Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-03-06
THE CAREER OF EDWARD 5. STOKES.
A TALE OF DOMESTIC SHAME AND SORROW


trates how deeply great crime strikes
among innocent victims, and that wealth,
culture and standing are no sure safe
guards against the saddest vicissitudes
Of human experience
In the year 1853, Edward S. Stokes,
a very successful cloth merchant of
New York, and nearly connected with
some of the most prominent representa-
lives of the wealth and benifiicence of
that city, retired from the business with
a handsome competency. Eight years
previous he had married Miss Stiles, a
daughter of leading Philadelphian
and seeking ahome ofease and elegance,
Mr.. Stokes choose Philadelphia as his
future residence. There his eldest. son
was born in 1889 and named Edward
Stiles, after maternal relative. The
lad was boy of unusual beauty and
promise, quick active mind. gener-
| GUS disposition these traits being well
remembered after lapse of years by
those who knew him at that time. Two
daughters and two other sons were
born in the period between ls4j and
185o.-The family is recalled as being
really endowed with all that seemed
needed to insure, the happiness of a
household home was one Of
luxury and wealth, the culture Of the
| best. .s.. ,.a.5t
Edward was educated at the Univer-
sity, and took high rank az a scholar
! He went to New. York at the age OF
seventeen to enter into the store OF
Samuel Perry, on South Water Street,
an extensive cheese dealer. Perry
failed three years later, and young
Stokes made new partnership with a
Junior of the collapsed house, and they,
| as Stokes q Budlong, opened a cheese
store on Vessy street. They had ex-
cellent success, their foreign shipping
trade being very large, calling Stokes to
visit Europe several times within the
next few seasons. Abo.t this time the
senior Stokes was induced to remove to
New York, where he made his Office
with his son, though not originally in
tending to become entangled in busi
| ness. ouch was the result, however,
and not only were the father, but other
and prominent relatives, gradually III
volved in the extending ventures OF
Stokes & Budlong The failure Of the
firm followed, and father and son Were
thrown into bankruptcy.
With the wreck 9th fortunes young
Stokes embarked next in the ent.r plis,
of establishing an oil refinery at Hun
ters Point Three hundred thousan,
dollars were expended in the worI s
which We're to be Of the best class
when the company fell into difficulties,
and at this junct,re the baletul light OF
Jim Flsk's countenance comes into the
story. Jim WAS in the full tide of his
operations with Erie He held the adj
vantage 1--WE wish it were less employed
by. even more scrupulous railway mana-
gers than he) supplied by his corpora
ton. in transportation and control Of
market, as the Erie was the great thor
| oughfare to the oil regions A com
pact was struck. Fisk entered the r.
tinery company, re inforced its calital.
nd with a change Of name and hesvy
drawbacks" on the Erie freight bills.
the Hunters Point refinery sailed
! strongly into successful competition
Stokes was secretary as well as part
ner AT one time his profits tl,m the
refinery gave him one thousand dollars
per week.
In 1904 Stokes marricd the 1auelter
| of ]. w. South"ick, s prominent tuni-
ture dealer in New York, che of th4
Oldest in his line in that city. 4 shot
time since one OF our oldest residents
showed us a set of furniture, Il wedding
outfit brought to Chicago in lH36,
bought of Mr. Southwick, who is: now
man of immense wealth and still III
active business in great Broadway rs
Enlistment. he wedding of Stokes
with Miss Southwick seemed to lack
nothing that wealth, position and social
surroundings could bring to insure hap
piness. They made their si,m.t
home in the Hoffman House and moved
athong the most brilliant life of the
Metropolis. lHs
The next scene in the drama brings
the infamous woman Mansfield into
the plet, and from the house Of the hal'-
lot the path turned downward. A quar-
rel between Fisk and Stokes followed.
1t was carried into affairs Of business.
Fisk infused. to allow the Hunters
Point concern; to declare a dividend,
and thus cpt eHStokesi supplies. The
jsgracefu1 relation with Mansfield be-
came more shameless, and the tather-in-
law, sent his daughter and her child to
Europe early in 1871, to remove he,
from the scene of scandal. Stokes, en-
ragged at Fisk, used his position as See
rotary to collect $50, 900 from Devoe, an
oil merchant, which sum he held openly
and detiantly as his share Of the profits.
Fisk caused his arrest on criminal
charge; Stokes turned to his wealthy
relatives No one OF them would bail
him and he was forced to make terms
and submit, and refund the nl,ney.
His relations to Fisk were bitter, and
out of the evil passions and crinlinalit,
Of his position with Mansfield grew
murder Turn to Solomon again, and
there is no mystery in the chain of sen
tences. 1t is said that the same steam
er that took oat to Europe the murder
of Fisk by Stokes carried divorce
procured by his family for his wife whe
still remains abroad
| The story of family grief and rever
scs is not all told. The senior Stokes
after 81 years enlightenment and enjoy
ment of luxurious home, is homeless
in his. old age. One Of the daughters
| died two weeks after malIiape.. The