Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-10-27
Stokes in Prison.

| was passing through rapidly when ]
heard my name called, and turning round,
saw Edward S. Stokes, the SotdiSant Broad
way elegant, whofive years ago paid 50, coo
year to his tailor to keep him attired in
the latest fashions of the day. But oh,
how changed the man was! saw the mid
dle-aged man-Stokes is, now thirty-eight
years of age-bent in chair over a steam
heater, the hospital beds all around him
the sheets bleached to a ghostly whiteneSs,
his face unshaved, his hair prematurelv
gray, his figure stooped-the whole man
broken with sickness and irritability at
what he believes firmly to be long term
of persecution and conspiracy. walked
over to-where henstood and shook hands
with Stokes, and he smiled pleasantly, but
| noticed his face was very white and full
of lines of care and suffering. His sickness
is asthma. and he bore every trace and
indication of a victim to pulmonary dis
ease, whose days were numbered Since
the fatal day when Fisk fell at the foot of
the Grand Central staircase the worst enc
my of Stokes might be satisfied with the
misfortunes that have befallen him. His
brother Clinton is dead Of consumption !;
old Nr. Stokes died year ago, worried to
desth by grief for his sons disgrace, and
he has had yarieus domestic Affections,
which need not he enumerated. On the
Sing Sing prison register, three years age,
Stokes answered to the question, "Are you
married or singleY the one brief word,
''Single." None but few friends-near
and intimate friends-can fathom the min
gled romance and despair that lies conceal
ed by that one word descriptive of his civil
status. Stokes had blanket shawl around
,Ao,,1lo,, o14 L., > L.,
er, and was reading a book. The man is
entirely changed in nearly everything
Five years ago, although a well informed
man, he hardly ever took up a book to read,
for the gay life of man about town did
not permit of study or reading. but during
the last two years of his life Stokes he re-
ceived and purchased great many books.
and has read during that time principally
books treating on the subject of philoso-
ply, history and science.
'How do you feel, Ed?" | asked of the
man who stood three trials for murder, and
whose expenses-lawyers' fees and all other
items, including his final verdict-have
amounted in five years to over $500, 900.
''Well, Mr.. -, don't feel well at
all. was pretty mig gone. Four weeks
ago | thought would die, and l have suf-
fered terribly since / came here. | tell You
l thought would never leave this hospi-
tai. You do not know what persecution l
have suffered since left Sing Sing Think
OF the cruelty Of sending me nearly three
hundred miles from Sing Sing to this place,
with my hands and feet in irons. Then l
have been kept on bread and water and
have not even been allowed prison fare, as
bad as that is. l do not wish to find fault
with Warden Durston; 1t was the State
Prison inspectors that ordered il"
"Well, you are better now, Ed, than you
were short time agoP
"Yes, am little better, but sometimes
have intermittent fever, and am all flush
ed now from it; and the asthma hurts me.
You do not know how have suffered.
assure you l. will bear up until the day
comes for my release as well as l can, if
they don't xiii me before the 2Sth Of Octo-
ber.' n III.
Have you anything else to complain Of,
Ed?" asked.
"My letters have been interdioted and
intercepted. have not been allowed to see
anyone since came here"
Never mind" said, ''you will not think
OF these things any longer. You will soon
be able to enjoy the benefits of freedom
and breathe fresh air."
saw that the man was quite i'll, and yet
heard that he was discharged from the
hospital as being convaleseent the very
next day after saw him, but with permis-
sion to walk around in another hospital
than that where he was on Sunday last
Stokes health is more broken at present
than even is known to himself, and Dr.
James r. Wood, who was his private ply
slcIan, has been astonished, it is said, that
Stokes system has lasted so long under so
hard fate as he has had for the past five
years. Stokes has not yet determined
what he will do when he comes out Of pris-
on, but it may be understood that he is not
any longer married man, though his wife
sun lives, and he has daughter, heauti-
tul as accomplished girl, That he will be
a comparatively rich man when he is re-
leased it may here be stated, as his oil re-
h1ery works, which were carefully looked
after by Mrs. Stokes, his mother, who has
been very devoted to her unfortunate son
while he has been imprisoned, will be re-
turned to him, 1t was about these very