Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-01-25
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1872.
she stokes side and the Fisk side.

The Stokes side and the Fisk Side.
Stokes story in regard to the murder
of Fisk is told in yesterdays New York
Uoy1d Through certain friends of
Stokes the following was obtained, but
it is mere theorizing. after all, upon a
subject concerning which nobody but
Stokes and his counsel have any knowl
edge. A bitter enmity on the part Of
the slain man toward his slayer will first,
according to these gentlemen, be cstab-
lished to any jurors satisfaction, and
then threats against Stokes person will
bc proven by three witnesses to have
been made by Col. Fisk, One or more
witnesses will also fastPn upon the lat
ter boasts that it was in his power to get
rid Of troublesome customers, at Il cost
of s., 600 apiece. Next by other wit
nessee, it will he shown that the steps Of
Stokes had been doggcd by suspicious
men under very suspicious Circumstance
es that Stokes was dware of this, and
had in consequence become alarmed for
his personal safety,
On the other hrnd, gentleman con-
nected with the Erie Railway, has in
formed a New York STANFORD reporter
tbSt about two weeks prior to the shoot
ing of Colonel Fisk by Stokes, the Col
onels private residence on Twenty-third
street was entered after midnight by
three armed ruflians who succeeded in
effecting IN entrance through the front
door by means of false keys, and got as
far as the bathroom connected with
Colonel Fisk's bed-chamber, when they
dropped a key on the floor, which aWOkc
the Colonels valet. As soon as they
founl themselves discovered they be
came alarmed and fled from the prcmi-
-ca. pursued by the valet, who fired two
shots at them from a revolver, as is sup
posed. without effect Detectives set to
work up the case. it i2 said, arrived at
the conclusion that Stokes instigated
the burglary as part of a plan to attack
Fisk while asleep, and failed through
the clumsiness of the assassins and vigil
ance of the servant, From the same
source it Is reported that an attempt on
the life of Mr.. Jay Gould was made
about two months ago, by running HIM
down while crossing over from one side
OF Fifth avenue TO the other. Mr..
Gould was knocked down and slightly
injured by the vehicle, which, it is al
Ieged, was driven by a person i'll the
employ of Stokes These statement,
were given by on" Of Colonel Fisk S
most ardent friends, who evidently is
convinced Of the truth of the charges
against the prisoner.
TuR Jury SYSTEM Mr. Judd has in
troduced bill in the New York Assem-
bly which must meet the approval Of
every man Of sense and thought who
mas ever given the least attention 10 our
jury systems. The bill provides:
THAT the previous formation or cs-
preston Of nj, opinion or impression in
reference to the oircnlnStanc"s. upon
(which any criminal Il, 'dn u! "a" ~
based, or in reference to the gC'u of "
nocenco Of the party or parties, p'lAy'
pal or accessory, to the act or acts Sc
forth in the Indictment, shall not oper
aztec to disqualify any person who is
otherwise legally qualified to serve as a
juror for the trial of the issues of such
act or acts set forth in the Indictment
from 50 serving; provided the person
proposed aS juror, who may have
formed or expressed such opinion or i'm
preston IA aforesaid, shall declare under
!
verdict according to the evidence sub
mitted to the jury in the trial on said in
dictment, such impression or opinion to
the contrary notwithstanding.
This is simply the dictate of common
sense. In these days of cheap news
papers the man who is not posted in any
event of public consequence, including
the very matters for which men are liza
BILE to jury duty, is an ignoramus or an
IDIOT and only SUCH according to the
laws Of many States, can sit in judg-
ment upon any event Of widespread
interest-say, for instance, such as the
recent assassination of James Fisk, Jr.
MORE ABOUT THE PERSIAN FAMINE
The latest news from the East tells no
more hopeful tale of the famine in Per
.ia. Notwithstanding the praiseworthy
activity and energy displayed by the
British agents who have undertaken the
Christian work of relief to aid the suf-
ferers there are deaths occurring daily
from that most terrible of all causes
starvation. The backward state of Per-
sia, without railroads or even decent
roads over which to transmit food to the
interior, renders it impossible to be able
to afford adequate relief in time. Even
II sufficient food to meet all the eXigen-
cies OF the times were close to the from
. tier it would be impossible to do more
than what has already been done for the
famine stricken Persians. Relief, how
ever, is afforded the sufferers as rapidly
as the poor means of travel through the
country will admit OF.
TUE TARIFF.-The Senate substitute
for the House bill, abolishing the duty on
coal and salt, reduces the duty on coal
from one dollar and quarter to fifty
cents per ton. The duty on salt is cut
down one-half, and ON tea and coffee
one-third. 1t adds several hundred arti-
cles to the free list, and will reduce the
revenue from imports about twenty.
lhree millions of dollars.