New-York tribune., 1910-02-01
GAVE $1,000 A MONTH
SO SAYS WIRRINER.
asserts He Paid SS4 900 for
Mrs. F0rd's Silence.

Cincinnati, Jan. S1-Eighty-four thousand
dollars was the price Charles l.. Warriner,
defaulting local treasurer of the Big -Four
Railroad, is said to have paid for woH-
ans silence. Fearing exposure of his short
comings, ne says he gave Mrs. Jeanette
SteWart-Ford an average OF A,e0 month
for seven years. the payments stopping
only when the exposure came from other
sources on November last. This was the
substance of the testimony which Warrtner
gave to-day at the trial of Mrs. Ford on
charge of blackmailIng him.
Mrs. Ford sat through the recital with
immohile countenancc. Twice only during
the day did she allow her feelings to show
7he first instance came before Warmer
appeared, when Judge Swing ordered her
two children removed from the courtroom.
They had entered with their mother, out
when the attorney for the prosecution ob-
jected the children were sent TO another
room In charge of a nurse
Mrs. Ford's second ordeal came al the
erd of the proceedings Just before ad-
sournment Of court letters were introduced
by the state which she had written to
Edgar 5. Cooke. formerly an elnploye in
the Big Four Railway Offices here. The
missives mentioned visits she had made to
W." and were couched in the most en-
dearing terms. Her nfatuation for Cooke
was clearly revealed IN them, ard as her
declarations of affection were read to the
jury Mrs. Ford shook and tears streamed
down her cheeks.
One missive said:
II met w at the Grand Hotel, and he
said he didn't care If all is exposed. !
know he is bluffing.''
Warrner testified that the initial in the
letter referred to him. He probably viii
resume the stand when the trial is taken
up again tomorrow.
Warriner took the stand wearing an over
Ccat, which partly concealed his convict
garb. At the demand of the defence he
was ordered to remove the coat.
Warriner related his Use 70 the local
treasurership of the Big Four Railway, and
said he met Mrs. Ford in October, 1902.
He said she had introduced herself by tele-
phone. and had asked him to aid her in
regaining the attentions of an employe of
the office.
The witness said he declined to aid her
and that she then informed him she knew
he was short in his accounts. He said she
demanded 5000 as the price of her silence,
and finally he gave her $50.
Then, under questions by Mr.. Cash, the
witness said that the payments to the wom-
an had become regular. He swore he had
given her $4,000 in all. usually paying
81 600 a month. and that these payments
had lasted from October. 1902, until last
autumn.
Finally I grew tired of it," Warriner
testified. Il told her to go 10 New York
and forget about the shortage, and that
would see that she lived in comfort She
she wanted to send her boy to school
and she got 1000 from me for that. Then
I furnished $1,000 for surgeons fees for an
operation which she had performed. l also
paid bills for her daughter and nurse dur
ing their stay at a hotel in Chicago I
of them
William Thorndyke made a sensational
opening statement for the defence. He de-
cIared that the defence would assist the
prosecution in showing that not only War
riner but other employees of the Big -Four
added:
I'VE propose TO show that the machinery
of the state is being invoked to air vul-
gar affair between two women for the love
Of one man-and very poor specimen of
a man he was"
Mr.. Thorndyke asserted that the charge
against his client rested upon the effort of
Warriner to turn attention from himself
and throw blame on some one else.