Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-01-24
CuIME. sonnow, smAME,
The Career Of Edward stiles stokes--His
Relatives and his Victims,


The Career cf Edward stiles stokes-His
Relatives and his Victims,
From he Ciiorgo Tribune.
The other dav there sat by our elbow In the !,
Tribune editorial room n young man stained |
with deliberate cri me, whose consequences,
IL pursued, wpuled Ian | him In the Ponitentiary.
He had no defense for his guilt. But the case |
was one surrounded with circumstances which |
made IL the interest Of other parties TO save |
rather than prosecute him, and he was anxious
to close all the news channels against exposure.
He made a touching appeal in behalf Of his
father and mother, his wife and children. "Think
how you will plunge all my relatives in griefP'
This same appeal is often made by these over /
taken in wrong doing. What is more irresist
able than the direct counter appeal "poHpg
p,rn, Why did you not hink of them yoHrseHf"
Why ask strangers 10 be moro merciful to these
loved ones than be- the onl v ono who could have
saved them The saddest Of all features in all
the cases on the calendar Of wrong doing is the
undeserved suffering " the innocent ones who
sit gref-strioken in the ponumbra Of great
crime. The offender calculated his chances,
! took the risk and now tie cloud above his head.
| They, on the contrary, in many e,sos, receive
the bolt ont Of a clear sky. No small part of
the Accumulated guilt OF most criminals Is this
antecedeut utter disregard Of the tender house
hold ties that should hold them in the way OF
right, instead Of which they are kept coiled on
boar cd as a last resort in case Of shipwreck.
Without further moralizing we have thought
that though the task Is no grateful one, the
career Of Edward 8. Stokes, now under sem
tence OF death for the murder Of James Fisk,
may be fully givou MS illustrating how deeply a
great crime strikes among the innocent victims,
and that wealth. cullure and standing nre no
suro safeguard against the saddest vcisstudes
Of human experiences. II Is rare that a refer
enee of this kind mclHles ssfsrers Of like high
prominence, for there are no better names in
New York or Philadelphia than those borne by
persons stricken IN this catastprhe.
In the year 1898 Edward III. Stikes, sue
cessful cloth merchant Of New Ysrk, and nearly
connected with some Of the most prominent
representatives Of the wealth and bonefcence ce Ol
that city, retired from business with a handsome
competency. Eight years previously he had
, married Miss Stiles, daughter OF q leading
: Pliladephiau, and seeking home Of case ant
, elegance, Mr.. Stokes chose Philadelphia as hi,
future residence There his eldest son wa;
: born in 1899. and named Edward Stiles, after
) maternal relative. The lad was n boy Of un
n usual beauty and promise, squiek, active mind
generous and loving disposlion,-these trait
. being remembered well after the lapse OF year
n by those who knew him at that time. Tw'
i daughters and Two other sons were born in tn
i. period between 1910 aud 1880 The family i
recalled as being rarely endowed with all tha
seemed needed to insure the happiness OF
8 household. The home was one Of wealth ant
: luxury, the culture Of the best.
= Edward was educated at the University, an
= took high rank as a scholar. He went to Nav
r York ct the age Of II. to enter into the store
! Samuel Perry, on South Water street, an exteu
A sive cheese dealer. Perry failed three year
later, and young Stokes made a new partner
! ship with junior of the collapsed house, an
c they, as S.0kes g. Budlnng. opened a chees
: store on Yssey street. They bad excellent sue
cess, their hrsiRn shipping trade being ver
5 large, calling Stokes to visit Europe severn
% times within the next few seasons. About thu
/, time the senior Stokes was induced to remov
: to New York, where ho made his office wit
y. his son, though not originally intending IN be
y come entangled IN business. Such was tn
n result however. and not only were the fatheI
: but other and prominent wealthy relative
e gradually bu' heavily involved in tho extende
II ventures Of Stokes & Budlong. The failure c
n the firm followed, and father and son wer
e thrown into bankruptcy.
With the wreck OF his fortunes young Stoke
= embarked next in the enterprise Of establiEhin
e an oil rsiuery at Hunters Point. Three hun
q drsd thousand dollars were expended in th
a works, which were to be Of the best class, whe
tie Company fell into difficulties, and at thi
D juncture the bnleful light of Jim Fisk's coun
tenancs come into the story. Jim was in tn
Il full tids Of his operations with Erie. He hei
the advantage 1--WE wish 1t were less employe
by even mere scrupuous Railway manager
~ .
portation and control Of market, as the Erie wa
II the great thoroughfsre to the oil regions.
compact was struck. Fisk entered the reiner
4, company, reinforced its capital, and with
o change Of name and heavy drawbacks" on III
Erie freight bills, the Hunters Point rehner
, sailed strongly iuto successful eomptltioi
10 Stokes was Secretary as we'll as partner. A
one time bis profits from the refinery gave bill
900 per week.
d In 1864 Stokes married the daughter OF ,
IA W. Snuthwiek, prominrnt furniture dealer
New York. one OF the Oldest in his line in th
l. city. short time since. one of our olde
le residents showed us a set of furniture-a we'
ding tit-brought to Chicago in 1886, boug
of Mr.. Soulhwick, who is now a man Of in
mense wealth, and still in active business in
great Broadway establishment The weddiI
OF Stokes with Miss Southwick seemed to laC
q nothing that wealth, position and social su
r. roundings could bring to insure happines
of They made their sumptuous home in the Hu
man House, aud moved among the most brillia
life OF theametFopolis.
The next scene in the drama brings the
p, famous woman Mansfield into the plot. Sol
n' mon describes her many centuries ago, and \
fear Solomon knew what he was writing aboI
n But his painting has never been surpassed, a.
IL somsbody could have slipped into Stok'
y, mind this little pen portrait made two thousa
he years ago. Of Josephine Mansfield and her inl
nous sisters, il might have spared eommuni
vs. the fruits Of the new acquaintance. Here a
as soma Of the wise mans coloringS OF HIS subjec
til She listh in wait as for prey. and increase
10 the transgressors ameng men.
,at Her tset go Down to death (; her steps ia
hold on hell.
"a Her house inclineth unto death, and her pat
into tho dead. None that 60 unto her rstu
again.
He goeth aftOr her slraightway, as an
goeth tn the slaughter.
OF She hath cast down many wounded. yea ma
he strong men have been slain by her
II Her house is the way to hell, going down
:" tho chambers of death.
ain The dead are there. Her guests are in
nte depths OF hell.
,od And just precisely that happened which
son of David predicted from the house Of
harlOt the path turned downward. quar-
DIX between Fisk and Stokes followed. II was G.
ary red into affairs Of business. Fisk refused
allow the Hunters Point concern 10 makC
- dividend and thus cut off Stokes supplies. I
~. disgraeeful relation with Mansfield beca
Is' more Shameless and the fathvr-in-lAw, Sun
= wick, sent his daughter and her child TO Eurt
-'T early 10 1871 10 remove her from the scene
Isd the scandal. Stokes, enraged al Fisk used
- position rs Sscrstary to collect $50 900 fr
~ DevoP, an oil merchant, which lie held opel
-hv aud dehantly as his share Of the profits. f
caused his arrest OD criminal charge. St0
ons turned to his wealthy relatives. No one
80 them would bail him, aud he was forced
vor make te ms aud submit, and refund the mon
~ His rsla ions to Fisk ware bitter, and out Of
"a intensity OF the evil passions aud criminalit
~ ~ OF his p sitIon with Mansfield grew murd
Turn to solomon again. and there is no mYst
in the shain 0f sequences. 1t is said thUt
same steamer that took the news to Europe
ga the murder of Fisk by Stokes, carried a diYa
and procured by her family for his wife, who
onr remains abroad
The story Of family grief and reverses is
ui' all told. The senior Stokes, after thirty We
of retirement and enjoyment of a luxur
home, is bankrupt aud homeless in his old a
ton, Que OF the daughters died two weeks after n
,ers riage. The secund daughter, the wife of a
~ Sutton, attached herself so strongly to tile
'u'e tunes Of her brother that her husband disca
his ed her, and she is in refuge with her aged
the pennless parents. The second sou. yoI
man Of great promise, died two months ago
griei and shame at the family reverses, AMI
to- whole tale OF the innocent and suffering vict
Jug by this complication Of crime ind shame is
lall 70 be fully t0ld without including some Of
our best known and esteemed of New York famil