The Washington times., 1921-06-21
LIFE
ON YACHT
T0BE AIRED
Steward Swears He Saw Chorus
Girl in kimona Leave Still
mans Cabin One Morning.
ny International News Service.

ny internaftonni News SSrvtce-
NEW YORK, June 21.-An init
mate, colorful, eyewitness" ac-
count Of life aboard James A. Still
mans yacnt when Mrs. Florence
Lawler Leeds reigned as its undis-
puted queen has been obtained, in
form, by attorneys of Mrs.
Stillman for use In her affirmative
defense to the divorce suit charges.
it became known today. The infor-
nation is so highly valued that it
will probably be made the very
ground work for the defendants
counter charges.
STEWARD TO BARE STORY.
Most OF the evidence comes from
Frank Murphy. for eighteen months
chief steward aboard the Modesty,
who has resigned his position and
has come to New York at his own
expense to do his part, as he says, to
insure square deal for the wife OF
his former employer.
Murphy has volunteered to take the
witness stand and tell under oath
what he knows OF the bankers rels-
chorus girl He will be the first wit
ness called when the defense opens
unless there Is some unforeseen
change of plans.
The ex-steward will tell of at least
two occasions when he saw Mrs.
Leeds taking early morning depart
ures from the de luxe cabin OF Still
man on the forward deck OF the yacht.
He will recite details Of gay parties
aboard the yacht, with a golden cock
tail shaker as the apparent center
OF interest
He will describe an impromptu raid
made on the luxurious little craft by
private detectives disguised as reve-
nue. agents on the lookout for boot
leggers and will pave the way for one
of the visitors to tell OF observations
made through portfolio OF the
bankers cabin.
SOME QUIET EVENINGS.
Quiet evenings with books-enliv-
ened only by occasional use of the
golden cocktail shaker-took turns
with HILARIOUS parties, Murphy relates
in. his deposition. But, the hooks
that. served to entertain the banker
and his former chorus girl guest
provided plenty OF '1lfe" on these
quiet evenings, according TO the
former stewards story.
Stiliman' he says, was especially
fond OF reading Balzac to Mrs. Leeds.
and there also was a parchment edit
tion OF the Arabian Nights. Boccacio.
too was in the yachts library. Mrs.
Leeds according to Murphy, listen
ed intently to these stories, often
clasped her hands and asked the
ranker to read them over and over
again.
Murphy's wealth OF information r.-
garoins the intimacies" aboard the
yacht was absorbed by him. he saws.
because he served all meals and oftan
took the places OF two mess bows.
who, often were not handy when they
were most urgently wanted.
Thus, only one morning. yyhen thar.
had been a call for mess boy ''Pato.r
Murphy nlmself answered, and IL was
then that he stumbled across Mrs.
LEEDS, ne said, emerging from Still
mans cabin, clad in a kimona.
FLo's BEnTH UNToUCHEp.
'She literally looked dsRsers at
me-" Is the way the ex-steward de-
scribed the encounter. He adds that
he had previously sscertained that
Mrs. Leeds berth had remained un-
touched that night.
A private detective who was in the
raid that Murphy will describe, is ex-
pected to corroborate and ampIlfy the
former stewards testimony. He will.
swear. 1t was learned, that, peeking
through portfolio No. 3, he observed
Mrs Leeds with Stillman in the lat
ter's cabin.
An amateur tennis player, who was
an occasional guest aboard the Mod
esty, VIII nsure in the new testimony
Murphy Will tell OF an alleged fiirta-
tion between Mrs. Leeds and this man,
designed, according to Murphy. 20
arouse stiIlman's Jealousy. Sidelights,
such az Mrs. Leeds table manners and