The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-16
AS TOLD BY MRS. STEPHANI.
SHE PAID $4,000 TO GEN. LITTLE
FIELD ON HIS FALSE PRE7ENCES.
Her Son wentto State Prison for Life. AFTER
Aii-Trini Of the Lawyer and Brigadier-
General Begun-Au Array or Lawyers.

Her Son WenttO State Prison for Lie, AFTER
Aii-Trini Of the Lawyer and Brigadi Her
General Begun-Au Array or Lawyers.
Gen. Milton s. Littlefleld. Jointly indicted with
DIR. Walter N. Fleming for obtaining $1,000
from Mrs. Josephine Stephan. mother OF All
phonse J. Stephan. the murderer. by means Of
the false pretence that tho money was neces-
sary to pay the expenses OF a commission to
pass upon Stephanis montal condition. was
put on trial yesterday In tho General Sessions
before Recorder Smyth. Stephani Is serving n
life sentence. The first Commission that was
appointed in the General Sessions declared
him insane. DIR. Fleming was a member Of it.
and when Mrs. Stephani's charges were made
Judge MARITIME set the finding aside and an
other Commission found that Stephani was
sane. The expenses we're paid by the county.
LitteNed Is n tall. portly. we'll dressed man.
with full. florid face. short black chin whis-
kers and iron-gray hair He was completely
surrounded by lawyers. counsel for the de-
fence. including Charles W. Dayton. Arthur C.
Palmer. A. j. Perry. John A. Green. and W. s.
Andrews. Littlefeld is a lawyer himself. hav-
ing studied law In the office Of Abraham Lin
coin before the war. He commanded a colored
regiment. one OF the first that was raised. in
the late war. At the close Of the war he had
the rank OF Brevet BriRadier- General. Now
he Is a promoter OF mines and railroad enter-
prises.
Mrs. Lulu Foster testified that she recon-
mended Gen. Littleaed to Mrs. Stephani as an
adviser. All three then lived at the Lincoln
Hotel. Gen. Littlefleli consented to advise
Mrs Stephan. and there was no mention OF
any compensation to be paid to him.
In cross examination Lawyer Palmer out
lined in his questions the nature Of the de-
fence. 1t will be substantially that Mrs.
Stephani was almost crazed at the time OF her
dealings with Littlcneld. and. therefore, could
not give any correct account OF his represen-
tations to her Mrs. Foster testified that Mrs.
Stephnni was very nervous woman. ana IN
Reynolds. She said that her Drothsr-in-lnw
e tho son hnd @
bequcathinG his interest to his fathers estate
to q nephew OF his. She also said that Dr;
killed him by maltreatment; She also spoke
harshly Of her sons counsel and OF the Dis
Recorder Smyth asked Mr.. Palmer what was
the object Of this line OF questioning and Mr..
palmer replied that II wns to shGw ha Mrs
was ready to believe that any one and every
one was deceivlng and robbing, her.
tartly. would that DO any excuse for the de-;
PENDANT robbns her Of her property. if he did
Not at all. SIR" replied Mr.. Palmer; but It
defendant is 81, based Oh misconception OF what
Continuing. Mrs. Foster said that Mrs frs
sy ths fhs drew Mh
nails. On one coca sion she caught hold Of the
necktie OF Mrs. Foster S son and twisted it SO
that the boy was ALMOST choked saving;
Mrs: stePhani vas called. She is a S tall. dark
m mol, She testified that after Mrs Eos.
ter spoke to her about Gen. Ltttlefield she
assistance to her and would find out lust what
he could do On the following, evening she
he had spoken to an intimate friend Of tho
District Attorney. who was also the District
Attorneys family Physcan and dt inf he he had
the Commission would be- between $500 and
sefs Of Sos ID s
who testified before It. He said ID, he would &C,
M ns cs sfRd "a and said that could do
something for her son and that he w1nld have
pointed and. was at work and that he must
penses OF the Commission. He, told her. to
RT1S HIN day ss s the sho
farmers' Loan ana Trust Company. Little,
field told her TO Keep puiet about the matter
against hor son. and that if they knew she was
On June rs Lfttlefleld asked for $500 more
and she paid it to him In check. On July3
he ask cd for 1900 more. II was at his fiat
and his wife was present. Mrs. Stephani told
Littleneld that she could not obtain tho money
except by selling bonds or borrowing and
that she really could not afford to spend any
more money on the Commission. Mrs. Little
field who was present. said:
MY dear. you have commenced this for the
benefit OF your only son. and you must go
She took blank check to I.ittlefeld's office
on the following day. and in her agitation
made the check out for Sl:sC Littened smiled
when she handed it to him. and said:
Mrs, Stephan. you have forgotten
She corrected tho omission and LittlefleId
pocketed the check. She saw no more OF him
Tor several weeks. Meanwhile. sho had learn
ed that she had been deceived and robbed.
Lttleheld called at the hotel and she met him
In the reception room. She told him that she
was astonished and horIifed Mt the deception
DR.. Fleming, had told her that he. Fleming.
hadn't received any money. littletleld be-
came very nervous. Ho held his hat In his
hand and put 1t on his head and on tho floor
alternately. Then he said:
III you win give M, $1,000 moro your boy
will be out tomorrow"
She sprang UP Indignantly and said:
:" wouldn't trust you for another hve-cent
nickel Please CO." And he went.
Lawyer Palmer will cross-eXamlno Mrs.
Stephani to-day.
RACM ON THE STAND.