The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-04-01
STLLMAN DIVORCE
CASE MAY DEPEND
ON RULING TO-DAY
Decision on Alimony, Fees
and Evidence Expected to
Indicate Victor.
LEEDS A REAL PERSON
Actor Said ts Nave Been
Supplanted by Stiffman
in Girls Affections.
NEW WITNESS ENTERS
Former Servant Is Reported
Ready to Testify Against
Bankers Wife.
NEW WITNESS ENTERS

Persons who have been regarded as
authorities on the Stillman case were
predicting yesterday that Justice Nor
schauser's verdict in the matter Of ali
mony, counsel fees and admissibility
of evidence, to be handed down this
morning, would leave virtually moth.
ing to be said.
opinion will be in the hands of the
clerk of Westchester county and of
the lawyers on both sides. Along with
the opinion there will be the affidavits.
letters and other documents submitted
to the Justice by James A. Stillman's
representatives and the attorneys for
his wife. These latter will be relayed
at once to Carmel, n. ", and there
filed with the clerk of Putnam county.
Detectives for both Mr.. and Mrs. Still
man are roaming UP and down the coun-
try looking for nice looking musical
comedy actor who is supposed to be
named Franklin II. Leeds and who. ac-
cording to the story, preceded Mr.. Still
man in the affections of Florence Law
Ter Leeds. the chorus girl whom Mrs.
Stillman names in her amended answer
to her husbands charges. The prevail
ing stories regarding young Mr.. Leeds
do not go into details. II could not
be learned. for instance, what relation
he bears or bore TO Florence Leeds
IL any.
He was supposed to have lived In
Newark Ave years ago, where he met
Florence Leeds while she was a men,
Der OF the cabaret in cafe in that city.
He is credited with having managed her
induction into the Chicken Chorus at
the Century. from which point of van
tage she is alleged to have charmed Mr..
Stillman. Just at present he is sup
posed to be somewhere in America in a
show directed by George w. Lederer, a
New York producer, who said yesterday
that the name meant nothing to him,
and that IL there was Franklin Leeds
in any company he was connected with
that young man had not yet reached a
position where the mention Of his name
identified him.
1t was indicated by both sides to the
controversy that the establishment OF
the existence OF such man would not
alter the circumstances but might.
should he be induced to talk. throw
considerable light upon still mysterious
chapters OIL the StiluldH-LteuS ioihhhSS'
Ii was learned that detectives operat-
ing for Mr. Stillman have come upon
former servant in the Stillman household
who Is alleged TO be primed TO tell court
or referee a story of the sudden de-
parture of Mrs. Stiiiman from the coun-
try house al Pocantico Hills one night IN
1918. Il is alleged that Mrs. Stillman
left the house about or shortly after mid
night, and that a most mysterious tele-
phone message appeared TO inspire her
departure. The newly discovered wit
ness IL is said, lives in Elmsford, near
Tarrytown. and appears to be very con-
versant with the personal affairs of the
Stillmans while they lived in the Pocan-
tico Hills house.
Any forecast of the move to follow
the handing down OF Justice Nor
schausers decision to-day is based on
nothing more substantial than conjec-
ture. The lawyers do not know. Both
sides agreed yesterday that the Justices
opinion may necessitate the Immediate
scrapplng OF present programmes and
the resumption of the argument along
entirely different lines.
In the meantime the detectives are
watching all incoming trains and boats
lest either Florence Leeds or Ferd Bau-
vais invades New York secretly. All of
them ngree, however, that both much
advertised members of the cast may be
hero already. Tho possibility OF either
or both arriving in motor cars JUST
makes IL that much harder.