The Washington times., 1923-10-12

plaintiff-scion Of a fine old family.
His negro detective. Hattie Johnson,
with her car, brought in his dark
complexioned witnesses and when
she did not roll them up In fine style
for him. Stokes went out into the
night himself and prowled the negro
quarters to find them and talk with
them, shuttle from his hands to
theirs the picture of his pretty wife
and get them to identify her as q
woman of evil ways.
Hattie johnson, colored IL private
detective for William Earl Dodge
Stokes.
In long career as newspaper re-
porter, short-story writer and novel
list OF New York life, have not
run into her like until now. One
can imagine the old time, well man.
nered negroes living about the
Stokes farm down in Kentucky be-
ing struck with amaZenent
at the idea OF one OF the white
folks playing cheek by jowl with
such a creature in such q game.
It would be unbelievable to them.
Invites Them in Car.
But the New York millionaire In
Vites them in a car to his office
and when they are slow to accept
his invitations he goes after them
In their haunts.
Joseph Thornton, janitor OF the
East Thirty-fifth street building,
swore that he first met Stokes
while he was attending to hts fob.
The rich man came to the negro
furnace wrestler, bringing pictures
Of his wife to get him to identify
her as woman seen in the build
Ing. Thornton was quite set up
and made the Identification in the
first trial. In the present trial he
refers to himself as a superintend-
ent and engineer. In his new i'm
portance he frequently had Mr..
Untermyer almost apologiZiny for
having repeated a question to him.
If Henshaw was q witness that
made the gorge Of the spectators of
this court tragedy rise, Thornton
tied him for first place. He was
positive in his Identification of Mrs.
Stokes. but he labored hard when
Mr.. Untermyer in cross.examination
produced the stenographic notes
taken in Assistant District Attorney
Pecora's office during an investiga-
ton Of q complaint of perjury in the
former trial.
These notes showed that Thorn
ton told Mr.. Pecora that he could
not be sure OF the identity of Mrs.
Stokes. Mrs. Stokes was brought
to confront him and he said that
he could not swear that she was
the woman he saw entering his
building. The lady he saw seemed
stouter.
Honest" Mistake, He Says.
l made an honest mistake" he
And yet, free from the attentions
OF Mr.. Pecora, Thornton changed
his story and in court denied that
the photographic record was cor
rect.
How much deeper in the dregs
Will the case go? There has been
a mighty scraping and digging in
the closets and easements by the
Vengetul, silent, saturnine rich man
ana his right arm, Hattie johnson.
From Chicago comes news of an
affidavit made by Elizabeth Bailey,
q negress, that her daughter Nell
Rose Miller, one of the witnesses
for the plaintiff, had received be-
tween eight hundred and a thou
sand dollars falsely to identify his
Wife. The mother says the money
was paid by the agents of Stokes
The "Old Cove" is still rugged
II he is aged. His stride is not
so long and sure as it used to
be perhaps, but he has inflexibility
Of purpose.
Called Vilest Nam in N. Y,
Did not Mrs. Stokes tell you,"
Mr.. Untermyer asked witness
that Stokes was the Vilest man in
New York;"
Stokes was listening, his hands
placidly folded. The Vilest man in
New York;"