Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-12
w. MOSES & SONS ST. nth.
TOLD HER LIFE'S STORY
LUCY RILEY-RANDOLPH SUIT
AGAINST W. E. D. STOKES. ..

dolph who is suing w. E. D. Stokes for the
support of her five-year-old son, William
Edward, Occupied the witness chair in the
supreme court in Flushing yesterday. and
in reply to questions by her counsel, George
Gordon Battle. told of her wooing by the
wealthy defendant and how he promised
to provide handsomely and literally for
her and the child. She told the story of her
life from the time she went to Philadelphia
from her home in Illinois. when she was
nineteen years old. until she came to this
city and was cared for by Mr.. Stokes. I'm
der severe Characterization by Abraham
Gruber. counsel for Mr.. Stokes, she re-
peated her story, adding more detail under
the fire of questions put 10 her.
Attorney Battles Statement.
When court reconvened. after recess, in
the afternoon Mr.. Battle made his opening
address. He said:
This is an action brought by the plaintiff
upon the proposition that w. f. D. Stokes
is the father of her son, who was born in
October 1892, and that the defendant in
view of his great wealth and position is
able to support the child as he once agreed
| to by paying her handsome and liberal
amount each month";
Mr.. Battle then outlined the young wom-
go . i'AS anu toiu VI ItI acquaintance
relationship with the defendant In closing
he said: We are s-sking nothing for the
woman. but simply for the support of the
child.
After Mr.. Battle had finished the plaintiff
was called and took the stand
In response to the question she told the
jury how she became acquainted with the
defendant: Il was standing on the stoop
one evening talking with a Mr.. Valdhardt
Mr.. Stokes drove by and Mr.. Valdhardt
asked me II l knew who he was. He then
told me that Mr.. Stokes had seen me and
wanted to meet me. The next evening Mr.
Stokes came to the house and was pre-
sented to me. He took me for drive in
the park for about an hour. He told me
he was very unhappy and that lie would be
glad to have some one who would be nice
to him. Two evenings later we again went
for drive. and he told me that the one
great sorrow in his life was that he had
only one child. 1t was a short time after
this that l dined with him at his house.
and 1T was here that he made known his
affection for me Soon after this 1 took
request of Mr.. Stokes, and he allowed me
about $500 MONTH
Stokes Income $4,000 Year.
When Mr.. Battle asked the witness if Mr.
Stokes ever had told her how much he
was worth Mr.. Gruber objected. but was
the question the witness said:
Mr.. Stokes told lie he was worth about
S5,O00.0O0, and that his income was about
$135,0UO year. He said he would give me
horses and carriages, and did give them to
me few months before my child was
born, but she added sadly, "he took them
back in the fall of 1904
Miss Riley-Randolph then told of a visit
to Lexington, KY, and staying for some
time at the Patchin Wilkes stock farm
which was owned Dy Mr.. Stokes and Peter
Duryea. Mr.. Duryea the witness said was
with them during their stay at the farm
She told of her illness and an operation
which she underwent in Roosevelt Hospital
and that Mr.. Stokes had paid the bills She
said his visits became more and more in
frequent and that he did not come to see
her until three months after her child was
born.
His visits ceased entirely" said the wit
ness, after January, 1902, and he began
to cut down my allowance gradually. He
was then giving me $500 month and this
was cut down every month until December
1904, when he ceased to give me any
thing
Mr.. Gruber for the defense asked the wit
ness if she had any of the letters written
to her by Mr. Stokes and she replied that
she had nearly all. She promised to pro-
duce them in court today. The correspond,
ence, according to Mr.. Battle, is nearly all
of business nature and II admitted as
evidence will be interesting.