Evening times-Republican., 1911-07-07
FAIR DEFENDANTS IN SHOOTING
OF MILLIONAIRE GAY IN
COURT.
ALLEGED LOVE LETTERS
TO WOMEN MADE PUBLIC
Stokes at No Time ELUSIVE and Letters
Are Full Of Fatherly Advice to Miss
Graham, the Recipient-Says Both
Miss Graham and Miss Conrad Shot
Him.

New York. July w. Z. D. Stokes
testimony was unfinished when court
convened today for further examina-
tion of the charge that an attempt to
murder Stokes month ago was made
by Miss Lillian Graham and Miss Ethel
Conrad. The purpose Of these proceed
ings is to to determine whether tho
evidence is sufficient to send the case
to the grand jury. but the examination
and cross examination is conducted
with such thoroughness that 1t
amounts practically to q trial.
On the witness stand yesterday
Stokes gave his version of the alleged
attempt on his life when he visited the
young womens apartments at Miss
Conrads invitation to recover letters
he had written to Miss Graham.
Met BY Derisive Smiles.
These letters We're found by detect
ives in the girls room Il few days at
ter the shooting and since then have
been in the possession of the district
attorney. In them Stokes. who said on
the stand yesterday that he was 81
years old. for the most part adopted
toward the young girl an attitude OF
fatherly council, advising her against
the stage. against Intoxicating liquors
and about life in general.
The two defendants and Miss Ora
hams sister, Mrs. John Singleton, wife
of wealthy California mining man,
who accompanied them In court, listen
cd to Stokes testimony with frequent
derisive smiles. All three were dressed
in the daintiest Of summer costumes
and presented a refreshing sight in the
torrld court room.
Stokes Tells Of Shooting.
Stokes, pale and worn. told his own
story Of the shooting. He had been
summoned to the apartments. he said.
by Miss Conrad. who told him that
Miss Graham had left for Europe. He
was angry, he said. when he saw he
had been deceived, and declined to sign
an alleged statement setting forth that
he had DETAINED Miss Graham and her
relatives. He had also declined to pay
s25, 900 under threat Of death. he added.
and thereupon Miss Graham began to
shoot. AS he gave his evidence the
young women laughed and chatted
gaily.
Stokes said he told the girls that
blacknail was u prison offense ana
that Miss Graham said, I'll say I'm
crazy" while Miss Conrad declared,
according to Stokes:
"We'll say he came to our apart
ments and attacked us and we killed
him in self-defense. We have three
witnesses listening to all this who
"a la< 1,i, N,1f n
ThrottIed by Japanese.
When Stokes disarmed Miss Graham,
after sustaining two wounds Miss Con-
rad he said was in the parlor and as
some one began firing then he assumed
it was she. He was shot again In the
calf OF the leg. There were four more
shots but they all went wild he said
Stokes started for the hall then.
There he said first the two girls and
later three Japanese grabbed him and
throttled him while q short stout man
aided them. The police finally rescued
volver he had taken from Miss Gra-
MIN and handed patrolnan the re-
ham.
On cross examination. opposing coun-
sci attempted to have Stokes tell Of his
attentions to Miss Graham during the
four years he had known her, but he
proved an unwilling witness and the
lawyer met with constant objections.
Met Her in Lexington.
Stokes met Miss Graham at a din
ner in Lexington Ky, he said. He had
taken her out automobiling. had writ
ten her while she was at Memphis.
Chicago, and other points. and had nl-
so entertained her at his Lexington
farm.
Once. he said she had come from
Memphis to Lexington at his tele-
graphic request. She left the next day,
Stokes said.
The first cash payment he had given
her was $3.50 or $500, he didn't remem-
her which. on the occasion or one uI
her visits to Lexington. Stokes con-
cludcd his testimony shortly before
adjournment. The case will be contin
ued tomorrow.
The bundle Of letters that drew
Stokes to the girls apartment was
made public by the court. They all be-
gan with the salutation "My Dear Miss
Graham or my Dear Miss Lillian"
and most Of them concluded with
yours sincerely" or yours truly"
Letter Offers Advice.
In the letters from Stokes to Miss
Graham, there We're many bits OF ad-
vice for the young woman. One sent
to Miss Graham early in December,
1909. warned her that the stage held
but "a heartless social life." and urged
her instead to marry some rich young
fellow whose companionship will be
worth more than all the worthless aid
miration Of cheap stage"
Effort to BIackmaii.
When Mr.. Stokes resumed his testi-
mony he said he was not sure how
many letters exhibited yesterday were
bis He thought about eight.
He told OF visit to his office on
May 21 last by Miss Conrad who, he
said. was highly excited.
When she became canned" Stokes
continued, she told me she had met