The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-08
Young Women Say They
Were Threatened by Rich
New Yorker
STOKES ALLEGES 1T
Is BLACK MAIL CASE
His ASSailants are Locked Up
Without Bail, to Await
Result of His
Wounds

NEW YORK, June S.--Held with
out bail to await the recovery Of
William r. u. Stokes, millionaire ho-
lei owner and sportsman who is in
Roosevelt hospital with three bullet
wounds IN his legs Lillian Graham.
an actress, twenty-five years old, and
Ethel Conrad. an artist aged eigh-
teen. reiterated to-day that they shot
Stokes in their apartments at the
Eeruna to- save their own lives. This
Stokes positively denies, and asserts
that he was iured 20 their apartment
by the two girls who tried TO black
mail him out OF *25. 600.
After st night IN a cell The two
girls. both of whom are decidedly
prepossessing were arraigned In court
on q short AFFIDAVIT By Detective Dew
cry, charging them with first degree
assault, and were held for examina-
ton until Stokes Is able 10 come to
court Roth girls, while nervous and
troubled because or their prediea-
menf, insist that they shot In self
defense, and Mas Graham exhibited
what Es,e alleged were marks OF
Stokes Hngers on her throat.
ctokeS. VINO recently married MISS
Helen Elwood wealthy Denver mu-
stefan. was said at Roosevelt hospital
10 be resting comfortably, His wife
and son BY his first marriage. W. h.
y. Stokes. Jr., were with him 10 day.
Stokes VIII probably he able To ap-
pear In court early next week.
A Mysterious Affair.
Because of the conflicting stories
told by the participants, the affair
10 shrouded in mystery. ON only one
thing do they agree. and that Is that
Miss Graham had received some de-
cidedy interesting letters from
Stokes which the latter was anxious
TO secure. Stokes SAYS when he went
TO the apartment occupied by the
young women they locked him In and
demanded s25.ooo for the letters
They also insisted that he sign a
statement they had prepared. He
says when he refused moth girls drew
revolvers and began shooting at his
thighs Tie girls version liz that
stokes came clustering INTO the apart
nent and demanded the letters Re
coming enraged when they told him
they were not there, he began to
choke MISC Graham, and the shooting
followed.
Stokes admits having been very
friendly with Miss Graham. but SAYS
he only recently met Miss Conrad.
Miss Graham comes from Los Angeles,
where her sister. Mrs John Single
ton, who is now in Parts. maintains
n magnificent home. Another sister
is Mrs. Andrews. a widow, Of San
Francisco.
japanese to the Rescue.
With the girls ia court to-day were
arraigned three Japanese. who were
held as material witnesses They
were arranging for "A dinner to be
given by Pat Casey, the vaudeville
booking agent. In apartment adtoin-
ing the one where the shooting took
place and they heat stokes severely
I'm the belief that he had attacked
the girls
The police to-day searched the
apartments occupied by the TWO girls
in an effort To locate the letters which
caused the shooting. ~hnt. without GIG
cess
Miss Graham came to this city inn
medtatelg after the San Francisco
earthquake and went to live at the
Ansonio. the big apartment hotel CON
Quoted by Stokes. About eight months
ago she accompanied her sister. Mrs
Singleton ia Europe. ostensihiy going
to Belgium TO study music. Her
friends say she told them that she
was coming back after her musical
education was completed to marry
Stokes, Instead. about four months
later, Stokes and Miss EIwood clip
ped over to Hohoken one night and
we're married On hea ring. thas Miss
Graham hurried back 10 this city
She and Miss Conrad rented n Ugh,
bousek eeping apartment in the We
runa AT 22a West Eightieth street
and X was in this that the shooting
took place.