Man Sues for Divorce, Claims Wife Had Affair With Stepson

Posted on October 20, 2009 by lmharnisch
Oct. 25, 1919, Helen Stokes  

Above, the woman at the center of the divorce case, Helen Elwood Stokes, Oct. 25, 1919.

Oct. 20, 1919, Stokes Divorce

Oct. 20, 1919: W.E.D. “Weddie” Stokes Jr. says he had an affair with his stepmother. She later brought a $1-million lawsuit against him for defaming her. 

May 20, 1926, W.E.D. Stokes

May 20, 1926: William Earle (or Earl) Dodge Stokes dies at the age of 73.

Anyone looking to write a book about an early 20th century scandal will find a rich vein of material in the life of millionaire W.E.D. Stokes. His sensational allegations against his second wife are only part of his lurid tale. There’s also an incident in which he was shot by two showgirls who said they acted in self-defense. The plot turns in his legal cases are far too complex for the Daily Mirror, but it is quite a story. Bonus: Stokes was a eugenicist and wrote “The Right to Be Well-Born.”

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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