New-York tribune., 1872-07-09
STOKES'S STORY.
REMARKABLE EVIDENCE FROM THE PRIs.
ONFR

| ONfR
FISK PICTURED AS FALLING WITH Ills PIsToL
| DRAwS-THE PRISONER CLAIMS THAT III
| CALLED TO HIM NOT TO FTRFr-JOsPpuTyT
| MANSFIELD TEsTrFiRs THAT FISK THREAT
| ENED TO KILL STOKES THREE wErKs BIZ
FORE THE MURDER--HOw EATON WAS
| "sANDBAGGED"-FIsK REPRESENTED AZ AL
WAYS ARMED.
| An immense crowd filed the court room yes
erday almost to sufocaton, having announced
that Stokes was 10 be put the stand In hts de-
Tense. This, and the fact that at the opening OF
court Miss Mansfield made her appearance a witness,
were tho chief causes Of the attraction TO the room.
| Many OF the spectators women and several of
them quite old and gray haired, while two or three girls
OF about Is listeners to the painful stories
told by the principal witnesses. The appearance and
manner OF Stokes the stand the chief topic of
conversational the courtroom, but opinion divided
as 10 the effect OF his bearing on the jury He went
through a long examination as II he had nerves
OF steel, and, though downcast in and
serious In every expression, he neverfor single mo-
ment trembled hesitaed In his speech. When he aP
preached in the of his narration tho events Of
the shooting he from the chair and turning TO tho
diagram OF the hotel which remains posted the wall,
traced his movements prior 10 and during the fatal
afray with as little trcmuousness, II not a. much ndi
ference, though he explaining blackboard
simple problem In geometry. The courtroom, at tue
moment when he described the firing, st AZ
general murmur Of relief that the story was ended
Miss Mansfield naturally attracted attention, but OF
character intense and oppressive. Great crowds
followed both the prisoner and herself they were taken
10 their carriages and driven away.
The chief work OF the defense yesterday 20 give
their side OF the story OF the actual shooting A. sur
missed yesterday the only witness they had 10 ocr
Stokes himself and nc put the stand for the pur
pose an early hour. He narrated his movements from
the time he left the Yorkye Court until he reached the
hotel mot differing materially In the details narratedb BY
Andrews Bixby, ngrabam Smith, Badly Carr and others
In his account OF the shooting, however he differed from
the two haboys who TO witnessing II, and hauy
contradicted them He stated that after discovering
that the lady whom no had gone into the hotel 20
was not acquaintance he turned 10 go out, and had
passed three four steps when ne saw F-k en-
terng the inner door and the first landing OF the
stairs Fisk instantly drew his pistol when Stokes, ae-
cordng 10 his story cried out "Dont IRE" Fak was In
the act of cooking his pistol when Stokes drew
his from his overcOat pocket and with his heavy dY
ing glove stl his hand, fired twice. Careful mention
OF overcoat and gloves was made to show inerenaly
that stokes fixed for fight" After the first
shot Fisk cried out, 81 shot and made no further
effort to fire at Stokes The latter said indeed that he
did not believe Fisk fred at ALL II he did It was not IN
the direction Of the prisoner. The DistretAttorney
made serious effort In crOssexamning TO break the
force the direct evidence being content seemingly to
rest on the fact that it and could not be- sup
ported by any disinterested witness.
Stokes subsequently examined TO show that fire.
1uent had been made by Fisk against his life aud
liberty and the evidence Of Miss Mansfield and Mrs.
williams had chiefly this bearing The former swore
that as late December 49, 1871 Fisk had sought In
teryew with her. and her refusal 10 live with him
again had taken his pistol aud swore TO XIII Stokes ON
sight This statement, and letter OF Fiss asking for
the interview created profound sensation In the court
room did her statements regarding what she swore
Fisk had told her of his disposition OF Mr. Eaton and her
evidence as to his going armed. The testimony Of Mrs
williams and others simply corroboratve OF Fsks
habits OF carrying and having his enemies watched
and logged
To-day the defense will devote itself to disseoting tho
medical evidence OF the prosecution and will attempt 10
establish the stale old theory that he died from drugng
and probing rather than from the wounds inflicted by
Stokes.