New-York tribune., 1921-03-09
Says
Billigg Kissed
Mrs. Stokes
(Contlnued from paso sns)

sister and brother, Mrs. Stokes ex-
the summer of 1917, was identified.
(. "Who are those children?" asked Mr..
Wellman.
"They are my babies" replied Mrs.
Stokes.
"And who is this man?"
"Mr. Biliig."
Continuing her testimony. Mrs. Groe-
ger, the former nurse, said she accom-
panied Mrs. Stokes and children to
Long Beach in the summer of 1917
They stayed at the Hotel Nassau.
Mrs. Stokes would come in after 12
o'clock sometimes" said the witness.
Several times Mrs. Stokes was away
two nights and three days"
Later they went to Denver, Mrs.
Stokes taking along second nurse.
There, according to Mrs. Groeger, Mr..
Billig was frequent visitor to the
Stokes. She told of an occasion when
Will Meyers, who had known the de-
fendant when she was q girl, was call
ing, Mr.. Billig "came in and looked
kind of jealous" said the nurse. Mrs
Groeger testified that she saw her mis-
tress give Mr.. Billig money to pay for
stock losses and at another time she
saw Mrs. Stokes give the spondent
money to pay hotel bills.
Ordered Billig to Hotel
Tracing the affairs of Mrs. Stokes
back to New York, Mrs. Groeger said
that in December, 1917, Mr.. Stokes was
suffering from influenza on the fourth
floor of his home, in West Seventy
eighth Street. Mrs. Stokes occupied
the third floor rear, while Mr.. Billig
was a guest on the third floor front
Mr.. Stokes. said the witness, questioned
the relationship between his wife and
Mr.. Bilig and objected to his remain
ing in the nouse, saying he should take
accommodations at the Hotel Ansonia
Mrs. Stokes refused to send Mr.. Billig
from the house. She finally consented.
Mrs. Groeger testified that she had
seen Mrs. Stokes undressing with the
room OF her door open, while Mr. Billig
was in the next room. Mr. Stokes
arose from his sick bed to object to
this, whoreupon, the former nurse
said, Mrs. Stokes remarked:
"Why, he is only my cousin"
Mrs. Groeger added that Mrs. Stokes
often received letters from Mr.. Billig
and that she had five or six photo
graphs of him in her room, one Of them
inscribed, ITO my only sweetheart" !"
One of the pictures showed him in an
army uniform.
Tells of Wifes Absences
In opening his case Mr.. Wellman said
Of Mr.. Stokes:
tie is a busy man; up early every
morning and busy until late each night;
always having too much to do to spend
time going around. She was a wife
with two children, nurses and servants
and she spent about half of her time
out Of the city, at Narragansett Pier, in
Kentucky, where she had farm; in
Denver, where her mother lives, and
elsewhere We do not claim that our
with his faults, he had many fine char
acteristlcs. That is admitted by the
defendant in letter written to him
in which she said, In spite of your
faults, you are dear old thing There
is no dispute as to the love for the
children which exists on both sides
therefore the question of the custody
OF the children arising in this suit is
very vital ISSUE"
Mr.. Littleton said in his opening:
These charges are monstrous in
their relationship and atrocious in all
details They have penetrated the
home Of Mrs. Miller, the mother of the
defendant, respectable home in Den
yer, and have set the Shiny accusation
Of wrong doings with the defendants
own step-son, her cousin with whom
she was reared as child and occa-
sional visitors brought to the house by
the plaintiff. To prove her guilty they
have charged a number Of wrong
dongs on unknown dates in three
states. We shall bring every person
mentioned by the plaintiff to court to
repudiate these charges except those
persons named by them who are dead
The trial will be continued tn.dau