The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-06-15
REFUSED TO GIVE
UP LETTERS; SHOT
Lillian Graham and Ethel Conrad
Held for Attempted Murder.
Stokes Said to Have Been
~ Engaged to Former Be-
fore Marriage.

AOA~ NAo4 AoS5Ss
NEW YORK, Special.-William E
ID. stokes. millionaire proprietor OF
the Ansonia Hotel, was shot three
times and badly wounded yesterday
evening by two girls whose apart.
ment. on the fourth floor of the fash
1onable Naruna, at Broadway and
Eightieth Street. he was visiting.
The young women were Lillian
Graham, aged twenty-five years. a
singer and Ethel Conrad. eighteen
years old. an artist. Each fired three
shots the bullets from Miss Graham s
revolver inhicting two wounds and
those from Miss COnrad'S one.
The first two shots from the sing
er's revolver penetrated Mr.. Stokes
right leg; one, i'm the thigh, may
prove very dangerous. The bullet
from the artists revolver penetrated
the lower part of his left leg. Late
last night. at the Roosevelt Hospital,
X-ray photographs of the wounds
were made, and pending the develop
ment of these, the surgeons declined
TO say how serious the millionaire's
condition might become.
Both of the girls were held with
out bail and remanded to prison to
await developments in Mr.. Stokes
condition.
The charge against them is at
tempted murder.
NEW YORK, Special.-Through the
piecing together Of a number of torn
letters found in the apartment where
millionaire w. Z. Stokes, proprietor
OF the Hotel Ansonia, was shot last
evening 10y Lillian Graham and Ethel
Conrad. the police expect to solve the
mystery surrounding the case. Mr..
Stokes is at the Roosevelt Hospital
with TWO bullet wounds in his right
thigh and one just above the right
ankle. 1t was stated at the hospital
today that his condition was favor
able, but owing to his advanced age,
siXty-five, his friends fear that his
wounds may result seriously.
The Graham girl, who is only
twenty-three. and her companion,
who gave her age to the police as
Side Police Court today. This action
was purely perfunctory, as they will
not be formally accused until the
outcome of the millionaire's injuries
are known.
The only charge against them now
is that Of felonious assault. With the
girls were arraigned the three Japan
csc whom Stokes accuses of having
beaten him when he fled from the
girls apartments at the Neruna into
the hall. The men, Roy Motto, Yohio
Mura and George johnson. deny at
lacking Stokes, asserting that they
took him for a burglar and merely
held him.
E. Both Girls Calm i'm Court.
The two girls took their arrest
calmly and showed no agitation even
when paraded before the lineup at
headquarters with the regular round
up OF criminals this morning
Everything Will come out all
right" said Miss Graham, and Miss
Conrad added; You bet ii will"
} Behind the case there Is said 10 be
a romance In the life Of the aged
millionaire that existed before his Sc
cret marriage to Miss Helen Elwood.
of Denver, last February. 1t is said
that he was at one time engaged TO
marry Miss Graham.
Mrs. Stokes remained In seclusion
ut the AnsOnia today and refused to
make any statement on the case. Her
maid said that Mrs Stokes was Sc
riously i'll and unable to leave her
bed.
Millionaire Wanted Letters.
Though Stokes. in his first state
ment 20 the police. declared that he
had been lured to the Veruna for the
purpose Of blackmail, and that when
~he refused to pay $4,000 for the let
tiers which Miss Graham had in her
possession, the two girls attempted to
kill him. Miss Graham fatty denied
any attempt at blackmail or pre-
meditated plan TO kill him today. She
told Mrs. Charles Smith. matron at
the police station, that the revolver
with which Mr.. Stokes was shot was
crime wave. This was corroborated
by Miss Conrad.
I'VE shall not retain lawyer" Miss
Graham said TO the matron. Our
case will free us on its merits. If il
fails TO do so then we shall get a
lawyer"
Both girls declared that they in
tended giving Mr.. Stokes the letters
without a dispute, but that he
grabbed Miss Graham by the throat
as soon as he entered the apartment.
Stokes side of the matter has been
taken over by his lawyer. From the
account which he gave out it was
played when Miss Graham pressed
her revolver against his stomach that
saved his life. He thrust the weapon
down and the bullet passed through
his clothing. He then grasped Miss
Conrad, who also fired at him, and
used her as a shield while he fed
into the hall, but three of the bullets
reached their mark.
Talks of BIackmaiI.
The lawyer asserts that Stokes was
called TO the girls apartment 10y a
telephone message from Miss Conrad
to call and get some letters which
Miss Graham had; that he went, but
that Miss Graham Immediately de-
manded $4,000 and his signature to
an agreement Of some sort under
penalty of death.
The romance, of which the letters
formed a link, is said to have orig
mated in Paris.
Miss Graham, a short time before
Stokes married secretly. intimated to
that Stokes was to be the bride
groom.
aRRAnR aAE XRRaA ~