The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-07-31
EDWARD 5. Stokes PAssIAe AWAY.
The Story Of > Famous Tragedy
Recalled.

E4e 9gQgy 81 = FAMOUS Tragedy
Recalled.
The central figure in one of the most
city, man who took murder upon his
soul for a woman's sake, is making
another bold fight for life.
Edward s. Stokes is very ill. Three
times has be fought in court for his life
and won. Now be is fighting for life
again. He is victim of 'speryes.." In
mid life be is broken down, hsggsEd and
worn, physical wreck.
Wherever he has been the public have
recognized him. His personality has
intensified bis notoriety. The human
interest in him has been continuously
keep, The fact that he killed . man be-
cause of . womani that be was three
times tried for murder, and that the wp.
man in the case who deserted him in his
disgrace still lives, is yet comeIy and by
no means existing in oblivion, is recalled
by friends each time Stokes name il
mentioned or Josie Mansfield is referred to.
It was supposed at the time Of the
Stokes trial that every scrap of writing
in existence pertaining to the three prin-
cipals in the tragedy was in the possession
Of the counsel tor the prosecution or the
defense.
Jay Gould, who relentlessly pursued
Stokes, paid enormous prices for an = thing
that could be used to injure Stokes or,
on the other hand. protect Fisk's memory.
The letters printed in the Sunday World
have recently been sacredly preserved all
these years-locked away carefully in
the private safe of well-known lawyer
to whom they were cohfided. Sunday
World readers will read them With keen
interest. They reveal new side to the
inner life of men whose most sacred
thoughts were supposed to have been laid
bare more than score of years back.
The story of Josephine Mans6eld's
treachery, of James Fisk's weakness and
dishonor and of Edward Stokes revenge
IS old enough to be new. It's twenty six
years ago since Stokes, then said to be
"the handsomest man in New York." in
cold blood shot James Fisk, who was his
predecessor in q woman's favor. Fisk
was partner of Jay Gould, and known
with Gould and Drew spd old Commodore
Vanderbilt a. one of the "Erie kings" in
those days when that group of men
controlled the money interests of the
country.
OF all the people actively interested in
that bloody transaction, of all the distin.
guished men actively participating in
the three trials of Stokes-the counsel
on both sides, the experts, the witnesses,
almost the entire dramatis personae, all
have passed off the stage-all but the
leading figures of that story of intrigue
and death-Josephine Mansfield and
Stokes.
Stokes IS stricken with mortal disease
of the body. Those who know him best
and know how much of good there is in
him say he has been soul-sick man
these many, many years, and that since
the hour of Fisk's death he has never
known moments peace of mind.
Fisk was Vermont Yankee, and
started in life as a peddler, succeeding
his father in the business. He married
while quite young, and his wife, Lucy,
used to ride in the peddler's cart with
him and assist in disrosing of the tinware
and dry goods which composed his stock.
Inc peddler wagon was characteristic of
the Jim Fisk of later days. 1t was dec
grated with lite. size portraits of the ped
dler and his wife, with their Christian
names IN shining letters under the Won
derful works Of art-James and Lucy.
Fisk was shrewd and good .natured. al
ways clever advertiser. He soon set nm
several establishments, aud the country
rang with praise of Fisks travelling
wagons, as they were called.
The breaking out of the war gave Fisk
ms hrst opportunity to speculate. He
obtained big contract for furnishing
pnderclothing to the troops, and made
half million dollars in a few months.
lie then bought an interest in Jordan &
MaTshs immense Boston dry goods house,
and manipulated q corner in cotton that
brought him into prominence all over the
world as shrewd and daring speculstor.
tie naturally turned to Wall street, and
shortly hls name was coupled with that of
Gould and Drew. Fisk was called .the
Prince OF Erie" He entertained lavishly,
and was on friendly terms with actors and
actresses. About this time he met Joseph.
Inc Y ansheld, woman whose beauty was
OF the order to attract . man of Fisk's
Qualities.
NO one doubts Fisk's love for this black
eyeo, rosy clipped, buxom young woman.
During all the historical litiustions be.
tween Fisk, Drew and Vanderbilt. Miss
mansheld's home, in Twenty third street,
was to Fisk the one haven of security.
When Black Friday, With its scenes ap-
palling of ruin and desolation, drove men
to madness, and crowds Of those who had
been made penniless in one hour by
Gould's master stroke would have muir
dered Fisk and Gould bad they shown
themselves. Flax, Gould and Tweed were
concealed for one week in Miss Mans |
fields house at this time.
Now Stokes first appears, Unlike either
fisk or any of his companionS who were |
Miss Mans6elds friendae Stokes was
man of birth and education. Stokes be.
came steady visitor. The woman de-
ceiyed Fisk for nearly year, and during
that time the coarse, good hearted Erie
King helped Stokes to make money. Fisk,
when be began to doubt, did just what q
man Of his stamp would do-hired de.
tectiye and for months he knew every
move made by the pair. Qvegcopvinced
Of Stokes treachery, he determined to
make him powerless by ruiaing him finan.
cially. He knew that the woman would
cling to no man who could not support
her in aff1uence.
On the night of January Z, 1871, Stokes
vas arrested at the Hoffman House on the
charge of embezzling money from the
Brooklyn Oil Refining Company. The