The New York herald., 1921-04-28
MRS. STOKES DRAWS
REBUKE FROM COURT
Insists on Qualifying Replies
i'm Cross Examination by
Husbands Counsel.
LETTERS PUT ON RECORD
Stokes Passes Day in Three
Courts as Witness and
Plaintiff.

49, - - s2AohNSs wiz lieAS oI'h H'ASsa
in the limelight recently because OF his
divorce suit against Mrs. Helen Blwood
Stokes. was figure in three courts yes
| terday. He passed most OF the day in
the Supreme Court before Justice Finch.
| listening to the cross-examination of his
Wife, but he also appeared as witness
In the United States District Court
against Frank A. Hanscom. charged
4 with using the malls to defraud. In
! General Sessions. in another case. Niles
/ Gustaf Rehmstrom, II. pleaded guilty
10 sending Stokes blackmailing letter.
i During the case In the United States
| Court In which Stokes appeared
witness. II developed that Ha uscon had
1 endeavored to associate himself with
\ the Stokes and Shonts cases, and also
with an alienation suit brought by Mrs.
| Alice Borne against Mrs. Rose Weiland.
The witnesses included. besides Mr..
/ Stokes, attorneys 20 rs Milla ID.
| Shonts and Mrs. Amanda Thomas. who
was sued by Mrs. Shonts for alienation
and In an effort 10 break the will OF
Theodore p. Shonts. The Government
| charges that Hanscom obtained money
| from various persons connected with
| these cases In return for letters and
papers which he never produced
Mrs. Stokes Cross Examined.
In the Stokes divorce case the cross
| examination of Mrs. Stokes occupied al
most the whole day. Herbert S. Smyth
of counsel for Mr. Stokes. read into the
| record letters written by Mrs. Stokes TO
her husband in which she told Of her
love and longing for him, the purpose
of their Introduction being to countoract
her action for ration. He
asked Mrs. Stokes when they were writ
| ten
I'm the summer OF 1911" she replied.
You won't find any love letters from
me after 1911"
He then read several similar letters
with dates In 1912. In answer to various
questions regarding these Mrs. Stokes
| said
Il loved him less In 1912 than I did
| in 1911. My love was growing colder
every year, and now ] haven't any at
all / lost every bit OF It when realized
what frameup he had against me.
That was when ] came into this court
ROOM"
You still had some left when you
signed this affidavit accusing him of all
the things that are in it, Mrs. Smyth
asked.
Il loved him little bit, but | had
to tell the TRUTH she answered.
One of the letters said II didn't want
a day to go by without writing to my
sweetheart. Don't forget me and don't
find an understudy. I'm hungry for
you now" Still another said This is
just line TO let you know I'm thinking
Of you all the time. Millions Of kisses.
Love. Helen"
AdmOnished by Judge.
Mrs. Stokes was admonished sharply
by Justice Finch for her insistence on
qualifying her answers and offering
explanations other than the "Yes" or
mo" sought by the cross-examiner.
You have made some very strong alle-
cations against Mr.. Stokes ara counsel
has every right TO ask you about them
and TO expect you to answer" he told
her.
Martin W. Littleton, her counsel. pro-
tested against the rebuke.
Soon after the days session began
Mr.. smyth informed Mrs Stokes he in
tended TO produce Mime. Estellc," whom
Mrs Stokes testified she saw often in
her husbands apartment In the Hotel
Ansonia.
I'm glad to hear IT. ahe w ote she
would help me-" Mrs. Stokes said. But
when a small blond woman was
brought forward she declared: That's
not Nine. EStelle, Mr.. Smyth, and you
know it. That's not the Nine. Estelle
who kept a hat shop At the Ansonia.
Your are misconstrulng the trntl."
She recalled. however. having seen
the woman once before at a farm in
Rockland county. where she went on a
ride with Stokes.
Mr.. Snyth referred to entries in her
diary and asked what cross-marlts at
certain dates meant. She explained
they referred to notations in another
part OF the book, most of them referring
TO troubles regarding Mr.. Stokes. and
so placed that casual glance through
the book would not disclose them. Some
OF these read as follows:
"July 6--will smashed the dishes at
breakfast, etc"
"July 25--Mother has seen Will.
made great mistake In marrying him"
July 31-Trouble again. Can't stand
Wills abuse"
August 2-Will frightened me again.
How sorry j am married him"
| Mr.. Smyth asked her to produce a sim
gle entry In her diary covering certain
acts Of cruelty TO which she testified
from memory Tuesday. She said she
could. whereupon Mr.. Littleton had her
step down from the stand. She spent
nearly an hour going over several note
books before resuming her testimony.
The trial will be continued to-day.