The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-30
THE MURDERER OF FISK.
What His Counsel will Claim-h SIM
xuIar Story About strange Bullet
did r tsk Shoot Himselfs

"Burlelgh," the New York correspondent OF
The Boston Journal, gives the following outline
of stokes's probable defence:
Stokes has been arraigned on an Indictment
found by the grand jury, but ne has not yet
YorE so we have two grand juries. 1t Is the
cannon opinion of the bar tnat one of these
bodies is illegal As Mr.. Slokes's counsel
have not decided whether to plead TO The
Indictment or demur. 1t is quite probable that
"a new Indictment will b6 found alter one OF
the grand jnrles shall have been discharged.
Th, 70 are some interesting II not starlilns
pUe'' pOe IA that Colonel Fisk was not only
ormed bnt That The wound In his body was
inflicted by hlmsrlf inflicted a Ia Va'landi-
ghaH. in attempting 10 draw HIS pistol from
HHis n,cket. That TWO pistols were used Is
very clear from the TACT that Two bullets were
fuund-one In Fisk's body and one on the
marble pavement, The one oui!et ntuhg tne
he hodv ftIinr the pistol found, the bullet on
the fonr which produced the wound in the
arm NOT ftIiu.. any pistol yet produced. The
Ibanru Ia that Fisk, coming IN at the door and
ssrin9 Stokes on the stairs, attempted to
draw mis- pistol, when 1t accidentally discharg,
ed at The same momenI "HSu m ne receVeu
Stokes,s bullet In The arm. The parties who
remnved th. outside clothing of the
no.on.I ore vet TO be produced In court. The
wo,nan whu hand ID the pistol to the Off
cer 10 W.T. Lo tell how 1t came into her hands,
win Diner Interesting testimony to show that
',Nt.a did nul fire IN an unarmed man. But
tUn n.rsons Witnessed the shooting. These
| war;. lwn hall-boys of the Central Hotel, who
usre either 80 frightened that they did not
| know what was goin! on, or deliberately per.
inreS ,hY m selves, as they fatty contradicted
.ooh orhpr and their own testimony on the
stand Tn the proper time and before The
,rnnar tribunal ,he action of the cUroners
iury will be tested. Above all, the proceed
inGs of tne Jury In consultation will be In
vuS,,,,u,sd One man on the jury was not
s,,,nmSo"ed He came unsolicited. He said
,hat n,, wis on The II thews Inquest, under
s,n~d such matters, aud wanted to 60 on The
imrv. an he sat ut the Inquest. He was
}}mnnnd 10 be special enemy OF Stokes,
and n,sdoed to look after the Interests
of Colonel Fisk. On enthrlnS the room
Sor cousntaliuE, the jury were presented with
q 1srdict drawn OIL ln Lne strong for OF an
indictment. In which the shooting was sell forth
as .skIIinr win malice aIOrrtnought' and
oLher w.lleSnown PHRASES oil an indictment
I'm This verdict ihA jury We're divided, six and
siy. Ihr penileunan referred To, acting as
counsel. Insisted upon the adoption of The yer
dit with Is strong phrases as The only thing
that would satisfy an indignant public. Others
conlendpd that ihe oijecL OF the inquest wa:
not Io Iry Stokes. MOTTO anticipate his defence
hal simnlv 10 ascertain how Fisk came 10 hil
death. The debat. l4sled over three hours
and ended IN compromise by which the w0r,
"deliberate" was aided 10 The simple phrase
ology of The verdict.