Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-18
The Shooting OF James Fisk,

s. Stokes, with whom Fisk has for som,
months been in litigation in the cit,
courts. Fisk drove up to the private en-
trance of the Hotel, and upon entering
asked if Mrs. Morse, his sister, was in
The boy said she was not within. bu
that her oldest daughter was. Fisk, aftel
asking the boy to tell the lady he wa.
there, proceeded to go up stairs and hat
assembled two or three steps of the stair
way when Stokes, who had been lying il
wait at the head of the stairs, made hi
appearance, and, saying 81 have got yor
now," levelled four barrelled Sharp't
repeating pistol at Fisk and fired. The
ball missed. Again Stokes fired, this
time with effect, for the ball entered
Flsk's abdomen. Fisk staggering, at,
tempted to open the door, but seeing O
crowd outside again turned and faced
the stairs, to be again fired on by Stokes.
This time the ball struck him in the arm
and he fell, Stokes fled. The crowd who
had gathered around the door burst in
and carried the wounded man upstairs
to the parlor, where he was laid upon
the lounge and medical aid summoned.
Stokes leisurely descended the main
stairs of the hotel, and went into the bar
room. He had thrown the revolver on
the sofa in the ladies' parlor as he pass
ed il by. He sauntered to the news.
stand, and bending over the counter,
said to Mr.. Davidson, the gentleman
in charge: 81 have been insulted
there's man shot above stairs you had
better send fer o DOCTOR" He was very
pale, but did not show any agitation or
fear. He then left the news. stand and
walked across to the bar as if to take a
drink, but apparently changed his mind
for he sat down in chair. Mr. David
son imagined that Stokes was joking, and
did not pay any attention to his remarks,
but, in moment afterwards, the door
boy, came rushing down stairs, and run
ming over to the office, said: ooh Mr..
Powers, Colonel Fisk has been shot by
a man up stairs"
Then the alarm was given and the
police notified. Stokes did not attempt
to leave the hotel. Officers came in and
arrested Stokes. He said nothing.
Captain Byrne said, "Your name is
Stokes ?" and Stokes bowed and said
yes" The captain said "where is the
pistol" and Stokes told the captain where
it was. A crowd had gathered around,
and Stokes was taken up stairs.
Captain Byrne on taking Stokes up
stairs, brought him to the room in which
Fisk lay ON a lounge, and the two en-
emies, even to the death, were face to
face. Captain Byrne said, "Colonel
Fisk, you see this man was it he who
shot you ?" and Fisk, raising himself on
his elbow, said, "Yes, that is the man
who shot me his name is Edward S.
Stokes, and ] fully identify him as the
man," Stokes, during this scene had
neEvously twitched his trousers leg
with the cane he carried in his hand.
At the conclusion of the Identification
Captain Byrne clapped Stokes on the
shoulder and said, "You will come with
me now" Stokes bowed and said moth
ing, but went with the captain to the
Fifteenth Precinct station-house.
An ante-mOrten examination was held,
it being declared by the surgeons that
Fisk's injuries were fatal. The jury at
once returned the following verdict:
That James Fisk, Jr., received his in
juries by a pistol shot at the hand of
Edward S. Stokes, at the Grand Central
Hotel, January, 5, 1872.
A rumor circulated is supposed to have
led E. S. Stokes to the act. 1t was
asserted that the Oyer and Terminer
Grand Jury had found an indictment
against Stokes and Josephine Mansfield
for conspiracy to obtain money. The
latter had that very day been beaten in
suit againat Fisk for libel.
By strange coincidence, it happened
that Stokes was Intercepted at this very
trial, as to whether he had ever threat
ened Fisk in any way. He seemed
somewhat embarrassed by the question,
but finally said that he had never threat
ened him otherwise than with legal pro.
ceedlngs. During all the time he was in
the Courtroom Stokes was entirely self
possessed, with this one exception, and
did not in any way betray the deadly pur-
pose which he executed two hours after
leaving the Courtroom with Mrs. Mans
field.
1t may not be out of place here to give
the origin of the difficulty which has
terminated so seriously, between Fisk
and Stokes.
Stokes was born in Philadelphia, in
1S41, and removed to New York with his
family some years ago. He married a
lady of good family some ten years ago,
and has by her one child, girl of nine
years of age. In June of last year, Mrs.
Stokes, who was in bad health, visited
Europe to seek some benefit from the
mineral springs of Central Germany, and
when last heard from, as late as Decem,
Der 3, was in Paris. Nearly year and
a Lalf ago Mr.. Stokes became acquainted
with Mr.. Fisk, and through the intro.
duction of the latter he made the &C.
quaintance of Helen Josephine Mans.
field, the ci-devant wife OF Frank Law.
lor, an actor. An intimacy sprung up
between the two which has resulted in
the shooting. This fatal intimacy was
the cause of serious trouble between
Edward Stokes and his wife.
Every one who reads the papers is,
familiar with the suits and counter suits
of the three principals-Fisk, Mansfield
and Stokes-which have burdened the
Courts and the newspaper columns for Q
year past. Stokes has always asserted that
Fisk had robbed him of fortune Of
5000, 900 accumulated 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 answer q charge which was made
against him Of fraud. Stokes has since
sued Fisk for false Imprisonment. The
Fisk-Stokes war has continued in the
Courts for nine months. Stokes has ex.
pended in lawyers fees during the last
twelve months nearly thirty-eight thous
and dollars, and this contest has beg
r,oroJ b;ro Tho ruorra1 batuooo ~