St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-13

But his tastes weraf ne direction of the
theatre, and he waited cor an opportunity to
present ITSELF 1t came when poor Ned
Adams made him his advance agent in 1870.
)ne year of this and Mr.. Abbey leased the
Akron (0hio( Opera House, and failed dis
asterously. From that time to this he has
been active in every department Of theatrical
management. Some years he has made @
great deal of money, and again he has been
as poore as the traditional church mouse.
He has managed all the big stars, including
Lolita, Barnhardt, Booth, Patti, Nilsson,
Langtry, Coquelin and Irving, with varying
success. He has had his own theatres and
his own companies in both New York and
London and lost and made in both enter
prises. Indeed, he has had more ups and
downs than any theatrical manager l know
of, and at least half dozen large fortunes
have slipped through his fingers. Perhaps
it is because of this that he takes the success
attending his latest ventures so calmly.
Abbey is the Napoleon of American mana
gers. He accepts success and defeat with
equal grace. Nothing disturbs him. He
never becomes excited. ALI his plans are
carefully made. He has splendid corps of
chance. And so if any one of his numerous
schemes fails, as they have time and again, he
has no regrets, for failure came through no
fault Of his.
The seemingly endless quarrel between
Ed. Stokes and his cousin ". E. D. Stokes is
once more in the courts, and serves to again
call attention TO one of the most interesting
and picturesque personalities of these later
times. Before the killing of jim Fisk, the
public in general knew nothing about Mr..
Stokes. What it learned then was that he
belonged to a respectable family, but had
been rather wild. Fisk crossed his path for
a woman, bounded him good deal, and, it
was said, also threatened his life. Then
came the shooting in the Grand Central
Hotel, followed by Stokes long Imprisonment
in the Tombs and the still longer one at
Sing Sing Certainly, no one imagined that
SD Stokes would ever be man of note in
the community, with SO very dark a cloud
hanging over him. He served his term at
ling Sing, and soon after his release he went
o California. Very little was heard of him
or some time. Only his personal friends
knew how he was employed there. No one
had any thought that, having been down so
that makes men rise was in him. After
while New Workers heard that magnificent
bar, the most elaborate and costly in the city,
had been opened in the Hoffman House, with
Ed. Stokes as proprietor, and they went in
thousands to see it. 1t certainly was worth
seeing, the pictures and statues alone repre-
senting small fortune. The bar flourished,
and after another while it became known that
the Hoffman House itself was largely owned
by Stokes. Its business grew rapidly and
Stokes made money fast. He also made the
acquaintance of number of Wall street
men, for his bar became the favorite up
town resort. 7>;yae
= Gradually his footing among the Wall
street men became firm, and they, on the
other hand, gradually recognized in him an
uncommonly able business man. He went
into Wall street himself and made some
pretty good turns. He also became inter-
ested in quiet way in local politics. Now
he is most influential in Tammany Hail. and
counts its leaders as his personal friends.
Senator Hill greets him as an equal, and has
often made his hotel his abiding place in this
city. In business circles his ability as a
fnancier is recognized, and causes far more
comment than does the tragedy of his life.
Roscoe Conkling confessed that he could not
help admiring this man, and altogether the
best portrait of Conkling hangs conspicuous
ly in Mr.. Stokes hotel. General Arthur, even
while he was president used to meet Stokes
cordially, and did not disdain to sit after he
retired from the presidency in what is called
Stokes art gallery. Colonel Ingersoll often
declares that this man is gifted with what is
called personal magnetism and financial abil-
tiles of the highest order, which would have
made him take rank among the geniuses Of
finance but for that overshadowing stain
upon his career. OF course, Stokes has no
social standing although his family is of the
highest in this city. He is compelled to seek
society where perhaps he best enjoys it, in the
companionship Of men of intellectual ability
He has been making money very rapidly.
His investments are widespread, and some
of them will require good deal of nursing
before they will be profitable, but he is al
ready ranked among the millionaires, and it
is predicted that if his prosperity and judg-
ment continue he will become before ten
years have passed one of the very rich men
of New York. A wonderful success this, for
a man who once stood in the shadow Of the
gallows!
Army officers are looking forward with in
terest to the coming of General Nelson A.
!. Il - ~