The Washington times., 1921-04-16
SECRET DECREE.
DENIED STOKES
Millionaire Offered to Compro-
mise But Wife Rejected 1t,
Attorneys Reveal.

attorneys keveal.
NEW YORK, April 16.-W. E ID.
! Stokes has sought to disentangle his
domestic problem privately at any
price but public retraction Of the
series Of charges against his young
wife.
SAYS HE WAS TRICkED.
Rumors of this attempt, current
during the sessions of the divorce
trial. were confirmed yesterday by
counsel for both sides. The aged
millionaire, maintaining that Mrs.
Stokes 'tricked" him. added vehe-
mently:
II offered her everythins-money,
the custody of our two children. I
wanted to have her sue me for di-
vorce. a Necret proceeding, to spare
her from all this publicity. But she
tricked me-"
Varied versions of the proposed
settlement were advanced by the
contestants and their representatives.
From Mrs. Stokes camp the story
goes that she was given twenty-four
hours notice to agree to sue her hus-
band for q divorce. In return he
offered to continue the present ALI
the custody of the children and pro-
vide for their care.
THE wIFE's VERSION.
Reluctant at first to discuss what
he described as an "abortive at
tempt" Martin w. Littleton, Mrs.
Stokes counsel. finally told of Mrs.
Stokes part in the negotiations.
These are set shortly after the mil
rayo Oh Cd
Hcly. What follows Is his story Of
Athe affair:
Before the suit came to trial Mr..
Stokes, through his lawyers, author
ICED a series Of conferences to de-
'termine the most feasible manner of
concluding the difficulties of the
Stokeses from the general public
Mr. Stokes lawyers urged the wife
to institute divorce proceedings
quietly. Finally, after days of dis
pute. the millionaire uttered his ulti-
matum of agreement to this pro-
pcsal in twenty-four hours.
'Mrs. Stokes does not believe In
divorce, and told me so, said Mr..
Littleton. That twenty-four hours
notice did not disturb her and her
answer was an emphatic No"
"Mr. Stokes was an uncertain figure
in the settlement proceedings. We
did not know just where he stood and
that notice of his antagonized Mrs.
Stokes. Her demand was that he
issue a signed statement to the public
retracting his charges. Then she
would consider an amicable settle
ment."
DROPPED BY CONSENT.
When the negotiations reached this
stage they were dropped by common
evidence, Mrs. Stokes hers. and their
action came to trial. ,- p. ..-r -a.
From Mrs. Stokes adherents cur-
icus sidelights were thrown upon
the private life of the Stokeses. Mrs. |
Stokes comedies her children are fond
of their father and that he has been
invariably kind to them. Neverthe-
less. one Of Mrs. Stokes representa-
tives quoted her as saying:
Rather than give UP my children
to him, I would have them die al
though / love them more than any
thing else on EARTH"
Just what monetary settlement Mr..
Stokes offered his wife was not
learned. Francis Wellman, for Mrs.
Stokes, described 1t as liberal" al
though he would not disclose the ex-
act amount.
Mr.. Stokes, according to Mr. Lit
tleton. has arranged to leave a
s10,000,00o estate to young "weddie,"
his son by a previous marriage. His
son was mentioned as correspondent,
but when the suit came to trial his
name was Withdrawn.
MRS. STOKES KEPT DIARY.
When the trial is continued Mon
day, Mr.. Littleton will have with
him a miniature diary kept by Mrs
Stokes prior to her marriage and
afterwards She kept an intimate
record of events in the period in
which adverse testimony Is placed.
One of Mr.. Dittleton's trump cards,
IL was indicated yesterday will be
what Is known as the "pussycat
missive-" This Is a letter written
by Mr.. Stokes to his children after
the stormy separation of the couple.
It's contents cannot be made public,
although it will be submitted in
evidence.