Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-09-29

the report of Referee Daniel j. Glea- !
son. filed in Carmel, recommending !
denial of Stlllman's suit for divorce
from Mrs. Anne L. Stillman,. until
he had seen n copy of the referees
report. lie would not say in advance
whether an appeal would be taken
from the decision which also declared
Baby Guy Stlllman legitimate.
He said Mr.. Stillman was in the city
but declined to make known his
Whereabouts. asserting he was sure
Mr.. Stillman would have nothing 10
say at this time.
II IL recalled In the famous divorce
suit that witnesses for Mr. Stllman
told OF seeing his wife and Fred Beau
vais In rooms at the Canadian camp
and in hotel n few miles away. Ser
wants testified that they were often
together at the Stllman country
estate in the Pocantico Hills near the
| had failed to overcome the presump-
ton OF legitimacy which IL one of the
strongest known TO the law and which
| cannot be overthrown except by evi-
dence which is stronger"
A nurse who was present at the
birth OF Guy Stlllman testified that
| Mrs. Stillman directed her TO send a
telegram to Beauvais in Canada. say
Ing Little Black Bear has arrived. "
Later. witnesses for Mrs Stillman ex-
planned that she had agreed before
the birth of Guy to send notices to
several friends and to her children
which would say little white bear
II the newborn babe was girl and
little black bear" should the child be
a boy.
Mr.. Stillman presented as evidence
letters offered as having been written
10 Mrs Stillman by Reauva.s. Pur-
ported copies OF these contained many
amourous phrases and references 10
Guy.
French Canadian witnesses brought
down from the province OF Quebec
were reported to have told Of popping
through keyholes and windows at Mrs
Stillman and Beauvais in the nontha
preceding Guys birth.
Startling testimony given by DR.
. Hugh l.. Russell, an osteopath OF Buff
falo. was later ruled out OF the case as
|
patient. A letter presented as beins
confession" by Mrs. Stillman e
her husband and written in q mo.
ment of hysteria" before Guys birth
also was rejected by the court a.
privileged.
Mr.. Siillman's attorneys tried L
show that their client did not liv,
with his wife during the year proceed
D ing the birth OF Guy Stilman. an,
i one OF the witnesses called 10 aid II
E this evidence was Mrs. Percy A
: Rockefeller, the bankers sister, an,
o niece OF the founder OF the Rockerel
c Ter fortune.
No domestic scandal ever created
L perhaps. greater public interest tha
e the Stillman case.
! Mr.. Stillman filed his complaint 1
n July. 1920. in the little village OF Car
n mel. n. Y, and It lay hidden there ur
y known 70 but few. There were rumt
a lings of discord in the Stillman fan
n lily. however. during the fall and wiz
is ter of 1920. and these were echoed
TO society magazines. On the mornin
l. Of March IL, 1921, the story brol
into newspapers. and from that tin
I'd on thousands of columns of type wei
~ devoted to the case.
n This Is very unusual action
o. said the report, "as IL clearly appear
without contradiction. that since
n least as early as 1916. and ever sin
he that date during the continuance
is this action and down TO at lea
March, 1921. the plaintiff has been i
he innate with a woman not his VII
IL known as Florence II. Leeds; has su
in ported and maintained her as his WI
oy in various places and in vario
i'm apartments; that during the peri
ed she has given birth to two childr
who have been recognized by him
his children; that he has supplied h
with motor cars and jewelry, supt
I'D vised her bank account and has DO
the same relations with her as m
gh ordinarily bears TO his wife.
an The proof on this subject was ov'
tn whelming and convincing and up
he the uncontradicted proof ] find II
I'm the plaintiff has been guilty of adu
les cry with one Florence ii. Leeds a
has lived in adulterous intercoul
with her from the year 1916 to at lie
the early part OF 1921"
led A large part Of the report was
OIL voted 10 discussing Mr.. Sullma
sv- effort TO show he could not have b.
ID the father OF Guy Stillman, and to
se' testimony OF his witnesses that Il
icy saw Mrs. Stillman and Beauvais m
MS conducting themselves in the mon
~" preceding the infants birth, In Is
NJ at various places, including the 81
man summer camp on the banks
the St. Maurice river in Quebec, {
on the bankers estate in the Pocant
Hills.
"As the infant defendant,
,a, Stillman, was concededly born in ls
AZ, full wedlock the burden of establish
az his illegitimacy is on the plain
nv and the plaintiff must establish 81
illegitimacy by clear and irrefraga
proof and beyond reasonable doul
/. the report said.
the THE presumption OF fact OF leg
Lrs macy is one of the strongest kno
to law, and, OF course, 1t cannot
Mr. overthrow except by evidence WI
eel is stronger The burden of proof
ity. upon the party asserting illegitimi
= = -----r.. $3.50