Evening star., 1922-11-20
HUMES ON STAND
IN $5(Q,O)O SUIT
Appearance Causes Sur.
prise-TeIIs of Mrs. Gra-
hams Seeking Advice.
NURSE ACCUSES GRAHAM
Declares Lieutenant Begrudged
Wife Food Doctor Ordered s.
for Her Diet.

Augustus L. Humes. wealthy lawyer
OF New York. today took the witness
stand in defense of the 100000 heart
balm suit brought against him by
Lieut.. LeFfmer c. Graham, United
States Navy. The calling Of the de-
fendant to the stand was a surprise.
as Mr.. Humes had not testified at the
former trial, which resulted in dis
agreement Of the jury last December.
Lieut. Graham was not present at the
trial today to hear the evidence OF
MIR. Humes. The hearing was re-
sumed today before Justice Hftz and
a jury in Circuit Division No. l.
Attorney Lambert conducted the
examination of the defendant. and
took him back to his first meeting
with Elsa Portner, over whose affec-
tions the litigation is being waged.
Humes said he met Miss Portner
in 1910. year before her marriage
to Graham. at White Sulphur Springs,
Va He did not see her again until
1918, when he CHANGED to meet her
at New York. In the spring of 1914
Mr.. Humes came to Washington TO
attend a wedding of Mrs. Graham's s
sister to the late Hal D. Flood, repre-
sentative from Virginia.
not see Mrs. Graham again. he assert
ed, until the summer of 1913, when
she and the children had taken a
cottage at Spring Lake. N. ]. Their
meeting at the resort, he declared, was
accidental. as he was going along M tne
Humes asserted. Mrs. Graham came to
his home and consulted him about
securing a divorce from Graham. She
said, according to the witness, that
she could no longer stand the cruelty
of Graham. and had heard OF his I'M
Mrs. Louis A. Grandjean OF Yong
ers, N. Y, witness called for the
defense, testified that she had been
a trained nurse and in December,
1913, attended the then Mrs Graham,
now Mrs. Humes. through an iilnsss @
declared Lieut. Graham never in
ouired as to the state of his wife's
health although her condition was
at times critical. He nagged the Wl1e
and complained that she was not as
iii as she made out, but was 'lazy,"
the nurse stated
"Too Expensive Eating"
Witness declared Graham refused
to buy squads for his wife, declaT-
ing them too expensive eating" He
also asserted that the fresh eggs
and oranges directed by the doctor as
diet for the wife were being eaten
too fast. He couldn't AFFORD to keep
buying fresh eggs. witness declared
the lieutenant had said
Graham paid little attention to
his daughter Valerie. Mrs. Grandjean
averred, and was not at home on
Christmas day. 1913.
Graham Not I'm Court.
The naval officer was not in court
today. Former Justice Wright, his
counsel, advised the court that Ora
ham was busy on his ship today. but
expected to attend court tomorrow.
There was no objection to proceeding
in his absence, Judge Wright said.
Mrs. Grandjean was examined by
Attorney Rudolph H. Yeatman. who
is associated with Attorneys Wilton
]. Lambert and William E. Leahy in
the defense of Humes. The cross
was conducted by Judge
Wright. who has with him Attorney
Philip Ershler. representing the naval
officer.
Several depositions Of absent wit
nesses were offered during the day.