The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-05-19
". 7 \ STOKES,
FINANCIER OF
NOTE, is DEAD A.
Gained Nationwide NOtOriety
Through Wife's Sensation.
al Divorce Suit

1nrCugn WiIes oenSatlOn'
al Divorce Suit
New York, May 10-(AP)-W. E. u.
Stokes, financicr and hotel .owner.
died this morning in his home at 238
West 73rd Street.
Mr.. Stokes was long in the public
eye because Of the sensational di-
vorce suit brought against him by his
wife Helen Elwood Stokes. He was
% years Of age.
Death was due to double pneumonia.
He had been i'll for only q week.
The history of William Earle Dodge
Stokes is chiefly the history of his
litigation-both divorce and civil
which kept him almost constantly in
the courts and the limciight.
His marital career, consisting of
two marriages, one divorce and an UNI
successful attempt for five years to
divorce his second wife, Mrs. Helen
EiwOod Stokes, attracted wide atten-
ton.
Stokes was born in New York in
1883 and inherited from his banker
at $11 100000 Figures revealed BY
his second wife when she sued him
for dover rights showed that his net
estate VII $7,23s,o00.
{ lt Ansonia Hotel
On (is Eraduation from Yale Uni
refsyy a. 1874 ga Stokes . showed tai,
with his father in business. On the
lAttcr's death he built the Ansonia
Hotel and conducted it until 1911
when he leased it for long term for
several million dollars.
His first marriage was in 1895 to
Rita Hernandez dc Alba Acosta.
daughter of wealthy Cuban. landed,
family. described by Paul Hclleu, the
painter. as 1.-The most. nearly perfectly
beautiful woman ia the world" They
had one child, W.. f. D. Stokes, Jr.,
and in 1900 she divorced him secretly,
alleging infidelity.
Later she became the fiancee Of the
Rev. Percy Stickney Grant. former
rector Of the Church Of the Ascen-
sion. who was forbidden by Bishop
Manning to marry her because she
was divorced.
In 1911, Stokes married Miss Helen
Eiwood. Denver, Col. She was twenty
two years old while the hotel man
gave his as "ovcr forty-fivc years
C'u' A"V N"liuiSH WcIc OOIH W
Divorce Denied
Stokes, in 1919, began divorce pro-
cccdings, alleging misconduct by his
wife with upward Of ten correspond
ents.' Mrs. Stokes replied with q
ccross-biii charging .'cruel and in
human treatment After two years
litigation the court ruled that MIS-.
Stokes had not been proved unfaith-
full, but that she did not deserve a
divorce because she had written en-
dcaring letters to her husband during
the period of the "crucl treatment"
With difficulty Stokes obtained q
rctrial Of the case. But before it be-
gan District Attorney Pccora dis
closed that four witnesses had testi-
fled falsely in relation to Stokes
chargesfthat his wife had been seen
in the apartment Of Edgar r. Wal
lace, wealthy California oil man.
As A result tho wife sued her step
son. w. +. ID. Stokes. Jr.. for $1,000
600. charging that he tried to dcfamc
her character and had Stokes and
several witnesses indicted in Chicago
on the same allegation.
The civil suit was dropped, while a
jury acquitted Stokes Of the criminal
charge. The second divorce case,
however, continued for nearly three
more years and again ended in the
defeat Of Stokes.
Mrs. Stokes meanwhile had started
separation proceedings which resulted
in an agreement by which Stokes was
to have access at all times to their
children who were to remain in the
custody Of their mother. The settle
mcnt was understood to have called
for a 100000 trust fund.
Stokes Counsel Sues
Soon after Stokes was sued by his
counsel. Attorney Max Stcuer enter
ed suit Of $4,000 against him,
charging that payment had been re-
fused on three Of Stokes checks. The
law firm ofNugcnt 4 Nugent sued
him for $Gl 900. fees. and later asked
$1,O0O,O00, alleging Stokes had SLAM
dered them by charging that they had
stolen some Of his papers during the
divorce trial. Daniel B. Ellis, Dem
yer, Col, lawyer was awarded YER
dict Of $4,000 with costs and inter-
est totaling more than $1,000 in a
suit against Stokes for fees.
In the meantime Stokes had filed q
bill against the Ottoman-American
Development Company for $3.50 in q
IiuSuSs0A IudktSE anu Cuc uckCuu0ut Tc.
piled by demanding $l,5OO,OOO for a.
900 shares of stock and additional
damages making the total $8,120.O00.
The hotel man came in for some
notoriety in 1911 shortly after his
second marriage. when he went to the
apartment Of Ethel Conrad and Lii
liam Graham, chorus girls. to get
some letters and was shot three times
tn the leg. The girls pleaded self
defense and we're acquitted. Miss
Gresham sued Stokes for 100000 al
lcging malicious prosecution but later
the case dropped from sight.
Other Suits
Stokes only plunge into authorship
also landed him in court. The book
was entitled. "The Right to be Well
Born and his publishers sued him
for $1,000 for work on it. He was
also sued in 1907 for $4,000 by Ken
lucky woman for maintenshce of her
son. but the suit was dropped.
.Onc Of the hotel mans pursuits was
the breeding Of thoroughbred horses.
He owned the Patchen Wilkes stock
farm in Kentucky and operated it un-
til 1924 when he turned it over to
"Wcddie" Stokes. Mr.. Stokes be-
longcd to several clubs and made his
home at Ansofls Fptel,