The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-02
Hs Has Decided 10 Bring Suit Against
Mothsr-Ia-Law for Damages
TURMOIL REIoNlNa IN. THE FAMILY.
Criminal Accusations Of Quits Startling Character
viii Probably Figure In The Litigation
Thai MaJ Ensus Later

fortune left by the late John Stetson
rests uneasily Ia the hands or the aged
Mrs. Stokes. into whose possession IL
fell through no desire OF the man who
had amassed 1t. Perhaps. indeed.
IL the belief OF the Spirit
ualist IL correct. Mr.. Stetson's
immortal soul Is surging apopletlcally
through space, doing all 1t can, as MIR.
Stetson would surely have done in life,
to make the possession of all this mon
ey source OF sorrow and upheaval TO
the old woman who inherited IL by
law from her daughter, Stetson's wife.
said Mrs. stetson having died intestate
almost Immediately following the de-
mise of her husband.
Stetson loathed his wife's mother
with IA profanely pictorial hatred that
was worth going miles TO see-and
hear. 1t was the very irony OF fate that
she should have been the one OF all
others 10 become possessed OF the bulk
of this property, since during all his
acquaintance with her he had schem-
ed his very best to see that she did
not receive one penny which had been
his.
There has been no moment since the
abrupt taking OFF of Mrs. Stetson dur
ed to be a source OF intense turmoil in
the Stokes family.
SHE HOLDS ON TO HER MONEY.
Incldently, IL may be said that old
Mrs. Stokes doesn't show any sign of
ever allowing any part OF her share or
the inheritance TO get away from her,
even for the repayment OF loans made
before she had an opportunity TO real
lie upon the estate OF her son-in-law.
1t has been told how Erward 5.
Stokes advanced more than one thou
sand dollars to- her. in addition 70 MAX
ing the settlement of the warning heirs
under which Mrs. Stokes finally receiv-
ed what was coming to her. This sum
has never been repaid, and Mr.. Stokes
fully expects that he s.1ll have TO sue
for the amount or lose IL outright.
1t is said that there is another case
of this kind in existence which places
the elderly Mrs. Stokes in still more
peculiar light. When she was waiting
TO come into the money which John
Stetson would rather have burned up
than see her acquire. Mrs. Stokes, II Is
reported. borrowed $4,000 of Mrs Bar
ney Carroll, one of the associates OF
her early circus days, who WAS at that
time living in Fordham.
SHE NEVER GAVE MONEY BACK.
The $4,000. 1t is alleged. represented
Mrs. Carroll's savings of a lifetime
This amount like the other sum bor-
rowed from Ed. Stokes, was not re-
paid, and Mrs. Carroll died in greatly
straitened circumstances three or four
months ago.
But It Ia In the Stokes family itself
that the most riotous times have oc-
Cured over the ghostly hundreds of
thousands of dollars which made up
the Stetson estate. Old Mrs. Sokes has
three daughters still living--Ella. En-
ma and Belle.
The last mentioned of this trio lives
with her mother. and is looked upon as
the favorite of the moment. Emma re-
ceives from the maternal exchequer
the princely allowance of sS week up
on which to live-not one penny more,
no matter what the exigencies.
Ella, the wife of John b. Doris. who
has not been in very good luck of late
doesn't get a cent from her mother
with whom she is not on speaking
terms.
There have been trials and trlbua-
tions between Mr.. and Mrs. Doris and
Belle Stokes. These have recently
reached q serious and interesting con-
dition. involving criminal accusations
of a quite startling character.
SHE CALLS 1T A FORGERY.
When Mr.. Doris started in to pro-
duce his rather morose farce-comedy
called I'm Paradise" he found at the
last moment that his calculations had
fallen some five hundred dollars short
of his necessities, and prominent
lawyer agreed to let him have the cash
upon his note, indorsed by his wife and
her sister Belle.
when the note came. due the lawyer
told Doris he could renew " for eight
months, and II at the end of that time
he couldn't pay, another renewal would
- n A oft,ul g.
ment. Belle Stokes not alone refused
TO give a new endorsement, but fiatly
stated that she had never signed her
name TO the document I'm the first
place.
Under these circumstances the lawyer
felt compelled to take judgment. and
he was astounded when Belle Stokes
defended the action upon the ground
that her signature had been forged.
The trial of the case occurred few
weeks ago before Judge McAdani, and
Belle Stokes went upon the stand and
swore that the Endorsement was not In
her handwriting.
several other examples OF her sigma
ture. acknowledged as being genuine.
were produced by Mr.. Doris lawyer.
and Handwriting Expert Carvalho tes-
titled that all were written by the same
hand which penned the Endorsement
upon the note at issue.
DIDN'T BELIEVE HER TESTIMONY
The Jury found without the slightest
hesitation, In favor OF the plaintiff. evil
dtntly taking no stock In Belle Stokes
testimony.
It was ihen rhst she went in,e bank
ruptcy. es Became true maftyr Of the
family OF stokes. Both she sni her
mother, II Is stated. have quite ftssiy
accused Doris. ih theft conversational
r;oments. CT being a forger. and Doris
Is on the warpath in consequences.
He was saying recently that he
hoped within day ar t~o 10 secure an
affidavit connecting the forgery sliefa-
lion With Ms. St1ke1 and her 6rufbs