The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-09-29
], A, STILLMAN
LOSES CASE
AGAINST WIFE
Guy Declared Legitimate in
Decision of d. J. Gleason
Referee .g
FINDS BANKER GUILTY
UphOlds Allegation That He
Is Father of Mrs. Leeds
Children
FINDS BANKER GUILTY

"
Carmel N. Y, Sept 29.-James A
Stillman, former president of the Ma
tional City bank Of New York, wa!
denied q decree in his suit for abso
Lutte divorce against his wife, Annt
U. Stillman, and baby, Guy Stillman
was declared legitimate in the find
ings of Daniel j. Gleason, referee il
the case which were filed here today
The referees decision wa; a com
plete. victory for MS. Stillman. Mo-
only was her defense upheld but the
referee also confirmed her charges
j that Mr.. Stillman had misconductec
himself with Flore.,ce II. Leeds, for
q r1er Broadway show girl, and that
J Nlrs Leeds had borne two children.
Proof In: Efficient.
In regard to Mrs. Stillman's charge
that her banker husband had also
misconducted himself with two other
women, identified only as "Helen'
and "Clara," referee Gleason decid.
ed that the evidence was not suf-
fcent to prove the allegations OF
adultery a...
The referee wr,te the testimony
adduced by Mr.. Stllman in support
go his charges that Mrs. Stillman mis-.
conducted herself withs Fred Beau
vais, Indian guids, alleged by the
banker to be the father of little Guy
Stillman, "uncontradicted and un-
explained to justify him in believing
Mrs. Stillnan guilty Of the charges
made against her."
IA careful examination. however
OF, all the testimony" said his report
"has shaken my faith and belief in
the testimony of t:.e witnesses called
in the plaintiffs behalf"
Two of, the bankers attorneys, Col
onel VIM. Rand and Outerbridge
Horsey, waiting to hear the decision
in Mr.. Gleason's Office at Pough-
keepsie, declined to say whether they
intended to appeal from the referees s
findings @
Spent s5oo,o0o.
Altogether Mr.. Stillman was be-
licved to have spent far in excess of
S5OO,O0O in his divorce litigation.
The amount turned over to Mrs.
StlIman's counsel for alimony, fees
and expenses approached 100000.
Mrs, Stillman, in the final stages
Of the case, charged that some of
the Canadians who swore they saw
her mishehaving with Beauvais had
been bribed to give such testimony.
She contended that others were
tempted with money and promises Of
a good time in New York to give SIM
liar accounts. a...
Indian Testify.
To offset the stories told about her
by half dozen French Canadians
summoned by the plaintiff when
hearings first opened, Mrs. Stillman
and her olddst son, "Bud," went to
Canada last January, and Drawing a
blizzard that carried with it tenn
perature of 40 below zero. she drove
by sleighs up the valley of the St.
Maurice river in the. province of
Quebec marshalling at the camps and
villages natives who had known her
and would testify that her conduct
had been Of the best. Vi
These witnesses, numbering more
than score, had their say in the
spring, when trial of the case was
temporarily shifted to Montreal.
Some of them denied it would have
been possible for Mr.. Stillman's wit
nesses to have peeped through key
holes and from ladders at the Still
man summer camp As the plaintiffs
witnesses had described, and others
testified the relations between Mrs.
Stillman and Beauvais were simply
those of an employer and servant.
One man testified, it was reported,
that he had been offered $4,000 to
swear he witnessed misconduct by
Mrs. Stillman and Beauvais, and an
other said he had heard conversa-
ton in which $4,000 was offered for
such evidence CT guilt. Mr.. Stillman's
attorneys denied the allegations of;
attempted bribery. p. /
The trial before the referee came to
a sensational close when counsel for
Mr.. Stillman put into evidence fou.
letters purporting to have been writ
ten to Beauvais by Mrs, Stillman.
They announced that Beauvais had
sold the letters only few days be-
fore to Mr.. Stllman's agents for
$4,000. Testimony to support this
was heard.
Mrs. Stillman Immediately denied
authoA;hip of the letters and Beau
vais later denied that he had sold !
them But they remained as evil
derce in the case.
Through his mothers victory Guy |
Stillman retains his rights as an heir
with his two brothers and his sister
to the $6,OOO,0CO trust fund created
for them by their grandfather, the
late James Stillman.