Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-07-09
Josie Mansfield Lends her Pres
ence, which adds Increasing
Interest to the Curious
Proceedings.
The Prisoner Stokes in the Wit
ness Stand-The Greater Part
Of the Day Devoted TO
his Testimony.
Evidence Of the Sweet-Scented
Syren, More Bewitching than
Ever in Diamonds, Gold
and Lace.

! NEW YORK, July S.-This was tn
most interesting day of the Stokes trial
[ the presence of Josie Mansfield attracte
many to the court.
\ The Judge admitted the testimony {
Mr.. Bailey as to the words used b
I Stokes just before he entered the Gran
Central Hotel. He said he saw a lad
whom he met at Saratoga, and b
wanted to see her.
The prisoner Stokes was then place,
on the stand and testified that be wa
thirty-one years old; lived in Philadel
phia twenty years and then came {
I New York; first became acuuainteC
with Fisk in July, 1863.
] The defense then undertook to eIici
from the witness what business transac
tons he had had with Fisk. Fisk's at
/ tOrneys objected ID this evidence as in
admissible under the plea Of insanity
/ The evidence was excluded.
MckeOn held that the prisoners nninC
was affected by bis losses with Fisk and
which he could not regain, owing to s
corrupt judiciary.
I Beach, for the prosecution, said there
| had been no foundation laid for bring.
ing in plea Of insanity, and defended
his position as private counsel. He re-
ferred to the good points about the de-
ceased.
After a heated denunciatOry contro-
versy between the counsel, the Judge
excluded the testimony bearing on the
hallucinatiOn theory.
Stokes thOn resumed his statement;
was a witness on the sixth of January
in the case Of Mansfield against Fisk z;
left the court with Miss Mansfield and
her cousin; went to DelmOnicO's, where
they had some oysters and ale: after
lunch witness went to a lawyer to ask
about the Indictment.
Q.-What did YOU say?
The prosecution objected.
Mr.. MckeOn then retOrted on the
District Attorney, saying that if Stokes
had been tried six months ago, he would
have been hanged in ten hours.
The witness was told that there was
no possibility Of witness against me.
He then took a coupe from the City
Hall, and drove to the Hoffman House.
Stokes then detailed his proceedings
during the afternoon substantially as al
ready narrated, and said that after find
ing that the lady visited at the hotel
wasn't a person I knew, 1 started to 90
down stairs, when l saw Fisk coming
up stairs; he made a rush, and when he
got to the platform, be pulled out a pis-
tol; could not by any possibility be
l saw it as plain as anything
L ever saw; II was a silver-mOunted pis-
tOl; was on a line with him; 1 jumped
aside and cried ''don't fireu' and pulled
out my own pistol and fired; l had it in
my outside cOat-pOcket, or I wouldn't
have had time 10 draw; 1 leaned on the
rail, cooked the pistol with one hand.
and fired; he held his pistol in both
hands as 1 fired; he cried ''Ohr' he
didn't staggeT much at the first shot.
ana | fired again; l knew be would
shoot me if didn't fire; was three or
four steps down; he dropped his pistol
on the stairs after the second shot.
StOkes's examination was continued
until recess, and resumed thereafter.
Stokes, in continuation Of his state
ment concerning his visit to a LAWYER in
reference to his Indictment, said: The
lawyer advised me by all means TO 90 to
Providence as l had intended. I went to
see Bixby on the same point, and be
assured me Of the same thing. l took a
oab at three o'clock and went to the
hoffman House, and went to nv room
10 get the papers about the Providence
matter. l found that my dispatch to
DOty had not reached him. I went
down and had some talk with the clerk.
and with Mr.. COughlin and Mr.. Cot
rel; he told me where to find Smith
and Ferris. 1 found I had left some of
ny papers in West Twenty-third street
md at Miss Mansfield's. l told the dri-
yer TO drive there; l don't know whether
looked at the operahOuse; when 1 got
% No 359; saw that the house was
hut up and 1 thought
District Attorney submit that it is
lot proper.
Mr.. Tremaine-As proper as for those
wo counsel TO sit winking and blinking 1
L the jury.
Witness resumed-I was reading the |
Dapers, and told the driver to 90 down |
Seventh avenue, it was smoother, to the 1
irand Central Hotel and Broadway; l /
wanted to see Smith and Ferris; l went |
o Smith & Chamberlain's to see Smith. !
nd crossed Broadway to see Ferris. |
where L met Bailey; as l passed the .
irand Central saw a lady whom [ |
bought j had seen at Saratoga; l took .
ny hat of, and asked Bailey to 20 over; /
walked little way up with him, and 1
hen crossed over; had to avoid a car
iage and come above the ladies' en-
rance; l entered that entrance: Red
nond was cleaning windows; l looked /
q DarlOr No. /, and saw l had made a
and started to go down stairs;
think Redmond was there when / fired
be first shot, but l saw the door open.
nd I'm pretty sure he was outside when
be second shot was fired; Thomas Hart
7as not there; l dropped the pistol in
be hall; l met Hill, as he has said, and
aid, ''There is man shot" I went
own stairs and said, "Get a doctor.
here is a man shOt;n some one hallooed
Ut that / was wanted, and | turned
ght around; l hardly remember any
mag more; l did not deny shooting
isk; L remember when / was taken be-
IRE Fisk he looked up quickly and said,
That is Stokes" and dropped his eyes;
e did not accuse me of anything; l ex-
ected him to exOnerste me.
Q.-Had you made up your mind that
he charged you with shooting YOU
'ould ask him if be did not draw a
istol?
This question was excluded.
j did not 20 near the ladies' parlor at
u, nor throw my pistol on the sofa: the
oy Hart was not near the shooting at
d; Fisk did not say "Ohv' "Obtv ]
OH" but said 'Holdr' / did not mean
} kill Fisk; believed his pistol was
AIDED, OF he would not have drawn it.
Q--For what purpose did you pur-
lase that pistol?
Question excluded.
Witness-0h, l have had that pistol
ng timei did not expect to meet
isk at the hotel; l did not see his car
age coming; l had a cane in my hand, {
Id wore a very conspicuous overcoat, s
T driving on the road; I also wore a {
sir Of driving gloves; before meeting
isk that day received numerous warn I
rs that he had threatened to have my
E, and the last threat [ heard Of was I
! the twentieth Of December, and 1 I
ink that was the first time 1 had seen I
SIX since that threat.
The court here took q recess. [
Miss Mansfield sat with fan in one I
md and a smelling bottle in the other, {
itening to the evidence. When Stokes
tered the court in the morning he [
wed to Miss Mansfield, and she re- ]
Ined the salutation; then turning to {
iss Williams she remarked: "Poor (
low! how gray he isl She I
ore a large gold cross on her f
east and heavy gold bracelets on her T
ms. She was all gold, jewels and lace. 1
The jury sat immovable, leaning for {
ard with eyes fixed on the prisoner
bile he told his story, and during the ]
animation the courtroom was packed 4
the doors. After recess Josie stood
} and followed by her companions z
He'd out of the room with the air of a 3
-and Duchaaa Of GarnIatnlr, TT.n- | !