Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-09
Lying in State at Opera House.
Funeral Procession Yesterday.
His Murderer interviewed.


His Murderer interviewed,
Testimony before the Coroner.
Threats OF Lynching Stokes.
NEW YORK, Jan. IA few moments be-
fore eleven O'Clock this morning James Fisk,
! Jr., expired. All that unremitting medical
skill and attention could do had been done,
but was of no avail. Jay Gould was in at
tendance from an early hour this morning.
His face wore, while there was yet hope
that his friend might recover, its usual calm
expression. No sooner had Fisk died, how
ever, than
GOuId's Fortitude Gave Way,
and his grief found vent in tears. The news
of Fisk's death spread rapidly, and every,
where produced profound sensation and
regret. All the aspersions that his enemies
had heaped upon his character were in
moment forgotten and only his noble quail
ties Of bead and heart were remembered
his frankness, his generosity and his charity.
The scene in and around the room where
his body lay was
Touching in the Extreme.
1t became necessary to admit up stairs
| only those who came at first on business,
Notwithstanding very large number of the
| friends of Fisk and the guests of the hotel
visited his body. Many ladies were among
them. Later in the afternoon, prior to the
removal of the body to Fisk's residence, the
| general public were admitted to view the
| body.
At o'clock this morning the
First OminOus Change
appeared in the patient, although not per-
haps the first indication of the final end.
He grew little restless. His face had
| greater palor and his breathing was less
easy and regular. On feeling his pulse DR..
Fisher found that it was more rapid, nearly
| 100. At half-past six Col. Fisk said some
thing in broken tone, and closed his eyes.
| The change in his face had become more
| apparent; the palor was more deathlike,
and moisture appeared on his forehead.
The pulse was over one hundred, and the
| doctors stood by the bedside watching their
patient attentively. His pulse was at this
time one hundred and thirty. DR.. Fisher
went down stairs in hurried manner and
asked something of the night clerk, and
then went back again. He looked very
| anxious. At quarter past seven
Mrs. Fisk Arrived.
She was admitted fiji st into the ante-rOom,
and soon after into the bed room. Mrs.
Fisk was greatly agitated at the bed of her
husband. This scene was the most heart
rending that had yet taken place, and those
present could not suppress their emotion.
The doctors were appealed to by his wife to
give some little hope, but they gently indi-
Gated that they dare not say there was any
chance of life. Fisk was not much moved
at moments when he was cognizant of his
Surroundings, but it seemed that he was
never deserted by the
Goodness and FOrfitude
which he displayed when first shot. At
o'clock there was little change. At half
past eight the doctors consulted, and at 8
O'Clock the suppressed excitement about bis
bed was almost too intense to bear. At
half-past nine friends were permitted to 90
to his bedside, and he thanked them for
coming. After this the rapid decline show
ed more strongly than ever before. At 10
O'Clock there was
Eager and flushed Whispering
as it was told to every ear that the end was
surely drawing nigh. At halfpast ten o.
clock he lay scarcely knowing that there
was any one administering to him. He
turned his face to the wall, noticed no one,
and ceased to breathe at quarter of eleven
O'Clock.
was taken to the Tombs this morning and
placed in a cell on the second tier, where
the worst criminals are confined. When he
heard of Fisk's death he expressed regret,
and said be did the deed in state of fren-
Zy. The indignation of the public finds
vent in the general wish that the criminal
may be tried, convicted, and hanged with |
out delay.
Comments of the Press.
The Journal of Commerce, on the Fisk |
murder, says the cowardliness of the act |
finds its first fruits in the public mind by |
awakening for Fisk a wide-felt sympathy. |
There is nothing in the case to distinguish |
it from a murder for which death on the |
galows is the penalty of the convicted.
The Times pronounces it a murderOus |
deed, brutal and cOwardly, and will attract |
toward Fisk an amount of public sympathy |
to which no part of his career has entitled |
him.
The World says in the act may be seen,
in its most accurate type, the spirit of those |
marital murders which disgrace our preten- |
sions to civilization, and whatever misera-
BILE results the business may have, it will |
have one good result of enabling those who |
can't see that murder is murder when per- |
petrated under the plea of upholding the
sanctty of marriage, to appreciate the same
crime when done with view Of concealing |
cOncubinage.
sCOl. Fislx's VIII.
The following are the provisions of Col.
Fisk's will:
Mrs. Hooker, his sister, receive one hun
dred thousand dollars in the Naragansett
Steamship Company's shares.
His father and mother receive three
thousand dollars year, each.
To each of the two Misses Morse he be-
qUeathed two thousand dollars year.
To the Ninth regiment eleven thousand
dollars. This gift was made a week ago,
but was legalized last night.
To his wife he bequeathed the balance of
his property of all kinds.
To jay Gould, for whom he entertained
the warmest and most disinterested friend
ship, he left his personal effects and intrust-
ed to him ''the labor of love-" as it is called
in the will, of carrying out all his (Mr.
ments.
Mrs. Fisk inherits all her deceased hus-
bands shares in the Erie railroad.
The Cause of 1t All.
During the proceedings, yesterday, in the
long continued libel suit of Miss Mansfield
against Fisk, both the plaintiff and Stokes
were subjected to a rigid examination, Miss
Mansfield breaking down and shedding
tears.
A Strange Coincidence
happened. Stokes was interrogated as to
whether he had ever threatened Fisk il; any
way. he seemed somewhat embarrassed
by the question, but finally said be had
never threatened him otherwise than with
legal proceed ngs. During all the time he
was in court Stokes was entirely self pos
sessed with this one exception and didn't
in anywise betray The deadly purpose which
he executed two hours later. Leaving the
court room after the proceedings Of the
court terminated, the lawyers engaged in
the case came down town and proceeded to
lunch at Demonico's. John r. Fellows,
Assistant District Attorney, Counselor Spen-
Ger, Stokes, and one or two others formed the