Evening journal., 1922-09-29
MRS. STILLMAN
Wins; GUY IS
LEGITIMATE

i The misconduct OF the plalntifi
he also finds. precludes him from
any relief in the action while Of
the other hand the defendant ha'
offered proof TO establish the falsit.
( Of the charges that had been brough
against her.
James A, Stillmam then presiden
Of the National City Bank, OF New
York, shocked the city's -four hun
dred' in particular and the public
generally, when he filed suit for 8
divorce from his wife, charging thai
Fred Beauvais. an Indian guide, was
the parent OF Mrs. Stillman's son
Guy. This was last year.
Stillman charged misconduct or
the part of his wife at the Stillmar
lodge at Grand Anse. Quebec and al
the Stillman country home in West
Chester county. n. Y.
Mrs. stillman entered counter
hsuit for divorce and named Florence
Leeds, former Century roof chorus
girl as correspondent. She denied
misconduct with the Indian guide
and charged that her husband had
supported Miss Leeds in luxury.
The banker not only asked for a
divorce from Mrs >Stillman but ask
I'd that the court declare Baby Guy
Legitimate and deprive the Infant
OF the share in the s6,O00.00O trust
fund set apart by the bankers
father. the late James stillman.
During the sensational hearings
OF the case the banker twice took
the stand. The first time he an
swered all questions freely but the
second he answered 400 queries put
to him by John r. Mack and John F.
Brennan. counsel for Mrs. Stlllman
by saying. Il refuse to answer on the
grounds that It might tend TO in
eliminate me-"
Early in the legal battle. Justice
Morchauser OF Westchester County
granted Mrs. stillmsn 100000 a year
allmony and liberal allowances for
counsel fees.
Mrs Stillman put up a hard battle
against the charges of her husband
She went to Canada, secured the
testimony Of forty French Canadians
to refute the charges of witnesses
who stated that they had peeped
through keyholes and saw Beauvais
and Mrs. stillman in compromising
position.
Referee Gleason rendered his de-
cision after he had considered 1000
pages of evidence.
Neither Still nor his wife FIJI"
were present when the decision was
filed. Mrs. stillman was reported on
a motor trip and Stillmans where
abouts were. unknown.
The last sensation sprung In. the
case by the banker was when he
introduced letters purported to have
been written to Beauvais by Mrs.
stllman.
The banker said that he had pur-
chased the letters from the Indian
guide for $4,000.
The guide denied this and both he
and Mrs. Stillman said the epistles
were forgeries. Frequent reference
to Baby Guy was made in the let
lers.
Following is the text of the de-
clslon:
Supreme Court Putnam County
James A. Stillman, plaintiff against
Anne U. stillman and Guy stillman,
defendants.
This is an action for divorce
brought by the plaintiff against the
defendant Anne L. stillmaD. praying
that the marriage between the
plaintiff and slid defendant be dis
solved because Of the adultery of
the defendant and as part of the
Affirmative relief asked by the plain
Ln. the plaintiff prays that It be adj
judged that the infant defendant
Guy Stillman be declared TO be ille-
climate and not the child OF the
plaintiff but the child OF one Fred
erick Beauvais.
man, denies the charge Of adultery
set forth in the complaint and as an
defense alleges that the
plaintiff was guilty of adultery with
one Florence II. Leeds. one Helen"
and CLARA" and lived in adulterous
Intercourse with the said Florence
II. Leeds and that the said Florence
II. Leeds gave birth to two children
as a result Of her adulterous inter-
course with the plaintiff.
The infant defendant, Guy still
man. appears by his guardian ad
Item and interposes the usual
answer submitting the
rights and interests OF the infant de-
PENDANT to the protection OF the
court.
The action was commenced by
The service OF the summons and COM
plant here on the eighth day OF
July, 1920. The counter charge OF
adultery made by the adult defend
ant was not interposed until the
early part OF 1921 and after testi-
mony had been taken In support OF
the charges OF the plaintiff. Three
questions remain for determination
and for convenience sake 1 have
grouped them as follows:
"Frst-Can the plaintiff In any
event, succeed as against the defend
ant, Anne L. stillman, because Of his
intercoursea with Flor
ence Helen Leeds.
Second is the infant defendant
legitimate?
Thirds the adult defendant
guilty OF the charges of adultery set
forth in the complaint?
This is a very unusual action, as
il ciear'y appears without contradic-
ton that since at least as early as
1915. and ever since that date. dur
ing the continuance OF this action
and down to at least March. 1921. |
the plaintiff has been intimate with
a woman not his wife, know as Flor
epca II Tond- b,e -,,...,...., -,