New-York tribune., 1911-12-12
NEW LETTER TO STOKES
Prosecution Springs Surprise
While Miss Graham Is on Stand.
TOREFUTE HER CONFESSION
Witness Denies She Wrote
Threat Of Publicity with Idea
of Extorting $500.

Marcus the t'rl10lndl HTdI'iA VI iii' s''
preme Court She was under a merclIeSs
ire Of pointed questions 10y Assistant p'N-
.rict Attorney Buckner. who continued ms
-toss-eXaminatior. She bore up under the
ordeal with much less SHOW of emotion
than when she told her own story oil lne
etootinr and related other incidents of her
FIVE years acquaintance with Stokes uhoer
the guidance of her counsel clark L.
Jordan
Mr.. Buckner had not brought the witness
down 10 the time Of the shooting on June
when court adjourned for the day, and Miss
Graham will be on the stand again TO-DAY
The prosecutor employed a sem-apolo-
ectic tone in framing 2 good many of his
personal" questions, which amounted to
biting sarcasm al times The witness ap-
reared 60 take offence frequently. and
flashed back some Of her replies angrily.
Nr Buckner directed his efforts prnci-
uallv toward breaking down Miss Grahams
TESTIMONY in regard 10 three matters which
stood out prominently on her direct eX-
animation First nc scoffcd al the idea that
she ever gave stokes $1.7oo OF her own
mcnev 10 invest, and called attention to
her repeated requests of the hotel man for
money because ho owed her a balance on
account The prosecutor read many oi
the letters written by Miss Graham 10
Stokes. I'm which she always asked FOR
money "for the very last time and ad-
dressed him i'm most endearing terms VIII
olt ever referring 10 the fact, As she salo,
that he had never given her bat Sl2vo ana
was holding up $500 of her own
Prosecution Springs a Surprise
TIE prosecution eprang surprise by IN
trodEcine four letters which the witness
had written Stokes. iu which she expressed
+ Willingness To sign. or write. 'eIIdI"
usper for him. evidently prior 70 her WISH
10 the stokes stock farm near Lexington
This was for the purpose Of reintlhe he'
testimony that stokes forced her TO Wrle
"UorldIy confession at the time she spent
three DAYS there i'm June. 1901 Stokes ''S-
lined HAT he made sure that Miss Graham
had had more or less worldly experience
with mon before she visited the stock farm
one of the letters was dated a. the An
sonia. april %, 1907. and read,
Dear Mr.. Stokes II YOU will be devoted
70 ,,c snd no one else forever tOreVer UNI
derecoredl. also willing 10 agree that go
on the stage take me with YOU eVcry"htIS
rou 20. let me have my own W. ~ ~
earpa IN Won in overv respect ana pFoNlS'
10 make no trouble al all Dearie. II this IS
all right and YOU write me ne If1T, no,eS "
II This IS not right. please send me
something 10 COPY
In the other letters she referred to h'r
inability to write him statement ~ he
wanted # and asked him 80 write one OUT
and send it 10 her 10 copy. ! do want
YOU" she wrote in another. and II YOU VIII
he devoted 10 me alone I promise not to
make any trouble for YOU
-rbe defence also introduced ID evidence
comes of several letters written by MI
stokes 10 Miss Graham winch were
thought 10 have been among those lost as
they had not appeared before at any s'a-s
of the case. They were an published eN-
clusively in The Tribune shortly after the
t,yo girls were arrested for the shooting.
They were written 10 Miss Graham while
she was in Memphis in May, 1907, and IN
cincinnati I'm January. 1904 They tended
+, show that Stokess interest in Miss
Graham was merely o friendly one and
that he helped her. as he was glad 20 heir
an his friends" when he could.
Asks About Suicide Note"
Mr. Buck1er questioned the witness close
II as 10 the suicide note which the VII
ness wrote on May q. 1911. and "hci
Ethel Conrad afterWard took 20 Stokes WITT
request for money to help in getting Mis-
Graham of 10 Europe. after she had faile'
10 take her own life by swallowing car
holic acid In the note she said She woul'
Kin herself because Stokes had refused
her a paltry $50" The witness al first ap
reared angry when Mr.. Buckner shove
her the note. but afterward bowed her heac
and wept as he finished reading g.
Didn't YOU hear counsel a. the police
court hearing brand this alleged attempted
suicide a q cock and bull story asked
Mr.. Buckner
An objection TO this question was sus-
taned by the court
Pointing 10 a circular blot on the frs
paee Of the note and standing close to th'
witness he asked.
Did a tear drop make that spot on the
letter."
The witness lowered her eyes and sal.
she didn't know.
you will notice that the last page is al
smeared." said Mr Buckner. did YOU
smear the ink with your hand?"
No. sir, ! did not" Miss Graham
answered softly.
Did YOU write this letter with the idea
that Miss Conrad would show it 10 Mr.
Stokes was the next question.
II did not" the witness replied viii
nrmness.
you also wrote a letter to the press a
that time. didn't you2'
sges"
"Cot that letter.
No: / destroyed it,
You didn't want notoriety, did you?"
NO"
you don't like notoriety. do you?'
NO"
Denies Making Threat for $500.
"Didnt you have the idea that all yol
would have 10 write was that sentence fl
,be note that you had left a letter for th
nress telling everything. 10 make Nj
stokes come through with the $500 Nj
Euclner asked.
No 7 did not was the positive auswci
-%ov can YOU tell why You waited from
Nav r. when YOU first met Miss Conrad
untu MAY p. before writing this note tina
sha to5k 10 him." asked the Assistant Dis
triot Attorney.
..\9" was the ausWoi-
Wasn't it because you knew that Stoke
yay iu Lexington during that time and 20
didn't want 10 write such note until yo
were sure hc had rcturncd?'
Tho witness said fl was no such thins.
Did vou talk with Ethel Conrad abou
;nat letter. and did she help You write it?
WAS tho prosecutors parting question O
tine subject
Tho witness answered No again, an