Evening star., 1922-09-29

JAMES A. sT1LLMAN..
|sTILLMAN DIVORCE PLEA
| FAILS; "BABY GUY" :
HELD Legitimate
tContihued from First Page)
served taking the elevator which led
to her apartments, and the plaintiff
answered a telephone call to the adult
defendants apartments.
ut further appears without contra
diction that during all this period
the relations between the plaintiff
and defendant were most harmonious
and pleasant, no proof being offered
or claimed that at that time the
carrying on their usual marital re-
lations, and in October previous it
iS established that the plaintiff and
defendant occupied room together
at Lake Dawson, Quebec at which
time : the plaintiff expressed the
room with his wife; in fact. it also
clearly appears that after the birth
of the infant. Guy, the plaintiff and
adult defendant were often together.
at which times the plaintiff played
the victrola for the benefit of the
their relations were apparently most
happy and pleasant.
"On the question of access. the
testimony of the witness. Clawson
Oh Phelps Cawson. son of a
wealthy Buffalo, n. Y, manufacturer.
dren). strengthened. by letters writ
ten by him setting forth the fact of
the presence of the plaintiff at Mon
dame, are most convincing.
Bankers Misconduct.
THE evidence on the part Of the
plaintiff as to non-access is not sat
| isfactory. is not satisfying, and does
not convince me-" said the referee.
THE plaintiff has failed to over
come the presumption Of legitimacy
and therefore find the defendant,
Guy Stillman, to be the legitimate
| child Of the plaintiff and the de-
| fendant.
while the plaintiffs own miscon-
duct precludes the granting Of any
| relief to him in this action, and while
4
! firmative relief. but sets up the mis-
conduct Of the plaintiff as a defense
only, the plaintiff asks for an adju-
dication that the adult defendant is
! guilty of the charges against her and
for finding to that. effect herein.
| The testimony adduced by the
| plaintiff in support of these charges,
uncontradicted and unexplained, are
! sufficient to justify him in believing
her. guilty Of the charges made
against her. A careful examination.
| however, of all of the testimony has
| shaken my faith and belief in the
testimony of the witnesses called in
the plaintiffs behalf.
Made Counter Charges.
The Sti1lman divorce case, in which
the principals accused one another of
being the parents Of illegitimate chill
dren. has been In many ways without
parallel in the history Of domestic
ruptures in American high society.
James A. Stillman. who instituted
the court proceedings, was president
Of the National City Bank of New
that institution and a noted multi
| millionaire. He charged his wife. the
former Fiji Potter. a famous beauty.
I with infldelity. saying she was guilty Of
| misconduct from 1916 through 1919
with Fred Beauvais, an Indian guide
Rivers, Quebec. Mr.. Stillman declared
Beauvais was the father Of Guy Still
man, born to Mrs. Stillman in Novem-
| Der. 1919.
This charge was denied by Mrs.
Stillman. In retaliation she accused
women. One Of those named was
Florence H. Leeds. a former Broad
way show girl. The other two were
identified as Helen" and Clara
Mrs. Stillman asserted her husband
was the father Of two children born
York plumber: One infant died at
birth. The other, Jay Ward Leeds,
born in September. 1919, Is living, and
Mrs. Stillman said her husband had
furnished the mother with luxurious
homes in New York and on Long Is
land. and that he lived with her and
her child In these places. posing under
the name of "Franklyn Harold Leeds" f"
When Mr.. Stillman was quizzed by
his wife's attorneys during a hearing
| in their case last summer, he refused
to answer any questions based on his
alleged misconduct with Mrs. Leeds.
His invaEiable reply was, II refuse to
answer on the ground that It might
tend to incriminate mo-"
Probed Yacht Parties.
In their interrogations his wife's
lawyers asked whether the banker
and Mrs. Leeds had held gay drinking
parties in cafes OF Manhattan, and
had slipped champagne from golden
cups aboard his yacht. the Modesty.
| that Mr.. Stillman and the former
Broadway show girl often remained
aboard the yacht all night, and that
| they had been on outings together at
Atlantic City and Miami. Fla.
Witnesses for Mr. Stillman told of
TO- xyff nd pao T. q,
| rooms at the Canadian camp and in
a hotel a few miles away. Servants
testified that they were often togeth-
er at the Stillman country estate in
the Pocantioo Hills. near the home
Of John ID. Rockefeller. One of them
sins to. the baby, Guy. inscribing in
one Of them II hope Guy will always
| love his mother" and in the other q
hope Guy will some day know his
| father
As nurse who was present at the
Mrs. Stillman directed her to send a
| telegram to Beauvais in Canada, say
ing Little Black Bear has arrived"
Later. witnesses for Mrs. Stillman
explained that she had agreed before
the birth Of Guy to send notices to
which would say little white bear
II the newborn babe was girl, and
little black bear should the child
be boy. \.,s..
Mr.. Stillman presented ,as evidence
letters offered as having been written
to Mrs. Stillman by Beauvais. Pur-
ported copies Of these contained
many amourous phases and refer
ences to Guy.
FrencilCanadian witnesses broush,
down from the province Of Quebec
were reported to have told OF peepins