The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-21
NetS York Press.


NeS York Pres.
The two women who played such
significant roles in the famous Fisk
Stokes tragedy OF twenty years ago are
living to-day. each in her own way.
Edward S. Stokes alone survives oil the
leading men; his part has been by some
described as that OF the hero, by others
as that OF the villain. The widow oil
his victim. James Fisk, ir., lives in pow
erty in Boston. She thinks Stokes was
the villain. 10 Josephine Mansfield
1awlor Read, living in dissolu!e atln-
ence in Paris, Stokes has always been
the hero.
Tho fact that the Erie Railway Com
pany has within few mouths gone into
the hands OF receivers could not iail To
bring up in the minds OF all veteran
New Workers, az well rs, more vaguely,
to the younger generation, who were no
more than children twenty years aEo,
the wonderful romance and stern bat
ties, the unparalleled audacity o! man
euver, the souandered gold and pur-
chased beauty that made the tirst Erie
receiyersnip q gilded stain upon the
financial history oil the United States
ONCE MRS. risks HOME.
The destruction of the New York
hotel, in which the widow OF flames Fisk,
ir., lived ior year or two after his
death ut a rate OF expenditure con.
sidered enormous even IN that pTohiga'e
day, made the lew who knew OF it think
once more OF the romance connecting
her name with that OF Frank Risley. the
proprietor at that time, who went into
bankruptcy soon atterward, owing her
notes for more than $3.50, 600, her friends
all believe, not one oil which was ever
paid.
Tho appearance on Broadway coca.
Hionally OF j. NJ. hall, esq, the shrewd
and sasaciou. counsellor in whose
bosom still reposes 30 many OF the Sc
crets of Fisk and Stokes and Gould and
Josie Mansfield, suggests to the few who
know him that it was Mr.. Hall himself
who prevented the publication OF the
famous, or, ii you choose, infamous tel
errams which passed between James
Fisk and William NJ. Tweed in those
perilous times.
While last and most refreshing OF all
to the recollection is the arrival in this
city Of Mr.. Read, once a man about
town and faVorite freeHenter OF New
York's clubs and more recently the
husband in Paris OF Josephine Mans
field herself.
JosEPHtSE's ORIGIN.
She was native Of Boston, where the
widow, one OF the victims OF her lawless
passion for Fisk and Stokes, is residing
in her old age. She was born there, an
only child, in 1910, and is now, there
fore, fifty-three years OF age. Her par
onts removed to Stockton, Cal, in 1852.
Her father was shot dead in a duel by
John Tabor a rival editor, her mother
married again, and Josie, Just building
into remarkably buxom beauty, fell in
love with Frank Lawlor, an actor in
Maguire's Opera House Company, and
in less than ten days she eloped with
and married LaWlor. She became u
matinee firt, and carried her filtration
10 the verge OF criminality
Among her admirers was DR..
w. P. Perley, an Englishman
law partner OF Judge David S. Terry,
who killed Senator David q. Broderick
in duel. Perley was wealthy, and for
him Helen Josephine showed marked
preference over all other admirers.
About one month after this acquaint-
ance bad been formed Perley was visit
ing at the house OF Mrs. Warren. He
was in the parlor with Mrs Lawlor at 2
o'clock in the afternoon. The door was
locked. Suddenly loud knocking was
heard at the door. Before the inmates
of the room had time to respond, the
door was burst open and Lawlor and
Warren rushed into tine room. Each
had cooked revolver in his hand
Lawlor quickly advanced to Perley and
placed the revolver to his head. War
rem stood guard at the door, while Mrs.
Lawlor pretended to faint. Lawlor said
to PerlGy:
"You Internal scoundrel, you have
been tampering with the elections OF
my wife. II you do not instantly sign q
check for $1,000 l will blow your brains
out"
DRIVEN FROM CALIFORNIA.
Lawlor then produced check already
filed up for the amount on John Sine
bank, only lacking the signature Of Per-
ley. Perley said that his visit was only
one Of friendship, and denied that he
meditatod evil. Lawlor told him that
he had no time TO parley, and Perley
signed tho check. When Perley escaped
ha bprriod IN tha hank and stnDnad nav
ment Of the check. He then published
the whole transaction in the daily news
papers, describing it rs u conspiracy by
Warren, Lawlor and his wife. He alec
sent a friend to Lawlor warning him out
of California within thirty DAYS on PEN
atty OF death. Lawlor was discharged
by Mr.. Mcguire, and, finding it impos-
sible to obtain an engagement on the
Pacific coast, he sailed with his wife for
New York.
In New York Josephine found u field
suited to her tastes. She got divorce
from LaWlor in 1867 soon after her ar
rival he.e, and met James Fisk, jr., that
same year. Mr.. Fisk, then one OF the
most conspicuous and successful bust.
ness men. soon established her in the
private residence No 259 West Twenty
third street, near Eric place-the grand
opera house block. Here her eStraya-
gance became the talk OF the town.
In November, 1859, just two years
after she met Fisk, josephine became
acquainted with Edward 5. Stokes, in
Philadelphia. Stokes was friend and
proteco Of Fisk. and Fisk often took
him down TO the Twenty.third street