New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-23
STOKES PRESSES CHARGE
Rejects Advice. Accuses Girls Of
ATTEMPTED Murder
TO FREE PRISONERS TO-DAY
II Convicted, Miss Graham and
Miss Conrad May Be Impris-
oned for 25 Years.

u. z. .. Stokes refused 20 accept the
advice ~ the District Attorneys Office.
when he went 10 the Criminal Courts
Building Yesterday 70 make a formal com
plant against Miss Ethel Conrad and Miss
Lillian Graham. 70 change the charge from
attempted murder 70 one Of felonious as
sault. After a long conference with his
own counsel and representative OF Mr.
Whitman's Office he drew W the complaint.
and Magistrate Freschi accepted IT, The
extreme penalty for attempted murder is
twenty-five wears in the penitentiarv.
Mr. Jordan met Magistrate Freschi and
Assistant District Attorney Sullivan at the
jefferson Market court last night 20 ar
range for bail. but as the bondsman failed
20 bring with him one Of the necessary
deeds the proceedings were put over until
this morning az 10 o'clock. when bail will
he furnished and the young women re-
leased
In the complaint sworn 20 by NJ Stokes
he tells for the first time his version OF
what happened IN the Varuna apartments
the night he was shot. He accuses the TWO
girls ~ having deliberately and with pre-
meditsted design" sought his life Nowhere
I'm this statement is any mention ~ the let
ters which so mvsteriously disappeared
after the shooting. Mr. Stokes affidavit
saws in part
'T charge THAT Miss Graham and Miss
Conrad diI previously. and with intent 10
kill and murder me- and with deliberate
design 70 effect my death. obtain pistols
and fire The same against my body. caus-
ing me severe injuries. from which T still
suffer Prior 70 the shooting each and
both of the defendants threatened 10 take
my life If 7 did not accede % certain de-
mands made bv them. 70 W.T.. thar sign
a statement admitting that 7 had slandered
Miss Graham. her dead mother and her
sisters. or in default ~ such written state
ueut give them s25oo.
Upon my refusal 70 sign such statement
Lillian Graham fred three shots from her
revolver. which she had then IN her hand.
one 81 which struck me- Pr that time
had grabbed the pistol After 7 had seized
il she called 70 Ethel conrad. saying.
, Ethel Won agreed 90 XIII him II I didn {.
Get your revolver
Ethel Conrad ran fnfo an al ioiniuS room.
procured a pistol and also fred at me three
times. ar least one ~ which struck ne
Mr. Stokes did not show the effect of his
wounds He appeared calm his face was
full. and apparently he was IN as good
health as usual IL was noticed that he
studiouelv avoided looking either Of the
defendants In the eve However. De made
constant remarks 10 Mr.. Oicott and Terence
J. McNanus his counse..
The prisoners reached the hearing room
long before Mr. Stokes made his appear
ance. and the wait evidently told upon their
nerves Miss Conrad. particularly. was
nervous and excited When Mr Stokes
entered she scowled AZ him. and frequently
afterward tried 70 catch his eve She sue
ceeded Just once. but Mr. Stokes instantly
looked IN another direction.
Mr. Sullivan said that a quantity Of sill
yer dollars and nalf dollars prevented Mr
Stokes from more serious injury the nicht
Of the shooting one ~ his pockets was
well filed with silver money. and The bullet
which struck him IN the thigh hit this first
so great was the force Of the bullet"
said Mr. Sullivan. chat one OF the half
dollars was almost embedded To- the flesh.