Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-01-12
The End of James Fisk, Jr.

had infinite shrewdness, great energy ann ire
mendous audscity. He could unblushingy steal
railroad, terrorize a gold market, rum h'sts oi
men and e.unt the streets with the chielesi OF
the demi monde.
Fisk was a native of this Stste-BenDirg'cn
WAS his birth place. His father was ore OF the
old fashioned pedders who travelled Vermont
New Haupshire and Massachusetts,, with every
thing from silk dre,s to jewsharp, which the
i,b,bitaut, Of the rural districts might deiire to
purchase. While he was still small child the
father moved to Brsttleboro and made 1t the
base of his operations. The boy soon trod IN
the footsteps Of his father and many Vermonters
will remember him and his gsudily ps'nted CART
with his spirited horses and strong harnesses
His dry goods, which made up most OF his STOCK
in trade we're purchased Of the well known Dos
ton bouse of Jordan, Marsh s Co His remark
able business talent was readily appreciated by
them and i, was not long before he entered their
enploy as sa!esman But in his new role he
f.ile1 and in six months the firm advised him
to return to his peddling business lie asked
for smother chance, they granted It, and the WAT
soon breaking cut. his admirable management
secured for his employers large and prohtAo'e
contracts of wooden snd cotton fabrics from the
Government. Their profts in 8 single ssie Of
army blankets were 100000. Soon SITTER Sc
curing these contracts be boldly asked to be
member of the firm, aud having secured the con-
tracts in his own name, Jordan, Marsh K Co..
dared not refuse him his request. \ new name
James Fisk Jr, was thenceforth included II the
povsrful house of Jordan. Marsh 4 Co.
speculatious unumerable we're now entered
into by Fisk. He bought up whole woolen
factory at Gaysyile, in this State and his hFm
made 5000 600 on It in TWO years, and then F'-
sold it to the former owner. Through female
sgept,. he bought cotton inside the rebel lines
and made great pecuuisry profit
Flax remained as partner in the firm Of JordSn'
Marsh & Co for four years. He then went into
the dry goods business for himself, but 1t was
not , success. HIS fortune soon melted away
His next venture wss in Wall Street, in 1861.
Here he found his rstursl sni appropriate
,nbere lie pambled extensively in Stocks and
WAS lucky sor the time. But his margins were
randy swept away, and his bank account can
.eIiei With characteristics pluck and ihre"d-
ne,s he bousht Up, for triding gum, patent
on an Improvement in machinery used IN cotton
and wooden mills, and after that time vas again
IN his feet permanently. He next acquired the
,cou,ipt.nce Of that s,aid old Methodist, Daniel
D-sv He became his broker, and largely sided
him IL his great bear " operations in a. Erie,
in the sprng of 1866. Fisk soon had bank
.o.oupt Of over half million. Then followed
hi, connection with the Erie Railway, as D-rec-
tor Here he was brought into contsct With Jay
Gopld whose brains have since doae
60 much with Fisk energy, TO keep
the Erie out O, the hands Of its righ6ul owners.
The bi,torv Of the Drew and Vanderbilt var IA
50 recent. that il is familiar to most Of cur
reader, There WAS great excitement. lnJun-
ton. from Judge Barnard and other Venai
[ Judges were issued without number, and the
/ .blest counsel il the country we're employed
/ Fisk domicilei himself At Taylor's HOTEL IN
Jersey: but in the end Drew was Swallowed ami
| .euebred The battle WAS transferred to the Ne"
/ York .ni New Jersey Legislatures snd lesisi'-
tiou secured lega.izing the new issne q Lrie
/ stock Vanderbilt made almost supeFhuuan
efforts to defest the Erie Legislation, but 70 no
purpose. Executive. legisls;ure, and lobby al
sueeumbei to FIX and Could The English
stockholders. even with ruch an eminent lsga.
,Ivi,er As Wu. VI. EyArts, failed to influence the
courts, in then appeals for reiref' for the judges
were il the ring. Controlling majority of the
votes they owned little or none Of the Stock
Fisk and Gould easily reelected themselves
directors snd have from that dsy to this having
full possession Millions of new stock were issued
then came the famous d" lock up, snd then 'he
swinlling Erie classification bill.
Fisk's next move vsS to 20 back On his bsne-
factor Drew and drive him from al G;;ive part
in wall stree; Affairs. There was fearful panic
for the time being. Fisk and Gould osrricsiei
themselves in the Erie office, sud no one could
serve papers on them 10 the suite that hsi been
instituted
Tweei and STeeuy were now taken into tisA's
confidence, snd bribed legislature and the sig
nature Of John 7 Hoffman, placed The Erie
Railway under the absolute control % james
Fisk. Jr.. and Jay Gould. for SIX years, beyond
the reach Of ito trustees and voice Of its stock
holders.
The subsequent events Of NJ Fisk's cAreer
are fresh, and need no recapitulAtion. His
shameful imprisonment Of Samuel BoFles' The
editor Of the Springfield Republican; his Won
asrfal ventures On the Bristol Steamers, wherein
he acquired the title of &c Admiral Fisk - in
,heatr.oal,. by leasing the GrAnl Opera House,
Fifth Avenue Theatre. sud Academy Of Music
his peculiar admiration for opera j5gJej his
gorgeous patrouization Of talented females, "iair
but frsil - his sumpiuous Offices, wherein he
sat so - high on throne Of regal state, IS
" Prince Erie - the Albany and Susquehauns .
Railroad war Black Friday, and the great gold .
conspiracy his marine elegancies at Long .
Brarch his military career in the Ninth New I
York Regiment his brazsn visit to Boston .
his experience with Josie Mansfield and the .
gum shoes" and the consequent proceed
ings. fill up the closing yesrs Of this auiac0uI
msn'a strange and wicked career. He leaves
few virtues to praise. lie WAS not given to his
cups lie was generally faithful to the friends
Of HE youth He did good service in secur-
ing and sending on material aid to burnt out
Chicago He loved notoriety. snd that Of an
immoral kind lie was thoroughly unprinci-
pied. His successful example Of wealth easily
acquired has corrupted the honest views, with
which many an honest, bright American boy
has started out in life. He was msn of the
world, and rioied in its pleasures and gsyeties.
He had few decent qualities of heart. conscience
and moral .ente The story Of his life will soon
be forgotten, and be will only be remembered as
one Of the coarse, yet brilliant and distin-
yuished sinners Of his period
His age was thirty-eight yesrs, 30 he died in
he prime Of life.
OF course nothing that we have deemed it a
luty to the public to say concerning the IN
1rsiseworthy character Of the late james Fisk,
IT,, excuses, or even pslates his murder. The {
murderer, Stokes, is by common repute, man
+ low character and loose life, who, as We have .
eard, deserted an estimsblt wife for the society
f strumpets who succeeded Fisk in the affection :
f his mistress, Miss Mansfield, and who had be- /.
ore this gained an unenviable notoriety by his T
onneotion with the Infamous law suits between t
liss Mansfield and Fisk. He probably COM
litted the deed in fit of drunken rage, and, go
II as We cal gather from the accounts, without o
ny assault O. immediate strong proyocation on I
ne part of Fisk In all its surroundings, in the l.
usrres and motives which led to it, as well as b
| the character of the actors in the tragedy II