Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-21
SENATOR PLATT
DENIES CHARGES
OF MISS WOOD
APPEARS AS WITNESS IN HIS
OWN BEHALF
SAYS SIGNATURE WAS SECURED
BY AUTOGRAPH HUNTERS
Justice Says Divorce Trial Must Con-
clude Today, Even If Night
Session of Court Is
Necessary
SAYS SIGNATURE WAS SECURED
BY AUTOGRAPH HUNTERS
BY Associated Press.

| NEW YORK, May 20.-Physically so
weak that practically he had to be
carried in and out of the court room,
United States Senator Thomas c. Platt
was at times a spirited witness today
when he appeared to testify in his own
behalf in Mae C. Woods suit for abso-
| lutte divorce from him.
| His denial of all the charges brought
by Miss Wood in her suit was en-
phatic, and when prodded too hard
by the plaintiffs counsel the aged
senator proved himself capable of Wig
| orous response.
| While the defendant in the action
was in the court room much of the
day, Miss Wood, the plaintiff. did not
attend the trial.
The presentation of the case for
the defense, aside from Senator Platt's
| own testimony, was marked by a
| sharp attack on the authenticity of the
marriage certificate which Miss Wood
offered in evidence to support her con-
| tention of a matrimonial contract with
| the senator.
| This was followed by an effort to
show that a letter, in which Senator
| Platt is said to have admitted his mar
riage to Miss Wood, was written over
| his signature on blank sheet of pa
per to which he previously affixed his
autograph on request of two women
| applicants for 1t while he was stopping
| at the Hotel Arlington in this city in
1906.
Denies Marriage
| Senator Platt himself, in his testi-
| mony, categorically denied that he ever
married or promised to marry the
plaintiff, repudiated the signature pur-
porting to be his on the marriage cer-
tificate and the genuineness of several
letters which Miss Wood testified came
to her from him.
At the conclusion of the afternoon
session Justice O'Gorman announced
the trial must conclude with tomor-
| rows session, no matter how late a sit
| ting of the court that might involve.
| The senator entered court leaning
heavily on the arms of two attendants.
He seemed very feeble and walked
| with difficulty. He was accompanied
by his son, Frank H. Platt and a styl-
| ishiy attired woman. The prospect
that the senator would be in court to-,
day drew large crowds to the county
building, where the hearing is in
progress. This prospect was revealed
during yesterdays sensational session
of the hearing when the court denied
the motion of the defense to dismiss
the suit. Following this decision Miss
Wood continued her testimony. with
| the result that the statement alleged
to have been signed by j. Martin Mil
| Ter was put in evidence. This alleged
| Secretary Loeb, Robert C. Wynne.
former first assistant postmaster gem
eral, now consul at London, and Sem
ator Platt conspired to obtain from
| Miss Wood certain letters which she
| claimed were written to her by the
senator. Both Mr.. Loeb and Mr.
Wynne denied last night that they took
part In any such action. In opening
his testimony the senator said he was
nearly rs years old. His first wife died
in 1901.
Denies Proposal
He first met Miss Wood in 1901. ''Do
you remember seeing her at the ORR
entail hotel?" was asked.
II 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?"
"I 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
bedrooms and a bath.
did you talk to the plaintiff in No
vember. 1901, about marriage?"
mo"
Ibid you on Thursday. November ..
ask her t. marry you, the ceremony to
take place on Saturday, and say you
yourself would make all arrange
ments?"
st did not" replied the senator.
The senator denied emphatically that
he had given Miss Wood photograph
of himself on which he had written
ITO my dear WIFE"
Miss Wood testified 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: 'T may have foolishly
done so some time"
Platt said he saw Miss Wood some
times at his business office at 40
Broadway and that Miss Wood called
with Mrs. Garfield, who was can
didate for an appointment In the
Philippines.
Called Her "Catty"
How many times did you see her at
the Fifth Avenue hotel?" asked Mr..
Labarbier.
81. could not say. saw her there
good many times"
Ibid you call her Catty?''
'I called her Catty in my letters. |
was very much pleased with her and
liked her very much"
Ibid she call you by any pet name?
'Never in my lfe."
"Why did you like her?"
because she was an agreeable wo-
man."
"Did you ever at any time or place
marry the plaintiff in this suit =
asked Mr.. Stanchf0ld, counsel for the
senator.
'I did not"
'Did you ever promise to mary her?"
ST did not"
'.Did she ever promise to marry
you?"
mot that know Of"
The senator said that he first learned
that Miss Wood claimed to be his wife
from Chicago newspaper he thought
in 1908; he could not remember the
year.
''Did you ever give the plaintiff
wedding ring?"
81 never gave the plaintiff wedding
ring in my life"
"Did you ever have a wedding ring
inscribed for her?"
'sNever In my life.' was the answer.
The lawyer handed the senator the
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