Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-01-12
IOIrHEl FISK TRAsaEDr.l I
The Origin of the Feud which
Ended i'm Assassination.
Josephine Mansfield LAWYERS Share
In the Business.
The Plotting and Troaehery OF
'n BOId, bad woman.
THE ORIGIN OF THE DIFFICULTY.

NEW YORK, JhnuhTy "
The trouble between Col James Fisk
and Mr.. Z. s. Stokes has eliminated in
the assassination of Colonel Fisk. The
origin of the difficulty dates back nearly
two years. Colonel Fisk and Stokes
were inter ested in an oil company which
furnished all the oil used by the Erie
Railroad Company. Fisk and Stokes
became intimate friends. Stokes seemed
a smart, energetic young man, and grew
rapidly ihn Fisk favor The profits of
the oil business were very great. Stokes
became frequent visitor at Colonel
Fisk's rooms at the Grand Opera House.
They we re continually together. SO in
innate ere they that Stokes frequently
dned ith Colonel Fisk at the house OF
n, , MRS. MASLFIELD-LAwLER. bni sdl
The Colonel became acquainted with
her acc .identally when she was in want
clothed her in silks and satins, spripkled
hervi th diamonds and other gems,gave
her rich mansion with q brown stone
front, furnished it sumptuously, and
placed carr iages and servants at her dis
posal. So infatuated did he become that
herepestedl y appeared in public with her,
despite the earnest protestations OF his
friends. He laughed ct the newspaper
exposures of his-shame, and was finally
debarred FROM fashionable society. Col
orel HI sk friends we're deeply grieyed,i
but thew rema ined true to him, for what
ever may have, been his faults, he always
stood TO, his friends to the last. They
repeate, lly endeavored to extricate him
from the tolls of Circe, but inysin. His
per;sl n etsire, roIijeking humor, open
handed generosity. and energetic busi-
ness gu alities endeargd him to all who
we're int innate with him, and they finally
resolved. to endure what they could not
cure.
THE COLONIES OPEN ATTACHMENT TO
GWi MRS. NASsFTELD.
It was at this time that Colonel Fisk
became intimate with Stokes, and invited
him to dine at Mrs. Mansfelds house.
STOKES
is about FIVE feet nine inches in hight.
His body is well knit; his head is cover
ed with glossy cuA lis; his complexion IS
clear; his features regular, and his eyes
dark-blue. His forehead is wide, but not
high. He dresses III the hight OF fash,
ion, with a tendency to gaudiness, and
generally wears large diamonds. de is
a fluent talker, and is very quick OF mo-
ton. he speaks rapidly, and uses many
gestures. Colonel Fisk seems. TO nave
confded entirely to ST okes sense OF
honor, and to Mrs. Mans6elds sense OF
gratitude. Apparently he had not the
least notion chat Stokes would endeavor
to W.
sUPPLANr HIM In HER AFFECTIONS.
Stokes, however, appears 70 have fal-
len in love with Mrs Mansfield At nrst
sight. His attachment was apparently
reciprocated, and the readiness with
which she Transferred her affections from
Colonel Fisk to his assassin gives an air
of strong probability to the rumor that
she had deliberately trapped Colonel
Fisk for his .tnopey. The attachment
between Stokes and Mrs. Mansfield was
not discovered by Colonel Fisk until
weeks had elapsed, Meanwhile the Col
onel was paying for the very dinners at
Mrs. Mans6eld's house to which he had
invited his friend StokesA Though
warned by his friends Of what was oc-
curing, he refused to Believe i, and it
was not. until he. had assured himsel!
from couyersations with Mrs. N. thai the
reports, were true, that -w,ses.,n,ra
i0J Hrs BYEs WERE oPEEED. MA
The first move the Colonel made was
with his usual energy. He forbade
Stokes visits to the house. He reasoned
with Stokes, but to no purpose. His
protestations had no effect on Mrs.
Mansfield. The next movement was a
startling one: Stokes was arrested on
Saturday night on the charge of embez-
zing the OH Oompsny's fluids, He was
kept in prison until Monday. When
released on bail he retaliated, and Fisk
was arrested on an accusation of con-
spiracy and false imprisonment. The
fight was a bitter one. 1t benefited
none but the lawyers. Fisk then re-
scinded the verbal contracts BY which
the Oil Company supplied Erie with
oil. OF course this forced the stock of
the Oil Company down, and Fisk, it is
understood, :, bought in Stokes interest
for 500, ,0000. Fisk and Stokes also had
a meeting at Delmonicos and endeav-
ored to settle their difficulty, but in
vain.
TnE SECOND MOVE.
Mrs. Mansfield Joined her energies to
those of Stokes. She claimed that Fisk
owed her some $4,000, and in proof of
this claim put in copies of batch of
love-letters written to her by Colonel |
Fisk, which were said to expose all the
secret operations Of the Erie aud Tam |
many rings. Fisk secured aninjunction |
from Judge Pratt forbidding the publi- |
cation of the letters, as they were ruled |
10 be scandalous and irrelevant During |
the pending Of-certain suits between
Stokes and Fisk, Mrs. Mansfield gave |
the original letters to Stokes, who i'm
mediately made use Of them. He held |
them over Fisks head, and threatened |
their publication. Fisk acted like a
diplomat. He submitted a proposition |
to Mr.. Stokes ss- arbitration. Stokes, !
against the advice Of his counsel, &C.
cepted Mr.. Clarence Seward, one OF
Fisks counsel, as an arbitrator. The
letters. we're placed in Mr.. Peter b.
Sweeney's hands for safe keeping. Mr..
Seward found against Stokes on all
points but one, awarding him $4,000 as
the price OF the letters. Stokes COM
planned that he had been swindled, never
theless. he accepted the $4,000 and
never paid il back. One OF the main
Doists Of Colonel Fisk's request for an
Injunction against the Publication Of the
letters was that they had been made the
basis Of new afiidiTitsin Mrs. hansfeld's
complaint, after Stokes had received the
500 and agreed that the letters
should be suppressed AZ the expiration
on the time for which .Jadge PrAtt's in
HIalESI PRIZES AT LAIEL