The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-27
Cular story about n Strange R'sslc:---
bid Eisk Shoot EEi.nseIf:

"Eur!c-h.' the New York correspondent
o' TIC Boston Journal, gives the following
outline OF :stokcs's probable defence:
stokes has been arraisncd on all indlct-
r1cat found by the grand jury, but lie has not
ut 1,Htded. Everything is in a middle in
Wv York, so we have two grand iurics. It
J. tlc common opinion Of the bar that one OF
tr>c bodies is illegal. AS Mr. Stnkes's coLn-
~ have net decided whether TO plead to the
iHiic,mcnt or dcmur, it is quite probable that
. NV indictment will BE found after one Of
ihc ~rand iurcs shall have Eccn discharged.
There are some interesting Ii not startling
positions taken for til" defence. The
ogc is that Colonel Fisk was not only
armed, but that the wound in his body
YVES inflicted by hilnself-in;lictcd la VAL
iandighu:g, in attempting to draw his
pistol from his pocket. That two pistols
were used is very clear from the fact that two
bullets were found--onc in Fisk's body and
one on the marble pavement, the one bullet
fitting the pistol found and the other not
the bullet in the body fitting the pistol found,
lAc bullet on the floor, which produced the
wound in the arm, not fitting any pistol yet
produced. The theory Is that Fisk, coming
II &, the door and seeing Stokes OH the stairs,
attempted to draw his pistol, when it acct
dcntally discharged at the same moment when
be received Stoke5's bullet in tie arm. The
p,rics who removed the outside clothing OF
the Colonel are yet 10 he produced i'll court.
The woinin vino handed the pistol to the Of
iiCcr II vet to tell how it came into her hands,
with Other interesting testimony TO show that
Stokes did not fire OF en- llnarmed man. But
TWO persons witnessed the shooting. These
HrIe TWO hal-bovS oftac Central Hotel, who
were either so frightened that they did not
know what WAS going on or deliberately per-
.:Hrcd themselves, as they fatty cCntl-;dicted
each other and their own testimony on the
stand. In the proper time and before the
rrapcr tribunal the action OF the coroner's
iu;y will be tested. Above all, the proceed
ing. Of the jury in consultation viii be in
yc-tigated. One man on the jury was not
summoned. He came unsolicited. He said
that he was on the Mathews inquest, under
stood such matters, and wanted to 60 on the
Jury; so he sat at the inquest. He was
found to be q special enemy of Stokes,
and pledged to look after the interests
Of Colonel Fisk. On entering the room
for consultation, the jury were presented
with verdict, drawn out in the strong form
Of al indictment, in which the shooting was
set forth rs killing with malice afore-
thought and other .wcll-known phrases Of
an Indictment. On this verdict the jury were
divided, six and six. The gentleman referred
10, acting as counsel, insisted upon the adop-
ton Of the verdict with its strong phrases rs
the only thing that would satisfy an indis-
nant public. Others commended that the OBJ
ject Of the inquest was not TO try Stokes, not
10 anticipate his defence, but simply to n:ccr-
tain how Fisk came to his death. The debate
lasted over three hours, and ended in com
promise by which the word deliberate
was added to the simple phraseoIogy of the
verdict"