The New York herald., 1921-03-11
RIBBONED NIGHTIE
In STOKES TRIAL
Maid Testifies That Defend
ant Passed Through Room
With Tall, Dark Man.
PILLOWS ALSO FIGURE
Witness Admits She Is in Pay
of Complainant, but Doing
Little Work.
PILLOWS ALSO FIGURE

The backstalrs memoirs OF the do
nestle troubles of the Stokes family
were continued in the trial OF w E. d.
Stokess divorce suit against Helen
Muriel Stokes when Anna Brennan, 4
chambermaid, and Mrs. Julius Strube,
housekeeper in the Stokes home. occu-
pied the stand yesterday as Stokess
star witnesses before Justice Finch in
the Supreme Court and told about al
legged indiscreet doings of the defendant.
Both witnesses testified that they still
received wages from Stokes. although
they had left his employ on January i6.
1919 Miss Brennan explained that she
had pressed Stokes's clothes twice to
earn her salary and once or twice had
served him meals, whereupon MartipsW
I.ittleton, Mrs ,Stokes's counsel, pointed
cut that at her salary of $50 month
she received s720 for each time she
pressed suit.
Miss Brennan gave as further reason
for her testifying that she read In a
morning paper statement attributed to
Mrs Stokes that all women in Stokes's
employ were immoral, and that made
her very angry indeed" so she came to
tell what was what"
directing his case.
Miss Brennan. who. on June II, 1918,
entered the employ of the Stokeses at 317
West Seventy-eighth street testified that
on December 81 1918. Mrs. Stokes told
her to have two extra beds made up. one
in the library and one downstairs, and
to run silk ribbons though silk night
dress she wore that evening and to be
particularly careful of the arrangement
of her bathroom.
Mrs. Stokes and Hal Billig, Mrs.
Stokes's cousin, went to the theatre that
night and had not returned at o'clock,
when Miss Brennan went to bed.
Miss Brennan, who is about 40 years
old testified further that between De-
cember and 8, 1915 Mr.. Stokes went to
Lakewood, returning week later. While
he was away she testified. she was
awakened by the doorbell and coming
down stairs from her room saw Mrs
Stokes and a tall dark man going
through Mrs. Stokes's bedroom. She
further explained that Mrs. Stokes used
only one pillow and on that morning she
saw two had been used.
Under ton Miss Bren-
nan admitted she could not describe the
mysterious dark man and that on the
night of his visit Miss Mildred Adams
Mrs Stokes and two men who dined to-
gether were in the house. Pressed for
reason for her failure to remember the
dark man the witness said she was
nervous
What were you nervous about!
asked Mr. Littleton
Mrs. Stokes said that If said any
thing about her she would follow me %
hell" replied the witness. dramatically.
Mrs Strube testified she was en-
ployed by Mrs. Stokes on December 4,
1918. as o kind of housekeeper and 10
wait on table" She said she was All
old friend Of Miss Brennan. She adj
mitted she still receives her salary from
Stokes. although she is running the res
taurant at the Hotel Warrington. She
testified to various conversations al
legged to have taken place between
Billig and Mrs. Stokes. Mrs. Stokes on
one occasion told Bllig that her hus-
band would giev him a letter OF intro
duction about airplanes and Billig re-
sponded. according TO the witness, THE
old boy is on to me-
On another occasion Billig according
to the witness, told Mrs. Stokes that
Mr.. Stokes had sent detectives to Den
yer. but | beat the old boy, to It,"
the witness said Bllig continued II
went out there and got hold OF All the
hotel registers II cost me lots OF
money but | had fine time"
Mrs. Strube then testified that Mrs.
Stokes was In the habit or dressing
with the door 10 her room open and
that on these occasions Billig went into
her room. where she received him
dressed in corsets, stockings and bloom
ers. and sometimes without boomers.
Later she asked 10 change her testi-
mony 1T comes to me now she said.
that she was not in that habit at this
time, because her mother was there and
she (Mrs. Stokes) slept in the room
with the two children" The trial will
be continued this morning.