New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-24
GIRLS WHO SHOT STOKES
ARE PLACED ON TRIAL
Lillian Graham and Ethel Conrad
Help to Select Jury That
Is to Hear Case.
SMILE AT THE PROSECUTOR
Assistant District Attorney Init
mates They Attacked Ansonia
Owner After Luring Him to
Rooms for Blackmail.


X. Thaw was twice tried for the shoot
ing Of Stanford White, the two show
girls. Lillian Graham and Ethel Conrad,
were placed on trial yesterday for their
alleged attempt on the life of ". F.. D.
Stokes. owner of the Ansonis. in their
apartment at the Naruna. Broadway and
SOth street last June. The long to be
remembered setting and scenes of the
Thaw trials were changed in that the
two young defendants in this case. who
i'm appearance and vocation afford
striking reminder Of the childlike Evelyn
Thaw, occupied seats at the prisoners
table instead of the more secure position
Of a mere witness.
Justice Marcus. Of Buffalo. who IL pre-
siding AT the trial, was not the least at
tentive listener to the opening Of As
sistsut District Attorney Ruckner, for
the prosecution. who eudeavored dra-
matically 70 present TO the jury the
story Of the shooting of Stokes by the
two girls under such circumstances as
would tend to show that blackmail was
their priucipa intention. Not word ot
the prosecutor scathing attack was lost
upon the jury or the defendants. The
two girls followed his remarks with in
tense interest, except occasionally 70
smile at their counsel when the accusa-
tons NAV have seemed 10 them to be
extravagant.
The jury box Vas filed near the close
of the DAVIS session. the defendants aid
ing in the selection Of each man. The
Assistant District Attorney occupied
less than half an hour I'm telling the
story in support Of the three counts in
the indictment which charge the de-
PENDANTS with attempted murder, As
sauit with intent to XIII, which Is the
first degree. and assault in the second
degree. Mr.. Stokes was not in court
YESTERDAY. but viii appear as the first
witness for the people to-day.
Points Revolvers at the Jury
There was flourish Of two formidable
looking revolvers and an involuntary
shrinking on the part of some of the
Jurors when the prosecutor levelled them
At the jury box in describing the manner
In which the defendants are alleged to
have brought them TO bear on Stokes
after he had refused 70 sign papers re-
tracing certain defamatory statements
Miss Graham had accused him Of max
ing bout her family. When Stokes
sfterward refused 70 make out check
for S25 600 as commanded by Miss era
ham under cover Of her revolver, accord
ing TO the Assistant District Attorney.
the real shooting began. which resulted
in two painful wounds in the plaintiffs
leg Miss Graham was reinforced by
Miss Conrad. who took \ shot or two al
Stokes. II was contended.
Perhaps the most potent circum-
stance which saved Nj. Stokess life"
said Mr.. Buckner. lies in the caution Of
tksy bought the revolvers. that they
should aim at least two feet lower than
the object which they intended 70 hit"
Miss Conrad had appeared at the An
sonia on May 81 and gone directly 10
Mr.. Stokes's business Offices. on the six
teenth floor. unannounced, the Assistant
District Attorney said. This date-May
31-was the most important IN the whole
case. Mr.. Stokes had never before seen
Miss Conrad. though he had known Miss
Stokes took Miss Conrad down to his pr-
vate office. on the first floor, and in tho
presence Of witnesses talked with her, Il
was asserted.
The burden Of the girls story 70 Mr..
stokes was that she was a poor but re-
spectacle girl who had come 10 New
York 70 try to make a living" said Mr..
Buckner. and lived in lowly apart
ment. where Miss Graham had come 70
her In q time Of stress and she had taken
her in out Of sympathy. She feared now
that she had made a mistake. She had
gone TO her apartment and found the
Graham Eirl there in agony on the
couch with = bottle near her on the floor
and her face buried by csrbolic acid
The girls life had been saved by her
wanted money from Mr.. Stokes 10 help
her get rid Of the Graham girl. Finally
Mr.. Stokes gave her $50 70 pay for the
nurses
"spent Money for Weapons"
There vas the suggestion Of sarcasm
in the faint smile on the faces Of the two
dafandants as the prosecutor continued
his remarks.
ION the afternoon of this same day
May 31-where do we find these two
girls? Down in the sporting department
Of 4 large department store purchasing
two revolvers.'
The Assistant District Attorney
reached into the drawer Of the table IN
front Of him and produced the two
the other shone respondent in nickel
plate.
This ia the black nurse" said tbs
prosecutor. tapping the dark revolver.
land this is the white one" he said.
picking up the other revolver. They
were laughing and tollying the sales
man. who tried to get them to put their
money into one good weapon instead OF
two cheap ones. But they said they
both wanted guns"
The Assistant District Attorney said
Miss Conrad went 10 the Ansonia the
next day and told Stokes she hadn't