New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-08
Hotel Man Went to Their Apart.
ments to Get Letters Writ
ten to One of Them.
HAS 3 BULLETS IN LEGS
Assailants Admit Shooting, but
Declare They Fired in Self
Defence-Victim Says
Servants Beat Him.

Varuna. No. 225 West S0th street. Miss
Graham is twenty-five years old, and
Miss Conrad Is nineteen. He was
wounded three times, two bullets being
in one leg and third IN the other
According 10 his own statement, given
out through Terence ]. McManus. his
LAWYER, after Mr.. Stokes had been taken
10 Roosevelt Hospital, he was acquainted
with Miss Graham. but did not know
Miss Conrad.
Mr.. McManus said that shortly before
6 o'clock last night Miss Conrad tele-
phoned to Mr.. Stokes at the Ansonia.
told him that she had a number OF let
ters written by him to Miss Graham,
which Miss Graham had left with her TO-
give to him, and that if he would come
UP to the apartment she would hand
them over. She added that Miss Graham
sailed on the Baltic for England on Tues
day.
Mr.. Stokes went Immediately to the
apartment, and on entering 1t found both
Miss Conrad and Miss Graham confront
ing him. One Of them locked the door
as soon as he came in. and then they
entered into negotiations concerning the
letters. Miss Graham demanded $4,000
as a price for the letters Mr. Stokes
says. and he fatty refused the deal
Subsequent events as related by the
victim were that first one and then the
other of the girls fred three shots at
him, and of the six three found a mark.
one in his right thigh one lower IN his
right leg. and the third In the calf Of his
left leg.
Beaten by Japanese Servants.
Mr. Stokes staggered to the door. which
one Of the girls unlocked but in the
hallway three japanese servants Of Pat
rick Casey, vauoep..ie agent, who has
an apartment on the same floor Of the
Varuna, grabbed him, evidently thinking
that he had shot some one. and jumped
on him and pounded him almost into
unconsciousness.
The story Of the shooting as told by
Miss Graham, though agreeing 8 10 the
main point Of the shooting itself. puts
the initiative OF the whole affair upon
Mr. Stokes's shoulders.
He wanted the letters" said Miss
Graham "telephonSd frequently for
them and came TO the apartment 10 de-
mand them"
Failing in that method, she says. he
tried to choke her, and the shooting was
strictly a matter of self-defence The
rooms Of the small apartment occupied
by the two girls showed plain evidence
Of some kind of a struggle when the
police entered It a few minutes after the
shooting. The noise of the shots and tho
struggle In the hall which followed
brought the superintendent OF the build
ing and a policeman who was passing
the apartment house at the time, and
subsequent call 10 the West 6Sth street
police station brought Detectives Flynn,
Devery and Walsh.
They found litter Of torn paper on
the floor and scattered around on the
furniture, in addition to one or two fully
preserved letters. The torn paper was
carefully gathered up and will be pieced
together If possible.
Victim CIutching Revolver.
Mr.. Stokes was then lying on the floor
at the head OF the stairs. semi-consctous.
and tightly clutching In one hand re.
yolver. AS the story developed later. II
appeared that this gun was the one used
by Miss Graham. which Mr.. Stokes
grabbed In an effort TO save himself.
Three cartridges in its barrel were dis
charged.
Terence ]. McManus Of the law firm
Of Olcott, Gruber. Boynge McManus.
who have handled all Of Mr.. Stokess
legal affairs. arrived at Roosevelt Hos
pital shortly after he had been taken
there. and. after a talk with the victim.
gave out this statement for him:
Mr.. Stokes had known Lillian Graham
slightly a long time ago. but he had never
seen Ethel Conrad before YESTERDAY ~
in to tbai r sioSes e, ss
Ansonia a few minutes before o'clock
and went 10 No. 225 West soth street Miss
Conrad told him over the telephone INA, az
him 10 Miss Graham. and that she wanted
10 give them to him Miss Graham, she
eypiainel had sailed on the steamer Bdlklc
for Europe on Tuesday, and she herse!f
e,pected to go 10 New orleans with her
brother this morning:
Mr. stokes said that he found the TWO
women in the apartment As he entered,
and that they locked the door behind him
when he stepped into the parlor or the
suite Miss Graham then pointed 10 sew
eral letters which Mr.. Stokes did not recog-
nize as his own and demanded that he give
her $1,000 He natly refused, and MISS
Grs ham then aimed n revolver az nm
Mr. stokes thought that II was merely
girllsh threat and smiled until she rushed
toward him and held the muzzie close 10
It's stomach 70 hre. 80, -, ,-s. ,,,..s
and threw the barrel down lnst n Sle
nulled the trigger. The bullet struck hiih
ir the right thigh. and his mana was 81
hadlv burned by the powder that ne was
,nrcad Ia let go \ second shot from the
same Gun struck hhn in the calf ot inc
iah, iep before he could recover himself.
A third shot went through his coat before
he succeeded IN disarmins her
Told Companion to Shoot.
tto ran through the rooms. and Miss
crnham screamed to her companion:
"Now is the time To shoot This Is your
chance TO kill him. - -
A. Miss conrad ran after him with her
ravo,ver Mr. stokes said he caught Miss
crnham bv the arms and held her IN front
os rim as a shield Three shots were fired
n, him bv Miss Conrad one of them taking
Eject I'm his left leg and narrowly missing
Miss Graham.