Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-01-23
DEATH OF JAMES FISK JR..
A COwardly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS End OF ths
okes-Mansleld COntr0.
VersV.


count the cowardly murder of
James Fisk, Ir., the Great Erie rail-
road swindler, and the causes which
led to it:
The origin of the difficulty be.
tween James Fisk and L. S. Stokes.
dates back nearly two years. Col.
Fisk and Stokes were interested 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 ia Fisks favor. The
profits of the oil business were very
great. Stokes became frequent
visitor ut Col. Fisk's rooms i'm the
Grand Opera House. They were
continually together. SO Intimate
were they that Stokes repeatedly din.
ed with Col. Fisk at the house of
Mrs. Mansfield Lawler, Col. Fisk's
mistress, voluptuous looking wom-
IN with whom he became acquaint.
ed accidently when she was in waut.
clothed her in silks and satins. spriuk
led her with diamonds and other
gems, gave her rich mansion with
u brown stone front, furnished it
sumptuously, and placed carriages
and servants at her disposal, and
was 80 perfectly infatuated with hor,
as repeatedly and shamelessly TO 4p-
pear IN public with her, and 20 CON
fide TO her the most important De-
crets OF bis railroads and political
swlndles. Stokes was handsomely
made, dressing in the height of fash
ion, fluent talker, and had taking
way with him. He fell in love with
Mrs Mansfield at first sight. His al
taohment was apparently reciprocal
ted, aud the readiness with which
she transferred her affections from
Col Fisk to his assassin, Civ es m air OF
strong probability to the rumor that
she deliberately trapped Col. Fisk
for his money, The attachment be-
tween Stokes and Mrs. Mansfield
was not discovered by Col Fisk uutil
weeks elapsed, and when his el es
We're opened he forbade Stoks visit
10 thu house, and tried t. persuade
both parties 10 break off their iuti-
macy. He then had Stokes arres ed
one Saturday night on the charge of
embezzling the Oil Company funds.
lie was kept in prison until Monday.
When released on bail no retaliated,
] a MI Ltlly
ton nfconspiracy and false impriso q.
ment. The fight was q bitter one.
Fisk recinded the contract with the
Oil Company TO supply the Erie
Railroad, forced its stock down and
then bought il up, causing Stokes
heavy losses, and goadiDg him to
madness.
Mrs. Mansfield now Joined her en-
ergies to those Of Stokes. She claim
cd that Fisk owed her some $40. 600.
aud in proof of this claim put in cop
les of batch of love letters written
to her by Col. Fisk, which were
said TO expose all the secret opera.
tions Of the Erie and the Tammany
rings. Fisk secured an Injunction
from Judge Pratt, forbidding The
publication of the letters, as they
were ruled TO be scandalous and IL
relevant. During tho pending Of
certain suits between Stokes aad
Fisk, Mrs. Mansfield gave the origin
al letters to Stokes, who immediaoe-
~ made use OF them. lie held them
over Fisks head, and threatened
their publication. Fisk submitted
proposition for arbitration. Stokes
accepted Mr.. Clarence Seward, one
OF Flsk's counsel, as an arbitrator
The letters were placed in Peter B.
Sweeney's hands for safe keeping.
Mr.. Seward found against Stokes on
all points but one, awarding him So
600 as the price OF the letters
Stokes complained that he had been
swindled, nevertheless he accepted
the $4,000 and npver paid it back.
Judge Pratt's injunction being about
to expire, Fisk's counsel made a mo-
ton before Judge J. r.. Brady, for its
| continuance.
The third move was an attempt to
show that Stokes and Mrs. Mans
field were endeavoring to blackmail
him. Col Fisk used an affidavit of
Richard +. King, colored boy in
Mrs. Mansfield service This aft la
Wit purported to detail CONVEX as
ton overheard between Stokes and
Mrs. NJ. relative to Fisk's letters,
which Mrs Mansfield had placed in
Stokes possession, which, il true,
proved that there was q deliberate
attempt to blackmal the Colonel
out OF all the money possible
Stokes next move was TO prefer
charge against Fisk, in police court
for subordination Of perjury in Undue
ing King TO swear to his affidavit.
This case has been dragging along
in Justice Poxby's court during the
past few weeks.
On Friday Judge Brady rendered
his decision, continuing his injunction
against the publication of the letters.
This was bitter blow to Stokes
On the following day Mrs. Mansfeld's
charge of subordination of perjury
was continued in the Yorkville 20
lice court. Mrs. Mansfield and
Stokes were both present Mrs.
Mansfield was placed on the stand.
Her cross-examination was very
severe. Mr. Fisk's lawyers endeav-
ored to draw out of her an acknow-
Judgement that the Colonel had pick
ed her up when she had but one
dress in the world, and not enough
money to pay her rent, and asked
many of her questions with a view
to prove that she had been trying to
get all the money she could from
Fisk and then let him go. Stokes
was also subjected to a humiliating
examination, and it was proposed to
show the next day that he was
most desperate character, the COM
panion of gamblers and thieves, and
q swindler and scoundreI; that he