The Washington times., 1921-04-15


F-fOu Uere q servant or em
good round sums of money TO see
keyhole and window evidence hg-
divorce suits. that OF James A. Still
man against his wife, Mrs. ''Fif"
Potter Stillman, and that of w. Il.
IL. Stokes against Mrs. Helen Elwood
stokes.
James A. Stillman offers as part of
fis accusations against the good
Eame OF his wife and the paternity of
BABY Guy Stillman testimony Of wit
resses who claim to have climbed
ladders and looked through keyholes.
w. f.. ID. Stokes's contributions to
his own cause are similar.
Verify man STOOPS to conquer.
We seem to remember that the al
'legedly nobler sex inveigh against
the petty tricks of women. frail crea-
lures, who, for good reasons or none
~ all, spy. snoop and otherwise steal
the fair regulations of their neigh
bors.
Nowadays men, in order to divorce
themselves from their wives, do not
hesitate to employ such ignoble ex-
pedients in getting evidence"
TESTIMONY IN sTILLMAN CASE.
The ladder and keyhole story" was
TO have been a strong card in the
Stillman fight. A storekeeper of La
Tuaue told of looking through key
Role into Mrs. Stillman's room-out
OF curiosity, at first he said. Then
somehow be was moved to go on to
look through the keyhole of Fred
Beauvais, the guide named by Still
man az correspondent.
Other witnesses told such remark
ably similar stories of what they
saw in this fashion that their re-
liability is questioned by the lawyers
for tho defense.
Beauvais comment upon the testi-
mony was that the witnesses could
not possibly have been in position
to see what they claimed to have
witnessed. from the vantage points
as described.
In the Stokes case. the plaintiff
has named one of the corespon-
dents Edgar T. Wallace. Witnesses
have given testimony as to what
they saw by looking from a roof
into the windows which opened from
the Wallace apartment.
The points is in doubt and Supreme
Court Justice Finch has sent his
secretary. John o. Wingrave. to the |
apartments at 13 East Thirty fifth |
street. where Mr.. Wallace lived at !
the time of the spying. to determine !
or not from the place de- |
scribed he can see into the windows |
in question.
Most people, especially dwellers In
this city where opposite windows
,ften came close together. and where
he vistas of two apartment dwellers
'ame together upon a small court
)r areaway, have not failed to
glimpse casually. people in another
apartment.
But most people, on the other hand,
would look away. unless wilfully and
curious as to the af'airs
Df neighbors.
There is a certain type Of unfor-
.unate human being known Es
'Peeping Tom" who looks through
windows where women dwell His OBJ
ect is to gaze and perhaps frighten
When caught he may be arrested and
punished He is mentally defective.
Peppers are pitied because they are
rot normal human beings. when
here Is no excuse of mental trouble
o cause such vagaries. the key hole
'r window watcher, whether work.
ng gratuitously or not. is despised.
COURTS ADMIT SUCH STORIES.
Nevertheless the testimony of such
'reatures is admitted in our courts.
In the Stillman case IL has been
claimed that to see anything at all
rom keyholes was impossible, and
Improbable through windows.
1t remains to be seen what will be
'roved in the stokes case, whether or
lot witnesses could actually see from
he places mentioned, and IL they did.
What value the word OF such watch
RS may have with n Judge and jury.
Simple tests In psychology classes re-
uire students to watch one or two
eople who will come into the class
DOM, perform some act and then go
ut. upon which the onlookers are to
escribe accurately what happened.
'ew reports are alike and many go