Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1911-12-14
.SFc.n||Nn S''..HE|J0|.N|||l S''..HE|J0 IN
f1sJoos lRollo1s!H o.nas r.
GIRL WITH NESS
|N0WNDE|:.FENSE !
Ethel Conrad Gives Her Yer
sion of Events Leading
up to Shooting Of Stokes
in Girls Apartments.

7 80 ~ - ~ ~ ~~~>~ .a...s.&
New York, Dec 13-The district at.
torney who is trying to prove that
Lillian Graham and her chum, Ethel
Conrad, had planned to murder w. e.
d. Stokes when they shot him at their
apartment last June, today returned to
the task of discrediting the testimony
OF the two show girls, whose story
presented the case in very different
light. f. &
The defense felt encouraged by the
manner in which Miss Conrad met the
prosecutors attack yesterday. Her
story Of the shooting supported Miss
Graham's and at the same time she
never lost an opportunity to express
her opinion of Stokes.
Having told the jury that she still
loved her accuser, Miss Graham could
not freely attack his motives, but her
friend labored under no such handicap
and never let a chance slip to tell what
she thought of Stokes conduct and
character.
In the effort to discredit Miss Con-
RAIDS testimony the prosecution today
planned to continue probing into her
past The story of what happened to
her at Plattsburg year ago last sum-
mer was unfinished when she left the
stand at the adjournment of court yes
terday afternoon. Miss Conrad said
she made man who insulted her there
sign at the point Of a pistol, state
ment relating to an automobile ride
they took during her stay in Platts-
burg. This statement she promised to
have in court today if she could
find it. 49,
Mr.. Stokes, his physicians say, is
very sick and they do not even discuss
when he will be able to finish his
testimony. The operation he under
went yesterday isqa serious one. Sew
,eral small abscesses were removed
from his kidneys and although he
stood tho operation we'll, some anxiety
was expressed today regarding his
condition.
Miss Conrad. statuesque in appear
ance, well poised in manner and firm
and clear of voice, made striking con-
trast to the older, but weak voiced and
less self-contained Miss Graham, as
she succeeded the latter on the wit
ness stand. 'e@
Buckner questioned the witness
closely as to her past life, particularly
as to5a visit she made in 1910 to
Plattsburg, N. Y, where she occupied,
she said, the house of friend, "Mr.
Farley" who was away for the sum-
mer. While there, she admitted that
she had drawn revolver upon man
named Louis Miller while on an auto
mobile ride with him. "
She forced him to write statement
she said, of what took place on the
automobile trip and then told a sheriff
that she had attempted to kill a man
and wanted to be arrested. This state
ment she promised to have in court
tomorrow if she could find it. w.
Wasn't Looking for Canada Train.
While Lillian Graham was on the
witness stand she denied all insinua.
tions that she and her friend had ever
planned over the telephone how they
could lure Stokes within reach. She
also denied Mr.. Buckner's suggestions
that she had investigated the quickest
way to get to Canada.
did Miss Conrad tell you," con.
tjnued the prosecutor, "that it was a
pretty easy thing to get a man to sign
q statement with a gun in your hand?"
mo. sir"
"Did she tell you it had worked
well in the case of Pittsburg man."
mo- i
Coming down to the night Stokes
was shot, Miss Graham said that he
thought she had gone to Europe and
was surprised to see her. She admit
ted that she was angry with him for
what he had told Miss Conrad about
her and her sister,
The witness rehearsed the story OF
how Stokes had throttled her and
pushed her down the hall and into her
bedroom, and against bureau, and
how she reached into an open drawer
behind her and got the revolver with
which she shot him.
Previously Miss Conrad testified she
suggested to Stokes that Miss Graham
was i'll and should be sent to sani
tarium.
He said oh, no, can't be mixed up
in this thing the girl testified.
Before I left Mr.. Stokes put his
hand on my shoulder and said, I'm do
ing all this for you, because you are
young and beautiful. BY the way, what
is your business"
Then she said Stokes spoke Of his
boy and how proud he was Of him.
".Do you know, Miss Conrad, I'd give
500, 900 to young girl like you to
have a son like that for me-" Stokes
said, testified the girl.
The following day Miss Conrad said
she called up Stokes Has that party
gone 2" asked Stokes.
II am sorry had called him up
them she said. "but / told him yes. He
asked me if had those letters he had
a sked me to get for Miss Graham,
and when told him I had he said he
was coming for them the next evening.
I told him not to-. because did not
want him to see Lillian, but he said
he was coming anyway
Miss Conrad then gave her story Of
the shooting, corroborating Lillian
Graham