Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1872-01-11
Fisk's Death.


afternoon, by Edward S.
Stokes, a rascal of lower order,
who had been tool of Fisk, and who
seems to have been worked up to the
murder point by defeat in an attempt
to bIackmaiI Fisk through his intima-
cy with the notorious Mrs. Mansfield,
by means of Fisk's letters to her The
act had all the features of cowardly as
sassination. Fisk's taking off is not
q thing for society TO lament, however
its sensibilities may be shocked and
its pity touched by the murder. In
his life he set at defiance all law, NOR
ality, and public decency, and it was
not uniting that his end should be
tragical. Stokes had no cause to
make him the executioner, or to
change the character of the act from
that of vile assassination. If he
shall speedily, adorn a gibbet, it will
he befitting end for him, and the
world will be relieved from two un-
wholesome characters. -.-'
This is an occasion for reflection
on the conditions that make possible
the existence of such q man as Fisk.
He and his partner, Gould, gradually
gathered into their possession the
Erie Railroad by the most unscrupu-
lous use of its funds to 9bribe their
tools. This property alone was a
great power in the land. Its monthly
receipts were over a million. They
also assumed power to issue without
limit stock convertible into mortgage
bonds, and, upon their own occasion.
to buy up and cancel the stock
BY this means they entered upon gi-
gantic speculations in the stock of the
road, issuing and contracting it to suit
their games. This power to issue
stock gave them control of n vast sum
of money, which they used to buy
Legislatures and courts, and all other
agencies that could serve them. They
procured legislation to fasten their
ring in the control of the road in de-
fance of the stockholders. Bv means
OF their power to issue stock they pre-
viously had made the elections to suit
themselves. They bought up the
courts, and made the tribunals of JUS
tice means of robbery.
When an agent of English stock
holders placed large amount of stock
in the hands of the proper officer of
the road, in oraer to have it transfer
red according to rule. and so that they
might vote upon it in the election of
officers, Gould and Fisk laid their
hands on it, and by means of their
bribed Judges kept it and voted it for
their own ring. The Legislature of
the State of New York, certain courts
of New York City, and the Legis-
Iature and courts of New jersey
seemed to be their supple tools. Their
robberies were on so gigantic scale,
and their control of money gave them
such q power, that they escaped that
judgement which society pronounces
on lesser villains, and gained kind Of
admiration by their audacitv and sue
cess.
They maintained also kind of So
cial recognition by their power in
railroad, monetary, and political af
fairs, and they thrust themselves and
prodigal hospitalities upon public men,
and obtained from them a recognition.
! This was the more remarkable because
! Fisk, a vulgar man by nature, aban-
doned all regard for the public man
ners, and delighted to exhibit himself
as a profigate and rake in his pleas
ures. They had the audacity TO at
tempt to inveigle the President of the
United States in aiding their gigantic
gold speculation by persuading him
to write a letter to Secretary Bout
well advising him not to make any
change in his sales of gold. With al
their successful audacity in subornin Q
Legislatures aud courts, and in pro
curing the recognition of men high in
l public life, respectable society came tc
speak of him rather as a phenomenon
than as one whose name was unclean
ness.
Lattelly there lave been signs tha'
the reign of Gould and Fisk was
drawing to a close. The bursting OF
the rammany ring of robbers has afsc
broken in upon corruption in the
courts, and has aroused a power O.
public opinion. The English stock
4 holders, combined with some Ameri
can, have entered upon determined
contest to GUST Gould and Fisk from
tue control of the Erie road. They
have obtained an order of court re
storing to them the greater part of The
stock which they were robbed of, and
there is promise that Fisk and Goulc
shall be brought to account for theil
I railroad administration. Their gigan
| tic speculations seem to have beer
disastrous, and it is probable that a.
soon as they had been turned out o
the control Of the road, they woulC
! sink to insignifcance.
The brilliant part of Fisk's carce
was over. Had he lived hewoult
have found his notoriety sinking t.
infamy, and that his audacity, when i
: had lest the command Of money
would only expose him to the felon'i
cell. His career shows that when th
r canker of corruption has taken holc
. ofpublic affairs, it will inevitably eat
} into all society. 1t is an illustration
: also of the immense evil power, DO
: litically, monetary, social and moral
] that has been created by railroads
The tragic death of Fisk is no occa
sion for mourning nor for glossins
over his character; but it is an occa
sion for retrospect of our social ant
t public morals, to see if the-tone o
these has not been let down by th
| federation of such character, and tC
J realize the damage that has been in
fticted on the national fame by the fac
f that such career was possible Gin
: GQzette.