The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-22
The Fisk-Mansfield Correspondence.


A perusal OF this correspondence, about
which so much has been said, and from
which so much was hoped by the scandal
loving public, will scarcely repay the reader
for his trouble. There is nothing very pru-
rient in it, and very little Of interest, except
in legal point Of view, and as an index OF
the character OF the parties involved. Fisk
appears to better advantage than might
have been expected. His grammar is bad,
of course, but hls sentiments are above the
level OF mere animal passion, and, at times,
rise to the elevation OF something akin to
pure affection. He seems to have enter
tanned for Mansfield more than a passing
fancy, to have become fascinated by her, and
even goes 30 far as to charac terize his feel
inc. for her as "boly." She, on the other
hand, thought only OF herself, and how
much she could make out of her victim
making good the old adage that bad wo-
man is worse than bad man.
It is true that Fisk's passion waxed and
waned, as even the noblest OF human emo
tions will, but, had she proved faithful to
him, it is probable that her hold upon him
would have been indefinite. How or why
she was induced to exchange the Prince OF
Erie for Stokes does not appear in the let
ters, OF which few OF her own are given.
Stokes was handsomer man than Fisk,
and that may have had something to do
with it. The woman was simpleton, as
all such women are. She played her cards
badly. Fisk, too, was q fool. Why any
man, and particularly man OF the world
like Fisk, should allow sentiment to blind
him 10 the real character OF such woman Is a
mystery, or, rather, would be such, were not
the story 80 old and oft repeated. There
can be no doubt that he tried hard to over.
come his evil propensities; to break off the
connection with Mansfield, and as he him
sell declares, to say to the tempting devil,
'.Get thee behind me, Satan" He sue
ceeded, thanks more to Stokes than to his
own strength of will, but the woman would
not let him alone. She approached him
again and again, for money generally, but
| sometimes for personal interview. Fisk
could never see her without being softened.
His confessions 10 her OF his own weakness
will be wondered at by all those who looked
upon him as mere brute in body and soul.
So far as the letters show, Stokes is the
villain OF the play-the worst by odds OF
the whole bad lot. He it was who insti-
gated Mansfield to the attempt to black-mail
Fisk. That there was such an attempt,
deliberately planned and resolutely car
ried out, is beyond question. In this at
tempt, Stokes found willing coadjutors
among the lower class Of lawyers. who
thought they could make good thing Of
it. But the lawyers of New York do not
appear to have followed the example of their
brethren in London, who melted Arthur Or
ton to claim the estate OF Tichborne. Stokes
is the prime mover, not the lawyers. After
he has accepted fifteen thousand dollars for
the Mansfield letters, after he has signed
the legal instrument discharging Fisk, he
spends the money and renews the suit.
Whether Mansfield encouraged him to do
this, the letters do not tell The trial
will.