case dis
missed. but that Justice O'Gorma;
should take sterner view of the mat
ter apparently had not been contem
plated.
With the case transferred to the
criminal courts it is within the powel
of Mae c. Wood to call Senator Plat
to the witness stand again in her de
tense should a Grand Jury indict her