Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-06-08
NOT GUILTY is
PLEA OF GIRLS
Are Arraignsd in New YORK
Today fer Shooting
W. E. D. StOkts.
HELD WITHOUT BAIL
millionaire Is in Roosevelt
Hospital Where He Is
Rapidly Recovering.

New York, June 8:-After plead
ing not guilty TO a charge of first
degree assault, Lillian Graham,
twenty-five years of age, actress and
sister of the wealthy Mrs. John
Singleton, OF California, and Ethel
Conrad, eighteen years old, an artist,
were locked up in the TOmbs with
out bail today, following a hearing
in court on charge of shooting the
millionaire hotel owner, William L.
D. Stokes.
Stokes is still in the Roosevelt
hospital with three bullet wounds in
his leg. He is rapidly getting better.
He declared Miss Graham, to whom
he was once engaged, tried 10 black
mail him for $4,000 regarding let
ters he is said 20 have written her.
The first two shots from the singers
revolver penetrated Mr. Stokes right
leg. One, in the thigh, may prove dan
gerous. The shot fired by the artist
penetrated the lower part of MI
Stokes left leg.
Lillian Graham, who said in the sta
ton house that she was twenty-five
years old and a singer, and Ethel Con
rad, three years her junior. who didn't
specify her occupation, were the two
girls, who had a small apartment in
the Varuna, at 225 West Eightieth
street They have been there only
three or four weeks. Miss Graham
talked rather freely TO the matron of
the station after she had been wailing
for some one to come and bail her ont.
She said that she and her married
sister lived together at the Ansonia
four years ago and that they knew
Stokes at that time. A year ago she
and her sister went to Belgium, where
she was TO study music. The sister
remained on the other side and Miss
Graham came back to this city and set
up light housekeeping in the three
rooms and kitchenette in West Eighth
eth street.
She had some letters which Stokes
had written her and though she be-
lieved there was nothing in them to
cause anything like uneasiness she
hadn't been back long before MIR.
Stokes began to phone to her about
them. He didn't like the idea of hav-
fng Miss Conrad where she could lay
hands on them, Miss Graham says that
Stokes told her.
Stokes went to the Yaruna and they
discussed the question of the letters.
She was alone In the sitting room with
Stokes and Miss Conrad was in the
adjoining bedroom. She says that she
told him the letters were destroyed.
ho h.
had an argument that grew more and
more one sided, because Miss Graham
said she didn't want to have trouble.
Then Stokes came toward her. so
she told the detectives and the matron,
and tried TO choke her She had lit
tie gun metal revolver handy, 1t was
a 80 caliber, and she aimed it at his
legs and fired. Miss Conrad came run
ming in from the other room and she.
too, has a pistol. Both girls opened
fire again, but either they didn't shoot
straight or else they intended to shoot
low. The three bullets that struck
Mr.. Stokes lodged in his right leg.
Soon after Mr.. Stokes was taken to
the hospital his attorneys had a long
talk with him. Mr.. Stokes told this
story to the lawyers:
Il got q telephone message from a
woman calling herself Ethel Conrad
Of whom I had never heard before
She told me where she was and said
she had some letters that had written
% Miss Graham. She said Miss Gra-
nam had sailed on the Baltic and that
f l wanted the letters l must come
light away. as she expected to return
20 New Orleans with her brother at
any time.
4 knew of Miss Graham, but /
couldn't remember that l ever wrote
her any letters. l decided, anyhow.
to go up and see about it. ! had no
sooner been seated in the parlor of the
apartment before both women faced
me and the door was locked behind
ne at once. believe the women were
alone in the apartment
Miss Graham then said she had
some letters OF mine and wanted
s25,O00 for them. but she made no
move to show me any letters. Then
both women drew revolvers from their
dresses at about the same time and
pointed them at me. I thought they
we're only showing a little bravado and
that they would soon cool down, but
The first thing I knew Miss Graham
fred"