New-York tribune., 1873-01-01
THE STOKES TRIAL.
INTERESTING TESTIMONY FOR TUE
DEFEN2E.

NANDEhblL1y GbN. HA'D he"<ANAs
CIARK-THE PRISONERS FATHER AND BRO
THEIR TESTIFY.
The Stokes trial was of average interest yes
serday, the prominent witnesses being the father,
mother and brother OF Stokes Commodore vanderbilt,
Mrs williams the cousin Of Miss Mansied and Thomas
Btapieton former keeper in the Penitentiary, who
syore 70 having seen woman pick up pistol In the
Grand Central Hotel, which not the one produced
en- the trial. An inaecuTacy appears inadvertently
20 have oyept into the report OF the
previous days testimony given by Marshal Cowing
Cowing takes exception to the description OF him as
"oomcal witness" the assertion that he disbe'
Ieyed IN the existence Of God, that he was de-
fendaDt in a criminal suit. closer inspection OF his
actual testimony shows that Mr.. Cowing was not
'comca witness" since his answers were intended tc
he perfectly serious but stupdly taken as funuy
Instead of disbeieving in a single God, he beheVes IN
several As to the criminal suit" he simply refused
20 make any explanation.
The FIRST witness yesterday was Peter J. Rotnweli,
porter at the Grand Central Hotel who testified that on
the evening Of the homicide he with Mr.. Crockett
searching the rooms for pistol; that they looked
through the where the pistol was aterward found
On the sof but did not H. though they looked care
fully. .-
Following Mr.. R0thwell came Cornelius VanderolIf,
who promised his testimony by stating that ne had re-
this city for 20 years. aud was President OF the
NeY-York Central Railroad, besides being connected
with the Hudson River and Harlem roads Having an
nounced that he knew Mr. Fisk the following interesting
dialogue took place
@ state what you know as to his general character
and disposition A. had very bad opinion OF FISK
Jadge Boardman-what was his character as to gem
era dspositioni A. II was bad; he reckless man.
To MI Fullerton-l don't know what his temper was;
always understood he was a violent man. -
Mr. Fulerton-I don't want what you understood ana
YOU ever that he personally violent mani a.
heard all sorts OF stories about him
O. Now Commodore, did you ever hear OF an instance
In which he resorted TO violence Oh any mani A. don't
@ You never heard that he resorted to violenoei A.
O. And you do MT know what was his general reputa-
tion in that regardf A. Not OF my own knowledge;
have heard all kinds Of bad things about HIM
O. Now do MT want that; answer my questions, and
do M 90 beyond; asked you you heard of his
TesOrting 20 personal vioencei A don't know that
q Then you know nothing of his reputation in that
respects A. No.
yon ever hear of his organizing or directing violence
against Others Eaton or others A All that know
Mr. Tremain-That rs precisely what want. A.
think summed il all up the first answer; heard all
@ Did You ever hear of his organizing personal vo-
leIce on railroad companies indyidualsi A have
heard lac organized something of the kind on the snsque
hanna road
Q. Did you hear the report about EatOni A. Yes
Mr. TTemafn-That Will do.
Mr.. Vanderbilt turning Dack)-Wont you let me give
yeu INV own QplulOn about the mani
Mr. Fullerton lhastiy)-No, take that away with you
GIN OWENS OPINION OF FISK.
Gen A. s. Divep the President Of the Erie Road,
testified in reference the character of Fisk in sub
stance as follows:
There are men, said he, who admired Fisk very much,
and there are who detested him very much, and u
would be difficult to give an opinion OF what men
o. Taking what was said for and against, what his
general character for temper and dispositions A. lie
a OF strong VIII, and desperate resources 1or
hand he was a of generous impulses; he was man
who would resort TO almost any expedient to accom-
MI Beach~He was Of humorous jovial disposition
A. Very.
&. generous and liberal mani (Objected to and
O. Did you ever hear of his cherishing enmity indi
viduaIs A. Yes; to Ramsey, Vanderbilt and Others.
aSS & Tas hat s In SEEKING
going, company with women, ostenta;ious display, and
Mr. Iremam-Q DO you refer to Mansfield % A do
Mr.. Trenain-Were not Fisk and Gould regarded az
The master spirits the Erie Company
Judge Boardman-I think you are carrying this exam
In reply 10 GuesTons the witness testified that on one
occasion Fisk directed the servants OF the Company to
eject Mr. Eaton from the premises
INTERESTING TESTIMONY.
John f. Barrett gave brief testimony in reference TO
remark MI Powers 10 HIM about the Inconsistency in
the evidence Of the halbOys.
An interesting witness found in Henry f. Chester
or Jester who is boss carpenter residing at No 1859
Ihirdave., aud happened to be passing the Gral
Central at the time Fisk shot. He went in by the
private entrance, and just the landing a lady,
whom he described as elegantly dressed, stoOp down
and pick up small, ypolished. white pistol This
wtnsss rece we'd searching crosse Examination from
Beach, and directly after had left the stand undg
ned, bitter conversation occurred, in an undert0ne be-
tween Mr. Beach and Mr. Dos PassOs, Of the
latter's taking exception to what he called the rude
Of the former who told the witness, III dsls
eng him, 10 get out OF thatW
HORACE =. CLARK's TESTIMONY.
After Mr.. Chester came Horace F. Clark who only
short time the stand. After recitng the number OF
railroads with which connected stated that he
became acquainted with Fisk in 1851 and knew him
sonally though not intimately. He never Fisk's
temper tried, but believed him 10 be reckless and
scrupuous in his business relations had heard Of
transactions bordering what the witness would
call violence, in which he was personally concerned.
@ Did you ever hear OF James Fisk in person commit
ting Of personal violence toward anotheri a.
q Was it not the impression that physically he was
rather cowardlyi A. don't know that fever heard his
physical character discnssed bound TO say that
have heard IN his operations that be Was man OF des
10 MI fTemsiT-I have heard Of his organizing per
-~"@nee bpt never investigated II? that iswbat
sons ~ ~, m. ne,n lpal q desperate expedients
NO RIGHT TO SHOOT 1HHRogSh FEAR.
Tho Court here took a recess, after &lleh W. r. o.
shanhs City Editor Of THE TRIBUNE, was caleu W te
,fv in reference TO certain occasion in December 1871
hep no walked up Broadway with Stokes, and the Lat
Tar onted out persons who, he said were spies OF FISK
nna were following him TO wayay him. Judge Board |
sn rpled ont the testimony the ground that it came
,,nder former ruling. Mr.. Shanks was allowed 10 say
hoveyer that Stokes displayed at one time a apstH |
which he said he carried because be was afraid Of Fisk
Judge Boardman, in ruling out the testimony, said
= man had no right 10 shoot another through fear.
MI Tremain then offered to show the transaction by |
,.hch Dorman b. Eaton near losing his life, but
1de Roardman ruled it out, and gave the defense an
exception. %. ,ho rr,socor then ,ooz |
the stand His is 49, and he bas whi.e mar anu
shsgcy white beard but Is strong and hesithy oohe,
snd n was little sad the stred way IN whleh ne
@ u "a nacF and told his Impressions OF Stokess fear OF
rSl II was very bT1ef, and related TO time when
a,ohes came home and was e0nnned Ior tWO M snIee