Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-10-10
SEVERAL CHARACTERS
In Drama and a Tragedy Of the
Past Called to Mind,

By the Retirement of Edward s.
Stokes from the Hoffman House
With w hich he Has Been Identi-
! fed SO Long How the Shooting
of "Jim" Fisk Nearly Led to
Stokes ssassination-A Tragic
/ Episode in the Career of Josie
Mansfield.
New York, October 9.-The retire.
ment of Edward S. Stokes from all
connection with the Hoffman House
has excited more than ordinary inter-
est in New York, where the mans per-
sonality is still a factor in popular
gossip and comment. III health is the
cause for this step on the part OF Mr..
stokes. He is sufferer from insom-
MA, and will go to Europe for treat
| ment. The death of James Fisk, Jr.,-
| whose meteoric career in the financial
theatrical and military world is still a
marvel of his generation-at the
! nands OF Stokes has always overshad-
owed the latter's life and his prema-
turely whitened locks bear eloquent
testimony to the physical and mental
efects upon him of the great tragedy
In which he was the prominent actor.
mere never was man who had
| more friends, male and female. than
Ned Stokes, and they chung to him in
! MS great trouble through everything.
HIS mother, fine old lady; his father,
! MS brother Horace, who was more
anxious and earnest than Ned him
/ sell; Reed, of the Hoffman House: and
any number of men and women were
ready at all times to do anything for
| MN, and spent no end of money to get
| him free
Fisk had his friends, too. and some
Oh them tried to avenge him, but their
Fehgence tailed to amount to anything
| practical
mere was man who kept a saloon
| near the Grand Opera House who was
great friend of Fisk's, and after his
ueath he started secret society to
! ayenge Prince Fries death called the
FISK Avengers. They met twice a
! week 1or several months, but they
never accomplished anything beyond
prdlslng FISK and cursing Stokes.
! o-ece Stokes came within an ace of
Delhg shot though he did not know it at
TIE tlme, and perhaps don't know if
even TO this Gay. There was a Young
/ broker who was a great friend of Fisk
ana 10 whom Fisk had often given
points ON the street, and this broker
mated Stokes on his own account So
I "Hen FISK was shot, he made I'D his
mind that, some how or other. Stokes
4 would never swing for it. He de-
! tefmlned to shoot Stokes himself
lie was a dead shot, and ALWAYS
carried a pistol, and was a man of
nerve so one morning he started
/ Gown town to attend the Stokes trial
WIN pistol In his pocket, and he had
resolved that day, in the court room or
When stokes was coming out of it. to
shoot nlm dead and take the conse-
quences. lie reached the court room
early, and secured a good seat. with
MS pistol in his pocket anxious and
determined TO fulfill his desperate pur-
pose.
Stokes was brought in, and he was
/ nearer ueath then, for about five min
uIes' imam ne ever was before; but.
Just as the broker was feeling for his
pistol, he saw beautiful woman
pechoHinS TO him. 1t was a woman
ne hadn't seen for several months. but
one he was soft on. She had quarrelleo
with him, and he was surprised at see
| ing her there and so delighted at her
deslre to speak to him, that he put his
pistol IN his pocket and Joined the wo-
man, who got him out of the court
room as soon as possible. She had
! been sent there by a friend of Stokes.
VINO was also friend of the brokers'
and who knew how desperate the bro
ker was, and who had hit upon this
way OF making him forget his purpose:
and really, it was about the only way
he could have succeeded, and, ten to
one, 1t saved that morning the life of
Edward S. Stokes.
The life of Josephine Mansfield, the
beautiful woman who was the direct
cause of the Fisk-Stokes tragedy. had
| subsequent remarkable incidents in ELL
rope, one of which is here for the first
time related. She appeared in Paris
where she made dazzling splurge and
was known for a while as ia belle
Americana" Among the men who
came across her was young fellow OF
good family, who had more money than
mind. He had his head complete ~
| turned by this woman, and what was
worse, got his heart attached to her.
Josie liked the young mans money,
and while it lasted had a good time
with it, but when he talked sentiment
she laughed in his face. They travelled
over the Continent together, and at
Rome had a quarrel, and Josie left him.
Like the fool he was, the youngster
wanted her to come back and he fol-
| lowed her to Paris.
One day she was riding in her car
rage in the Bots. He rushed up to the
carriage and pleaded with her to re-
turn to him. He called her pet names
IN the street. The people around be-
gan to laugh, and Josie never could
stand ridicule-no woman can.
So she told her coachman TO drive on
He obeyed orders, whipped his horses,
and as the rich young fool happened to
be in the way, her horses drove over
him. Josie never looked back to see
whether the man who loved her was
hurt. This public light was too much
fn1a hn F=Nf of /