The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-01-19
The ASSASSIN Stokes.

Stokes was born in Philadelphia
in the year 1S41, and is now in his
thirty first year. His parents were
people in very comfortable circum-
stances, and moved in the best So
I-ciety in the Quaker city. When
quite q young lad he came to New
n W. Stokes was always, in early
life, fond of athletic sports, and I'M
til lately was considered q good
gymnast by those who knew him
best. He was educated at the High
school in Philadelphia, and received
first-class English and Latin edu-
cation. He was quick to learn, and
very proficient in his studies. He
was with his fathers firm in the
provision, business in Chambers
street.. in this city, at an early age,
and manifested great energy and
business tact. He had one great
fault, however; his blood was hot,
and being Of q nervous, sanguine
temperament, he was liable at any
moment to break out when he
deemed himself imposed 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 hum
dred and forty pounds. Heo1 is
slightly built. but is very swiry and
active on his fact. In conversation
he talks quickly and to the point,
and hurries his affairs through as
rapidly as possible. Stokes is q
man of fine personal appearance, Of
black eyes and regular features.
His hair, which was jet black a
couple of years ago, is now partly
gray, and were it not for his active
movements he would pass for q
man of forty-five years. Mr.. Stokes
married lady of good family some
ten years ago, and has by her one
child, very beautiful 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 December Sd, was
in Paris. The family, while in
New York, had an elegant suit of
apartments at the Worth house, corr
ner of Fifth avenue and Twenty
sixth street. These apartments were
furnished with every article of lux!
ury and refinement that taste could
devise, or money could buy. Near
ly year and q half ago Mr.. Stokes
became acquainted with Mr.. Fisk,
and through the introduction of the
Helen Josephine Mansfield, eide
cant wife of Frrnk Lawlor, an actor
of moderate ability. An intimacy
sprung up between the two, which
has resulted in the shooting of
James Fisk at the Grand Central ho-
tel. This fatal intimacy was the
cause of serious trouble between
Edward Stokes and his wife, and
although there is q great deal of af-
lection subsisting between the
couple, yet human nature is weak,
and such wandering from the
straight course is certain to bring
serious trouble. It is hard to tell If
there be any real feeling of affection
on the part of Helen Mansfield
toward Edward Stokes.
Stokes has always asserted that
Fisk had robbed him of q fortune
of 100000 accumulated in the oil
refinery bushes which was the
joint property of Edward Stokes
and his mother. He was arrested
by Fisk last year and locked up to
answer a charge which was made
against him of fraud. This charge
fell to the ground, and Stokes has
since sued Fisk for false imprison-
ment. The Fisk-Stokes war has
continued in the courts for nine
months, and while Mr.. Fisk has
had all the power of the Erie rail-
way corporation at his back, the
funds of Stokes have been decreas-
ing day by. day, owing to the fact
that he had to pay heavy lawyers
fees to carry on the suits. Stokes
has expended in lawyers fees DUR
ing the past twelve months nearly
thirty-eight thousand dollars, and
this contest has beggared him and
rendered him desperate. He has
often said to the writer of this ar
ticle: "T'his is fearful fight am
carrying on, and I have no one to
help me; but / will never give up
until l am righted. Fisk, through
his lawyers, has endeavored to make
me appear dishonest in the eyes of
the people OF New York, and 1 will
not yield one inch Of my rights, or
one dollar of the money which be-
longs to me-" The quarrel between
the two men has been very much
embittered by the woman Mans
field, who has served to fan the EN- :
bers of the feud whenever it wa
diving out.