The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1874-01-08
FISK AND STOK ES.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.

|
The Story of Fisk and Stokes may no'
be said to have touched its climax and con
clasion. Let us see if there be not som
moral in it worthy the attention ofyounl
men outside, as we'll inside, of New York
A New England boy, neither better mo-
worse than the average Of his fellows com
mences active life with one, aud only one
object in view He was poor, and hi
family for generations back had been poo-
he therefore, determined to be rich-hon
estly if he could, dishonesty if he must
From clerkship in country store hs
climbed to the top ofa peddler's cart, and
from thence made his way to the junior
partnership Of IA large dry goods house.
Here waa competence in prospective
but competence in prospective was not
what he wanted. He must leap at once
into fortunes arms he must gain wealth,
not.as the reward Of long and patient in
dustry, but by brilliant stroke, a trick
of financial legerdemain which nothing
could excuse-except success. The man
knew by intuition how success succeeds ;
how it covors with its glittering robe ten
thousand times more sins than the white
garments Of charity can ever hide. So
Fisk left the ':pent-up Utica" of Boston
for the. "bolindless continent" which New
York affords. He found a congenial spirit
and a valuable partner in Jay Gould,
and together they stole railway. Here
was an ocean of money gathered by a
single magnificent coup detdt Into this
ocean Fisk plunged and revelled, as
though it had been his native element
His houses, his horses, his carriages, his
clothes, his steamboats,, his operas, his
diamonds, and his concubines were the
wonder of the nation Thousands Of hon
est, Acknowledgment who saw the gay
"Prinee Of Erie" dash through Central
Park in his gorgeous equipage with some
Partisan nymph by his side, wondered
why Providence gave him so much and
them so little, and questioned vheth-
er, after all, impudence and rascality
were not better than modesty and integrity.
The crack of pistol burst that glittering
bubble and drowned it in blood. Fisk fell
by the hand of the man whom he had be-
friended-the man whom he had made the
confdant of his vices and the sharer Of
his spoils. He died "unwept, unhonored
and unsung," and a grave dug in the
snow on a black and barren hillside hid
him and his devices out Of sight forever.
The career of the murderer is quite as
suggestive as that of the murdered
Stokes came from what is termed "better
stock" than Fisk; his social and educa-
tional advantages were superior to those
of his victim, and his responsibility was,
therefore, greater. Rich enough for all
reasonable wants; blessed with health,
beauty, fond parents loving wife and hosts
of friends-what more could he desire !!
He desired to be fashionable man about
town, an elegant roue, luxurious de-
bauchee, the pet offrail women, the COM
panions of unscrupulous adventurers, the
rotten flower of rotten civilization he ac-
complished his desires. He exchanged
wife, family, friends and reputation tor
the society of the demi-monde and the
position of graceful vagabond. Among
women of easy virtue and men OF no Vir-
tue at all he wasted his time, squandered
his money and sold for less than Essaus
mess of pottagc the priceless heritage ofan
unspotted name. Honor, manhood, decen-
cy-all that lifts human nature above the
brute-were eradicated. Fisk trusted him
with his secrets and his mistress. He be:
trayed the one, robbed him of the other,
and then shot him. For two years Stokes
has occupied felon's cell, suspended be-
tween life and death; for four years, if
Fate spares him, he will wear convict's
uniform and be buried in penitentiary.
When he emerges from that burial he
will walk the world with the brand of
Cain upon his brow society will shun him
as if he were q leper; his family and
friends will merely tolerate, and the COM
munity loathe, and despiss him. He is