The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-05-05
MRS. STLLMAN in
ROOM WITH GUIDE,
ASSERTS WITNESS
Quebec WOOdsman Later
Admits He Isn't Sure of
Their Identity.
In EX-BANKER'S PAY
George Adam Says He
Spied Through Hole in
a Window Curtain.
LETTERS AGAIN BLOCKED
Defence Prevents Admission at
Divorce Hearing-Mrs. Still
man Coaches Lawyers.
LETTERS AGAIN BLOCKED

man Coaches Lawyers.
For nearly three hours yesterday
George Adam an aged woodman from
La Touche, Que occupied the witness
chair in the resumption of the hear
ings that James A. Stillman hopes will
result in awarding him a divorce from
Mrs. Anne Urquhart Potter Stillman.
For one hour the woodsman, jack
of all trades-hunter. trapper, guide
and mechanic-was telling of a night
in the winter of 1917 when, he insists,
he saw Mrs. Stillman and Fred Beau
vais, the French Indian guide, in a
room in the Blackburne Hotel at
Grande Anse, six miles from Lake
Dawson. where the Stillmans were
building a new camp.
Stoutly he maintained that there
was a hole in window curtain and
that he applied his eye thereto and
saw things that led him to believe
everything was not as 1t should be.
And when he had finished his testi-
mony Abel /. Smith Of counsel for
Mrs. Stillman and John f. Mack,
guardian ad Item for Guy Stillman.
the child in the case. tore into him ana
his story for two hours. According
to reliable authorities the woodsman
stuck to his statement that there was
a hole in the curtain and that he spied
through that hole, but conceded that
he was unable to command a view of
the entire room and that he was sure
of nothing except that he saw man
and a woman.
Only Three witnesses Heard.
The hearing was held in small con-
ference room on the first floor OF the
Bar Association building in Forty-fourth
street. Only three witnesses were heard,
although the premises and its environs
swarmed with others. While Adam tes-
titled, Mrs. Stlllman. rather tense OF
feature and citing beside her lawyers.
leaned forward from the counsel table
watching the witness. coaching her law
yers and taking notes now and then
when Adams memory failed him OF
dates and hours. Once in while she
smiled rather pityingly, a smile that
bore no suggestion OF rancor or offence,
but more of sorrow. and when he left
the stand she shook her head wearily
and confidea to she OF her attorneys
that II was beyond her comprehension
to understand why a man should tell a
story like that.
George Adam had said that he was
working with his son, Fred Adam, on a
new camp, six miles from Grande Anse.
and had been in the custom OF coming
in from the camp every night But Mr.,
Smith and Mr.. Mack beset him with
embarrassing questions. Why did ne
take TO spying? How did he know there
was hole In that curtain? Did he put
It there? What suggested the spying 10
him? Why did his story differ from
some he told previously? What interest
had he, a man OF 75. In spying around
at night when he had to be up and off
again 10 Lake Dawson before daybreak ?
And then. by way OF dismissIng him.
they made him admit that, despite the
fact that the Lake Dawson job had long
since been finished. he was still in the
employ OF Mr.. Stllman off and on"
Letters Kept From Record.
The second witness was Fred Adam.
whose testimony was merely technical.
having to do with dates and plans OF
the camp and the presence at Grande
Anse OF Fred Beauvais and Mrs Stillman
now and then Fred Adam Is a carpen-
ter and he did most of the actual work
on the camp. He did no spying. He
saw nothing. The third witness was
Bernard Kelly. who was superintendent
of the Stillman place in Pocantico Hills
In 1917. 1918 and part OF 1919.
When Kelly took the stand Cornelius
J. Sullivan. Outerbridge Horsey and VIII
lam Rand, Jr. (the latter the latest ad-
dition to the legal forces OF Mr.. Still
MANI made their initial attempt TO re-
vive the Beauvais letters which were
ruled out by Justice Morschauser. They
handed Kelly a packet of letters which.
they explained TO Daniel J. Gleason. the
referee. were eplstles written 70 Mrs.
stillman by the guide. Then they asked
Kelly whether he recognized the hand
writing.
John r. stanchfield. chief counsel for
Mrs Stillrnan challenged Keliy's ability
TO reply. But Kelly insisted that he
knew Beauvaiss writing and that he
was quite certain the chirography was
that OF the Canadian woodsman. At any
rate the letters were not admitted. but
marked for Identification. Mrs. Still
mans lawyers smilingly said that the
letters never would be admitted to the
record or have bearing upon the decision
of the referee They characterized the
letters as outside tho law because they
never had reached Mrs. Stillman. And
some. they said. were forgeries.
A fourth witness was called. when
the lawyers agreed to adjourn for the
day. He Is the present superintendent
of the Pocantico HIS estate-Edward
p,irdy. The hearing will be resumed
this morning and continue on Friday
but II will be a month before Mr.. Still
mans side OF the case is completed and
Mrs. stllman begins her defence And
II will not be until then that the boy
Guy will appear at the hearings
Mrs. Stllman plans to sit through the
entire hearing. but her husband was no;
present. Mrs. Stlllman was escorted by
Judge Hart of Buffalo. Surrogate oi
Continued on Sirth Page.
SANDY HOOK ROUTE oPENs MAY q with
one steamer; two steamers May s2.-Adr