The New York herald., 1872-12-07

tuo 0Iedt Erlo ouItS.
The trial OF Edward 8. Stokes, who has been con-
| dned since the 9th or January for the shooting OF
James Fisk, Jr., will take place on Monday next In
the Court OF oyer and Termner before Judge John
X. Brady, as it is understood that Judge Ingraham
will not preside although IL is his term, the latter
having to try Mr.. Tweed this week. HERALD
reporter called yesterday at the Tomps to have a
talk with Stokes in reference to his approaching
trial On entering the inner prison 1t was notice
able that there were a number OF other cells occu
pied by prisoners who are held for capital offences
on the same corridor with that OF Stokes, which
were fitted up In q gaudy style and with some
pretensions to elegance, but none were 80 cheer
ful, neat and clean as that OF Stokes The re-
! porter found Stokes who Is quite fond OF ro-
| nance. engaged in reading Sir Walter Scott's
poem OF 'Marmion," whichhe laid down on the ap
pearance OF the reporter. Stokes seemed in the
very best spirits, having just had long interview
| with his leading counsel, Hon. Lyman Tremain,
the Congressman at Large elect for the State Of
| New York.
| Stokes was dressed in dark brown Scotch plaid
| suit, u white shirt, with diamond iu the bosom,
and black nccktie with white spots Stokes Is in
good spirits at the approach of his trial, after his
long confinement of eleven months and has lately
got to be quite stout, He has had no exercise what
ever In year.
/ STOKES COLD PLUNGE BATH.
| "fou seem TO be looking well, Mr.. Stokes" said
the HERALD reporter.
SroKEs-Well, the only thing which has Kept me
alive is the fact that | have cold plunge bath
| every morning, which the Commissioners allow me,
| In room below my CELL That alone explains my
good health after such a long confinement.
Judging from the quantity of sponges and towels
fox tlv falin II IN
regard to his cold plunge baths.
"Do you know If Miss Josie Mansfield Is to hc q
witness for you on the coming tralr
SToKEs-No, do not think So
REPoRTER-Do you know OF her Whereabouts,
Ed.e
'JosIE rs NON Esr.r
SToKEs-NO know nothing at all about her, ex-
cepting that have IN the newspapers that
she Is In Europe never have seen her excepting
when she was at my trial, ana since have been
in the Tombs have seen or heard from her.
REPoRTER-This seems very singular and
strange since the public have been led to think
that you specially interested in her, and even
in some way that she was the cause Of your shoot
ing Fisk.
STOKES DIsCLArMs sJosIE.o
SToKEs-Wcl, have only one answer to make
to that-it is UNANIMOUSLY false know that SEN
sational books have been published by the million
containing the most false and scandalous stories,
which have worked me injury. Miss Mansfield
was no more the cause Of my shooting Fisk than
you were I will tell You all about it. was un
fortunate enough in 1869 to permit Fisk, at his
licitation, TO have an interest with me in my oil
refinery at Hunters Point
"NEvER LOANED HIN A DOLLAR.
| The story that Fisk ever loaned me dollar Is
absurd as it is false. At that tune this business
alone was paying me from $4,000 20 $l0o 600
| year, but Fisk proposed to make IL better, and
became on rather friendly terms with him ana
visited Fisk at his residence, where Miss Mansfield
was stopping. Miss Mansfield and Fisk quarrclled,
| and she compelled him TO change his quarters, al
which he was very much cnragcd. He then
charged me witA having something TO 10 with her
| action. The truth OF II was that knew nothing
| about 1t and cared nothing about their quarrel.
/ "A CLOUD 40 BIGGER THAN A MANS HASD.r
told FISK so at the time. stu, he was determined
to vent his spite on me, and, consequently, he
celed all our agreements, had me removed IRON
held and on false aAldavits, got out warrants Tor
my arrest on sabbath day, nIaliciousiy so that
might not be able to get bail which cannot be
given ON sunday. Then he sent an armed gang of
Tunans and seized the refinery without any pro-
OF law. SO you may see the alslty olany state
ment that commenced the quarrel against Fisk.
THE AFEIDAvITs or JOSIE.
The only cause that there was for the mixing up
OF my name with that OF Miss Mansiields and kisis
was that my counsel, after her quarrel with FISK
4 and after she hal ceased speaking 90 him for
year, insisted lnaL III was aDSOluLely imperative
that Miss Mansled's aiiidayit should be taken Fisk
having informed her friends OF his determination
to bring the malicious proceedings OF which have
| spoken against me. Judge Fullerton, who s now
opposing me, took this AFFIDAVIT, examined it, re-
commended it and for the service received re-
1 REPORTER there any truth in the report that
you at one time resided at Miss Mans1eld's home
| In Twenty-t third street
\ ..NEvER LIVED THERE wrTH THE TEMpTREssu
| srogEs-No, never; the story Is Infamous and
REpoRrER-WeIl don't see what Miss Mansfield
had to DO with the shooting as knew myself that
year but Still 1t Is better for you that you
should state the facts that you know.
SToKEs-WelI, in tact there is no one believes the
story who is acquainted with the facts and no one
corroborates ii excepting those sensational book
writers who have noodcd the country with their
trashy works AS long as they can make some
money il does not matter to them how much injury
thcy may mnict on me-
"STOuT DEFENDERS
REPoRTER-What counsel will you have TO defend
you at this coming trial on Monday
SrokEs-I viii have Hon. Lyman Tremain, John
D. Townshend John X. Dos Passos, the gentleman
from Philadelphia who so successfully defended
Andre, and J. d. Weed With the exception OF John
McKeon, whose loss very much deplore--he Is an
able lawyer and true frend-the counsel is pretty
much the same. Mir. McKeon felt the labor to be o
greater one than he could bear
REpoRTER-Was there not a Mr. DAILY In the case,
who has withdrawn
SroKEs-Ic appeared In Court, but took no ac-
tive part in my case. retained him only, because
he resided at the Grand Central Hotel, TO look up
some evidence; but 1t is OF no consequence, any
how, one way or the other.
RIDICULOUS REPORT.
REPORTER-I notice that 1t has been stated that
YOU VIII prove that Fisk sh0t himself.
SroKEs-1hat IL ridiculous, and Is nothing but
newspaper gossip. l have no doubt but that the
ball found in Fisk was from my pistol.
REroRrER-Well, certainly, you are very frank to
admit IT,. Let me ask you, when you fired, did you
mean to Kill Fisk =
u MEANT TO DEFEND MYSELF,
STOKES Quietly and with emphasisl-No, sir, I
did mott No such thought ever entered my mind
NY pistol had four shots. ! fred but two and
without taking any particular aim, and would
not have fred AT all except to defend myself.
KEPoRrER-"Did you not try to escape at the
time OF the shooting ~
HE COULD HAVE ESCAPED
SToKEs-NOthng OF the kind. | could have
walked directly into Broadway; but instead OF that
went directly into the hotel to procure assista
for FISK ana TO get doctor and surrendered my.
self voluntarily,