The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-01-11
JAMES FISK. jr.l DEAD.
He Is Shot by Edward s. Stokes at tbs
Grand Central Hotel, N. Y.


financial circles of New York, and who
within a short time past, has been pro
minently before the public through tho
libel and alleged black mailing case If
Miss Josie Mansfield, was shot on Satpr.
day afternoon by one Edward S. Stokes
who had figured promently in the suit
The affair occurred at half past four
o'clock, just as Fisk entered the vcstibuIe
Of the Grand Central Hotel The o,
salant was Immediately arrested, and is
now incarcerated in the Tombs. Two.
balls entered the person of Fisk, and the
wounds, which were not at first consider.
ed as fatal, proved TO be so, however at =,
few minutes before eleven O'Clock Sun.
day morning, The wife and fathcr.in.law
Of the deceased, together with many of
his personal friends, were at his bedside
when he expired. The remains were
removed to his late residence. No. 3Ia
w. Twenty third street, and Monday af.
ternoon, was sent by a special train to
Brattleboro, Vt, where the funeral takes
place. The military of the city generally
turned ont to escort the body to the depos,
Edward S. Stokes was born 10 philadel.
phia in ilS4l, and when quite young wens
to New York city with his parents His
father was the principal member of the
firm Of Stokes and Bud!ong Stokes was
always in early life fond OF athletic sports,
and, until lately, was considered a good
gymnast by those who knew him best -
He was educated at the High School in
| Philadelphia, and received hrst-class
English and Latin education He was
quick TO learn, and very proficient in his
studies. He was with his fathers firm
at an early age, and manifested great ca
ergy and business tact. He had one
great fault, however Ills blood was hot,
and being OF nervous, sanguiDc temporal
ment, he was liable at any moment to
break out when he deemed himself i'm
posed upon or outraged. He has always
been sensitive to an insult and quick to
resent an injury. Stokes is five feet nine
inches high and weighs about one hunG
red and forty pounds He is slightly
built, but is very wiry and active on his
feet In conversation he talks quickly
and to the point, and hurlics his affairs
through as rapidly as possibly. lie is of
fine personal appearance, of dark com.
plexion, with piercing black eyes and re-
gular features. His hair, which was black
a couple Of years ago, is now partly grey,
and were it not for his active movements ho
would pass for man OF 45 years Mr.
Stokes married a lady of good family some
ten years ago, and they now have an in,
teresting daughter.
In June of last year, Mrs. Stokes, bo
was il bad hca!;h, visited Europe to seek
some benefit from the mineral springs Of
Central Germany, and when last heard
from, as late as December ,, was in Paris.
The family while in New York, had an
elegant suite of apartments at the u ortb
| House, corner of Fifth avenue ami Twen-
ty sixth streets. These apartments were
furnished with every article OF luxury
and refinement that taste could devise or
that money could buy. Nearly year
and halfago Mr. Stokes became acquaint-
ed with Mr. Fisk, and through the intro
duction Of the later he made the acQpaint-
ance of Helen Josephine Mansfeld the
reputed wife of Frank Lawlor, an actor
OF moderate ability. An intimacy sprung
up between the two which was in the
cause Of serious trouble between Edward
Stokes and his family.
Every person who reads the daily Jour
mails closely is, of course, familiar with
the suits and counter.suits Of the thee
principals-Fisk, Mansfield ard Stokes
which have burdeGcd the courts and
the newspaper columns for a year past
Stokes has always asserted that Fisk had
robbed him Of fortune Of 500 900 ac-
cumulated in the oil refinery business,
which was the joint property of Edward
Stokes and his mother He was arrested
BY Fisk last year, and locked up to ans
wer a charge which was made against him
OF fraud. This charge fell to the ground,
and Stokes has since sued Fisk for false
imprisonment. The Fisk Stokes war has
continued in the courts for nine months.
and while Mr. Fisk has had all the power
of the Erie Railway corporation at his
back, the funds of Stokes have been de-
creaSing day by day, owing TO the fact
that he had to pay heavy lawycrs'S fees
to carry on the suits. Stokes has expend-
ed in lawyers fees during the last twelve
months nearly s3S,G00, and this contest
has beggared him and rendered him de-
speratc. He has often said, This Is
fearful fight that am carrying on, and
have no one to help me but will never
give up until am righted. Fisk, through
his lawyers, has endeavored to make me
appear dishonest in the eyes of the peo-
pie of New York, and | will not yield one
inch of my rights, nor one dollar OF the
money which belongs to me" He also
has frequently stated that he was afraid.
of being assassinated by some Of NJ.
tisk's employees, The quarrel between
the two men has been very much embIt,,
tered by Miss Mansfell, who has served
to fan the cmberS of the feud until It has.
reached the present terrible culmlnatioH'