The herald., 1893-11-12
JOSIE MANSFIELD ONCE MORE,
She and Her Husband Agree
to Disagree.
The Separation of Two Well-Known
Characters.
Adventurous Career of the Once Fair
Woman for Whom Jim Fisks
Was Killed = Her Long
Retirement.

A New York dispatcth to the San
Froncisco Chronicle is as follows:
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert L. Read have
agreed to disagree. They have parted
company on anything but amicable
terms, Mrs. Read remaining in Paris
while her husband has returned to New
York with the intention of settling
down in his native land and allowing
the Atlantic to roll between himself and
his wife. Mrs. Read was probably the
subject of more gossip 20 years ago than
any woman who had ever lived in this
hemisphere. That was long before che
met the man from whom she has now
separated. 1t was on her account that
Edwerd s. Stokes killed James Fiske,
jr.. on the stairs of the Grand Central
hotel.
She was then known as Josie Mans
field. She was wonderfully charming at
the time she ensnared gallant Colonel
Fiske. Her emart carriages, her gor-
geous diamonds and her fetching
dresses, ell gifts of the great operator in
Erie stock, were the talk OF the city.
Her name was a household word. Bon
nets, mantles and peculiar fashions in
hair-dressing were named after her.
She quarreled with Fiske and he be-
came jealous of the attentions she re-
ceived from Stokes. After long bicker-
ings threats were made that all the let
ters and kilograms Fiske had sent her
would be published. The great specu-
lator obtained an Injunction preventing
Stokes makes these papers public, and
the shooting OF Fiske followed soon after
ward. Josie Mansfield sued Colonel
Fipke's widow for 5000, 900, claiming the
colonel owed her that amount.
She lost this suit and then went to
live in Boston. She found the Hub a
most uncomfortable residence, as crowds
followed her and hooted at her in the
streets. She fed to Paris, where she
has since resided.
Her first husband was Frank Lawler,
an actor Of some note. She was in San
Francisco at the time OF her marriage to
him. She and Lawler lived together
until 1860. and some years later Lawler
died. Her second husband belongs to
an excellent family. Her father, Robert
Read, was very wealthy, having been
one of the first and most extensive
property owners in Minneapolis. He
sold most of his American possessions
in 1876, and went to France with his
wife and two daughters. He was
drowned while bathing about nine
years later.
Robert l.. Read met Josie Mansfield
in the summer of 1891. She was still a
belle, although no longer young, and
had many adorers. She called hersel.
Mrs. Lawler. He was fascinated by her
and urged her to marry him. Immedi-
ately she was coy and told him to take
a while to consider we'll the step he pro-
posed taking. He returned to this city
and considered, but his desire to marry
in no way abated. .%
He gave dinner to some friends here
in September. 1891, and when lioueres
were served made this announcement !:
II am going to marry Josie Mansfield if
she'll let me. l think she has been
more sinned against than SHINING. She
ia the only person who can save me
from drinking myself to death. as | am
now doing. You all know how l have
lived"
His chums then drank to his health.
He told other friends few days after
ward that he was going to England to
visit his brother-in-law, Lord Falkland,
at his country seat in Yorkshire. The
next news was that he had married Mrs.
Lawler, in st. Georges church, Han
over square.
LONDON, Nov. S.-Mr. Reads mother
is q cousin of Mrs. LeviP. Morton. His
eldest slater was married to Gen. Fran
els Strachan, governor OF the Bermudas.
Capt. Byron Carey. aide 'de-camp to
General Stfachan, and who subse-
quently succesdsd to the title OF Wis
count Falkland, married the second
sister