The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-02-27
The Career of Edward 5. Stokes.

The career of Edward S. Stokes, now
under sentence of death for the murder OF
James Fisk, as given below, illustrates
how deeply great crime strikes among
innocent victims, and that wealth, culture
and standing are no sure safeguards
against the saddest vicissitudes Of human
experience:
In the year 1888, Edward H. Stokes, a
successful cloth merchant of New York,
and nearly connected with some of the
most prominent representatives of the
wealth and beneficence Of that city, retir-
ed from business with handsome compe-
tency. Eight years previous he had mar
ried Miss Stiles, daughter Of leading
Philadelphian, and seeking home of ease
and elegance, Mr. Stokes choose Phila-
delphia 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, generous
and loving disposition-these trait being
remembered well after the lapse of years
by those who knew him at that time. Two
daughters and two other sons were born
in the period between 1910 and 1850 The
family is recalled as being rarely endowed
with all that seemed needed 10 insure the
happiness of household. The home was
one Of wealth and luxury, the culture of
the best
Edward was educated at the University,
and took high rank as a scholar. He went
to New ork 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 q new partner
ship with a junior OF the collapsed house,
and they, as Stokes 4 Budlong, opened u
cheese store on Vesey street They had
excellent success, their foreign shipping
trade being very large, calling Stokes to
visit Europe severel times withng the
next few seasons. About this time the
senior Stokes was induced to remove to
New York, where he made his office with
his son, though not originally intending
to become entangled in business. Such
was the result, however, and not only
were the father, but other and prominent
relatives, gradually but heavily involved
in the extending ventures of Stokes Il
Budlong The failure of the firm follow
ed, and father and son were thrown into
bankruptcy.
With the wreck of his fortunes young
Stokes embarked next in the enterprise of
establishing an oil refinery at Hunters
Point. Three hundred Thousand dollars
were expended in the works, which were
to he OF the best class when the company
fell into difficulties, and at this iuncture
the baleful light Of Jim Fisk's countenance
comes into the story. jim was in the full
tide of his operations with Erie. He held
the advantage Eve wish it were less em-
ployed ny even more scrupnlous railway
managers than he) supplied by his corpo-
ration. in transportation and control Of
market, as the Erie was the great thor
oughlare TO the oil regions. A compact
was struck. Fisk entered the refinery
company, re-enforced its capital and with
a change OF name and heavy ''drawbacks'
on the Erie freight bills the Hunters
Point refinery sailed strongly into success
ful competition Stokes was secretary as
well as partner. At one time his profits
from the refinery gave him one thousand
dollars per week.
In 1864 Stokes married the daughter OF
J. w. Southwici,, a prominent furniture
dealer in New \ ork, one OF the oldest in
his line in that city. A short time since
one of our oldest residents showed us a
9'l vi lUl iliLtlIt- u Wth'AliIE oulliI bipu1 III
to Chicago in 1886 bought OF Mr.. South
wick, who is now u man OF immense
wealth and still in active business in a
great Broadway establishment. The we'd
ding of Stokes with Miss Southwicli seem
ed to lack nothing that wealth, position
and social surroundings could bring to in
sure happiness. They made their snmp-
tuous home in the Holman House, and
moved among the most brilliant life of
the metropolis.
The next scene in the drama brings the
infamous woman Mansfield into the plot
and from the house ol the bariot the path
turned downward. A quarrel between
Fisk and Stokes followed. 1t was carried
into affairs of business. Fisk refused to
allow the Hunters Point concern to de
clare dividend, and thus cut off Stokes
supplies. This dsgraceful relation with
Mansfield became more shameless, and
the iather-in- law, Southwick, sent his
daughter aud her child to Europe early in
1871, to remove her from the scene Of
scandal. Stokes, enraged at Fisk, used
his position as Secretary to collect $50
600 from Devoe, an oil merchant, which
sum he held openly and defiantly as his
share OF the profits. Fisk caused his az
rest on a 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 money.
His relations to Fisk were bitter, and
out OF the evil passion and crimnalty Of
his position with Mansfield grew murder
Turn to Solomon again, and there il no
mystery in the chain Of sentences. It is
said that the same steamer that took out
to Europe the murder of Fisk by Stokes
carried divorce procured by her family
for his wife, who still remains abroad
The story OF family grief and revcrses
is not all told. The senior Stokes, after
thirty years of retirement and enjoyment
of u luxurious home, is bankrupt, and
homeless in his old age. One of the
daughters died two weeks after marriage.
The second daughter, the wife of Mr..
Sutton, attached herself so strongly to the
fortunes of her brother that her husband
discarded her, and she is in refuge with
her aged and penniless parents. The
second son, yonng man OF great promise,
died two months ago of grief and shame
at the family reverses; and the whole tale
of the innocent aud suffering victims by
this complication Of crime and shame is
not to be fully told without including
some of the best known and esteemed of
New York families.