Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-12
GIRL
UP FOR CROSS
EXAMINATION \

Plan Wasn't to Blackmail
Millionaire Stokes, Whom
She Shot. ii
New York, Dec. 11.-Lilliam Graham
with her chorus girl companion. Ethel
Conrad, on trial in the supreme
court for shooting w. E. Stokes in the
legs last June, today faced cross
examination. >s.as Z #
The defendants came into court to-
gether and sat with their counsel be-
fore court opened. Ethel Conrad
probably will be called to give her
testimony after Miss Graham has left
the stand. H.. -r
The condition of Mr.. Stokes, who
has been seriously i'll as result Of
complications following the attack OF
acute indigestion, was slightly I'M
proved. ' -.
Miss Graham, be just as composed
as you can" said Assistant Distract At
torney Buckner when she took the
stand today. Miss Graham was pale,
her features twitched and her hands
went constantly to her hair.
Miss Graham admitted she knew she
went to the Ansonia in December, 1906
that Stokes had been divorced and also
that he had no intention of marrying
again. -u ...... -....-4.. H.. NJ
Al Adams Story Brought in.
The prosecutor reverted to the AL
A INV II ~{~ ~ N1p MScc
ham said she was afraid OF Stokes at
the time she shot him because her Sis
ter, Mrs. Andrews, had told her she
had heard that Stokes had murdered
the former policy king" %
Miss Graham admitted her sister had
not told her this story until some time
after her acquaintance with Stokes
began. y, Il
did Mrs. Andrews raise any objec.
tions to your running around with this
old divorcee and murderer" said the
prosecutor, sarcastically "a
5'No." Is .a
q IN fact, haven't you brought this
matter for the purpose Of blackmailing
Stokes character"
To this Miss Graham's attorney OBJ
jected. The witness declared that no.
body had told what kind Of man
Stokes was.
Didn't you know Of his relations
with women?"
mo" @ s<d
Didn't you want to get on his pay.
roll?" 4
mo sir" a..s,.. t. .1s "A
The prosecutors answer to these,
negatives was to read several of the
girls letters in which she invited
Stokes to her apartment and expires.
sed disappointment over his failure to
accept former invitations. ~ I
why didn't you stop writing and
to him when he continued
TO disappoint" you in this way?"
Because replied Miss Graham" he
always gave a very good excuse"
Last week Miss Graham testified
that Stokes never had made full re.
turns for $1,700 which she had given
him to invest for her early in their
acquaintance.
Were these letters written before or
after you gave him the money! in
luired juror
After she answered. .e.: .
farewell Letter" Read.
In February 1907 Miss Graham
wrote Stokes the farewell letter in
which she addressed him as "dearie'; ]
old him she never expected to see
1im again and closed ito the only man
ever loved"
Mr.. Buckner re-read this letter and
ired at the witness volley of ques.
ions that made her hesitate and look
lown. One of them was: IF you
we're a young, pure girl of 18 or 19i
Why did you write such a letter as
his; what could you expect to gain
rom man in Stokes position?"
Well replied Miss Graham, she
wrote me a good many letters and |
'aw him frequently The letter in.
reduced by the prosecution in which !
Mss Graham released Stokes from any
for what happened dur !
ng her visit to his farm near Lexing-
on, was re-introduced. Miss Graham
declared that Stokes held her pris-
'ner on his farm and forced her to |
write the letter before he would let |
Ter go. 55 |
Later she said. Stokes assured her
le had destroyed this letter Never
he less, asserted the girl, when they
eturned to New York Stokes went !
lown on his knees and begged her not |
o tell her relatives |
why did you keep quiet as he asked j
hen 2" inquired the attorney.
Because felt sorry for him. He !,
legged me not to tell on account of /
lis boy"