New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-30
Billig Denies
Affection for
Mrs. Stokes
Cousin Says They Exchanged
Kisses, but They Were
Only Fraternal; Explains
Her Playing Cards in Bed
Arm Had Been Fractured
Mother Was One of Party;
Cross-Examination of the
Divorce Defendant Ends

Dr. Hal r. Billig, apparently mildly
amused by his position as correspond
ent in the case, was on the witness
stand yesterday in the Supreme Court
In the trial of W. E. D. Stokes's d.
vorce action and the counter-suit Of
his wife, Helen Elwell Stokes. He took
the stand after the cross examination
of Mrs. Stokes had been finished.
DR.. Billig is dentist and cousin
Of Mrs. Stokes. Although she had
testified that there was a kind of fra
ternal affection in the kisses with
which they sometimes greeted each
other, DR.. Billig asserted that there
was no affection Of any kind in them
SO far as he was concerned.
ooh, yes, I kissed her sometimes, -
drawled DR.. Billig, "but there was no
affection in it,"
Tells of Card Game
1t was true, he said, that he had
played cards with Mrs. Stokes when
she was in bed, but il was = four
handed game, he said, and one of the
players was Mrs. Stokes's mother. Mrs.
Stokes was recovering from a fracture
of the arm at the time.
He denied that he inscribed the
words "To My Sweetheart" on photo
graph of himself in army uniform
which he sent to Mrs. Stokes.
after you grew up" asked Herbert
c. Smyth, counsel for Mr.. Stokes,
when you we're twenty-one or twenty
two, in December, 1911, you noticed youl
cousin, Mrs. Stokes, more than you did
when you saw her before that, when
you were but eighteen ?''
"She was member of the family,
said the witness.
"But you noticed that she was a
very pretty member of the family
didn't you?"
"You don't know 'em ALL
Mrs. Stokes?"
"Well, Marcella was there, and her
elder sister, Mrs. Sargent"
"But she was married. Her hus-
band was there"
"What of it?" asked the witness.
Husbands make no difference to
you?"
"No, noA when they're in the family
Mr.. Snyth put the Hypothetical
question to the witness whether he
would not "as q gentleman deny It,
if it were true, as has been testified
that he was in Mrs. Stokes's room
when she was nearly undressed. Billig
replied that if he ever was in the room
of the defendant when she was IN
deshabille he would be able to answer
the question, but he did not think it
would help much to reply to purely
supposititious question.
New Years Eve Incident
Counsel for Mr.. Stokes reverted to
the incident of New Years Eve at the
Stokes home, when Mrs. Stokes and DR..
Billig returned there after midnight
and were met by the husband. The
witness said he did not notice much
that he was unwelcome.
"Now, wasn't the air charged with
displeasure Mr.. Smyth pressed the
witness.
"Well, didn't notice any one throwing
his hat around in the air because /
was there"
Mrs. Stokes denied upon cross-exam-
nation by Mr. Smyth that she ever
had been resident Of Greenwich Viii
lage. A friend of the defendant had
lived in West Eighth Street, she said,
and her brother, Roland Miller, while
a student at the School of Commerce,
had an apartment with friend in
Washington Square, but she never
lived in the artistic and literary at
mosphere of the village.
Questioned About Beach Picture
Mr.. Smyth asked some questions
about a photograph showing Mrs
Stokes, then Miss Elwell, and Edgar
T. Wallace, one Of TIE spondents
on the sands Of beach. The picture
made it appear that Mr.. Wallace had