The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-11-03
Mrs. Stokes
Shows Up
Attorney t
Gives Quick Responses to Baf-
fling Queries of New York's
Best Divorce
Lawyer.
Denies Mates Charges

New York, Nov. 2.-'I can't tell
how it is coming out. But l wish
it We're all over. l want to get back
home to my babies
Helen Elwood Stokes, young wife
of w E. d. Stokes, millionaire sports
man, said that when she stepped from
the stand in supreme court here to-
day after having submitted to more
than four hours grilling cross-ex-
animation in the suit for divorce
brought against her.
But there was a gleam of triumph
and of happiness in the pale blue
eyes, a gleam that shone beyond the
tired circles. when Helen Stokes said
she couldn't tell"
She knew that she had made an
excellent witness. That she had come
out with flying colors in her battle
with the keen Max Steuer. Stokes
chief counsel, and perhaps the most
astute divorce lawyer in all New
York.
Gets Best Of Lawyer.
She knew, too. that her calm and
repose, her coolness under fire, her
utter and polite refusal TO be trapped.
her uncanny way of never being sec
ond best after a question had been
answered-she knew that these things
had nettled Steuer.
Never once during those four hours
did Mrs Stokes allow a single one
of her answers to leave the slight
est reflection on her character. the
character she was fighting TO save.
More than once Mrs. Stokes. after
answering what she considered a
foolish question, cast a bright smile
into the jury box. as much as TO say.
how could 1t be any other way?"
Denies Stokes Charges.
On the whole, her testimony was
blanket denial OF all statements
made by plaintiffs witnesses which
tnnded TO show her ,fri.s-dsbip .ith
Edgar 4. Wallace. million ire CO.
respondent. or to portray weakness or
character or indiscreet action.
Many of her answers were: No.
never Yes" NO" Il never have" "
III nVl HtcitAft etfH ~
the point No quibblng. No effort
TO explain" No hysterical tears.
And yet, Mrs. Stokes. though she
presented a pretty picture OF youth
and beauty as she sat in the witness
chair, was really Ill. A cold con-
tracted some time ago had grown
steadily worse. Her head ached
..f..A.f,,it,. IL. ~hoaiy~ ,rara auahed
with fever. And she was very tired.
steuer's questions covered a varied
field. He hoped from one subject
to another in an apparently random
manner in a patent effort to confuse
the witness.
Pictures Were Planted"
He asked about house parties
which Mrs. Stokes attended in Wyo.
ming and Wisconsin during her girl
hood. He inquired into the matter or
probably incriminating kodak pic
lures said 10 have been planted In
the defendants picture album by the
plaintiff after he came into their
possession.
He wanted TO know II she knew
various prosecution witnesses who
had declared ON the stand that they
had seen Mrs. Stokes in the apart.
ment of the correspondent.
To all she gave decided answers.
mostly in the negative. And when
dates were involved she could never
be pinned down into a legal trap.
Immediately on taking the stand
Mrs. Stokes was asked Wasn't your
life with Mr.. Stokes unhappy from
the day you married.?
Came the quick reply, well. not
from the first nor second day. nut
shortly after | was married l started
being unhappy"