The Washington times., 1923-10-08


before noon, in slightly less than
two hours time. Eight Of them
are married and fathers.
NEW YORK, Oct. S.-W. E. d.
Stokes, seventy three year old
northumberland club man, and his
beautiful young wife, Mrs. Helen
Elwood Stokes, thirty-one, met to
day for the first time in three
years. They faced each other
across the courtroom In New York
Supreme Court at the start of a
divorce trial that probably will
be one of the most sensational in
court annals.
Five Bags Of Evidence.
Mrs. Stokes, attired In a severely
tailored blue suit, with wisps OF her
titan hair peeping out from 8 close
fitting small hat, was the first 10
arrive. She was accompanied by
her mother, Mrs. A. 8. Miller, or
Denver, and Mrs. C. HI. Mescevey,
q friend, also of Denver. Her at
torneys, amuel Untermyer and e4sa-
dore Shapiro, sat with her.
stokes remained outside the court
room in the corridor until the case
was called. Then he strobe in. pre-
coded by five young men. tugging
two great leather bags In which re-
posed the evidences" written ana
photographic, on which the aged
millionaire hopes to win his separa-
ton from his titian.hatred young
wife.
There were $4,000 pages Of this
evidence and pictures. galore, &C.
cording to the attorneys. BY u
Stokes hopes to prove that his VIE
was unfaithful to him with nunner-
GUS correspondents and that she
rnierepresented her station in life
when he married her. He hopes,
too. to prove that she Is unit 70
have the custody of their two
children.
He Faces Wife.
Stokes spent 100000 in securing
| the evidence, It is said, over q pc
Rod Of several years. He Is undeI
| Indictment in Chicago "for conspir
| ing'' to dSfame his wife's reputation
Stokes took q seat In the court
room directly facing his young VIE
He looked suuarely at her, his face
unchanging in its expression. be
side him sat his attorney, Daniel
| N,,renf. who. like Stokes, also IL
| under Indictment in Chicago.
Mr.. stokes stared right back al
him. Their eyes held for q few mo.
ments. but there was no sign OF
emotion in either face.
Justice Mahoney ordered the jury
drawn, and a list Of witnesses was
read. Spectators were excludeu
from the small courtroom IN oroer
70 allow the prospective Jufymen
Several hundred women, drawn TO
tha scene nv the prospect OF sensa-
| tional happenings, were Kept outsi0e
in the corridors.
Questioning of prospective jury.
men was expected to consume most
az today's session. Four jurors had
been tentatively accepted at the end
of the first hour, both sides. how
ever, reserving the right OF chal.
lenge.
Wife Won First Suit.
This il the second trial Of the
case.
Mrs. Stokes won In her first suit.
The decision was set aside. how.
ever. when It was discovered that
the presiding judge had failed to
sign the decree before leaving the
supreme court bench for a post in
the appellate division.
The trial promises to be one OF
the most sensational In the history
Of the New York courts.
Stokes has named fifty-seven CO.
respondents in his suit. They In
cIude his own son. relatives Of Mrs.
Stokes, James A. Stillman, Tex
Rickard and more than a score OF
men Mrs. Stokes says she never
heard Of before.
Charges of intimidation, attempt.
ed bribery and efforts to purchase
testimony are expected to char
acterize the trial. The hearing
likely will continue several weeks