Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-11-17
Josie Mansfield.

| Josie ManSlclu,
Mr.. and Mrs. Robt. l.. Reade have
agreed to disagree. They have parted
company on anything but amicablt
terms. Mrs. Reade remains in Paris
while her husband has returned to New
York with the intention of allowing the
Atlantic to roll between himself and
his wife.
Mrs Reade was probably the subject
of more gossip twenty years ago than
any woman who had ever lived in this
hemisphere. That was long before she
met the man from whom she has now
separated. 1t was on her account that
Edward S. Stokes killed James Fisk,
jr., on the stairs of the Grand Central
Hotel, New York. She was then
known as Josie Mansfield.
She was wonderfully charming at the
time she ensnared the gallant Colonel
/ ak, more than score of years ago.
Her 'mart carriages, her gorgeous dia.
monds I'D her fetching dresses-all
riffs oftbe ,~reat operator in Erie stock
Swere s m the 7alt- of the city. Her name
was household "; ord, Bonnets, man
ties and peculiar fas' 'hion OF dressing
the hair were named afte." her;
She quarreled with Fisk a,nd ne be-
came jealous of the attention seue re-
ceiyed from Stokes. After long bick 'r-
ings threats were made that all the let
tiers and kilograms Fisk had sent he
would be published. The great specu-
lator obtained an injunction preventing
Stokes from making these papers pub
lie. The shooting of Fisk followed soon
afterward.
Josie Mansfield sued Colonel Fisk's
widow for 100000, claiming that the
colonel had owed her that amount.
She lost this suit and then went to live
in Boston. She found the Hub most
uncomfortable residence, US crowds fol-
lowed her and hooted at her in the
streets. She fled to Paris where she
has since remarked.
Her first husband was Frank Lawlor,
an actor of some note. She was in San
Francisco at the time of her marriage
to him. Her maiden name was War
ren. Lawlor, after the Fisk shooting,
declared in an interview that he had
married her to protect her from her pa
rents, who had tried to blackmail
man named Farley through her. She
and Lawlor lived together until 1860.
She met Fisk in the house of Mrs.
Annie Woods, in NewY ork, in 1870, and
requested an introduction. Lawlor
died some years ago.
Her second husband belongs to an
excellent family. His father, Robert
Reade, was very wealthy, having been
one of the first and most extensive
property owners in Minneapolis. Rob-
1T Reade sold most of his American
nos .'essions in 1876 and went to France
with h is wife and two daughters. He
was drowTued while bathing about nine
years later.
thick set, practiced law in New York
for some years. He enjoyed large in
come and he devoted more of his time
to merry companyithan to legal work.
He met Jose Mansfield in the sum
mer of 1891. She was still belle, al,
though no longer young, and she had
MANY admirers. She called herself
Mrs. Lawlor. He was fascinated by
her and urged her to marry him imme=
diately. She was coy and told him TO 20
take ample time and to consider well
the step he proposed taking.
He returned to New York and con-
sidered, and his desire to marry IN no
way abated. He gave q dinner 10
snma friends in September, 1891, and
when the liquors were served maze
| this announcement
u am going to marry Josie Mans
4eld if she'll let me. ! think she mas
'>een more sinned against than SHINING
Sba 'sthe only person who can save
me- me from drinking myself to death, as
am am doing ,eow. You all know no"
I've lived" -. C..
GEES health.
terward that he was going to 4S'ngianu
to visit his brother-in-law, Lord r.! ID
land, at his country seat, Shutters
kelfe, in Yorkshire. The next news
was that he had married Mrs. Lawler
in st Georges church, Hanover square,
London.
Mr.. Reade's mother is q cousin OF
| Mrs. Lev; P. Morton. His eldest Sis
ter was married to General Francis
Stroachap, Governor of the Bermudas
Captain Byron Cary, aide-de-camp to
General Stroachan, and who subse-
quently succeeded to the title of Wis
count Falkland, married his second Sis
ter. -.
Mr.. Read and wife have placed theil
differences in the hands of New York
LAWYERS for the purpose of arranging
equitable financial basis for their sep
aration. Mr.. Reass has expressed
willingness to make a handsome pro-
vision for his wife.