The times., 1897-06-28
GAINS MARK ON STOKES.
''Ghosts" Haunting TO His Grave
Jim Fisk's Murderer.

Jim FISk'S Murderer.
The central figure in one of the most
famous tragedies ever enacted in this
city, man who took murder upon his
SOU for woman's sake. is making an
other boId fight for life.
Edward s. Stokes is very i'll. Three
times has ne fought in court for his life
and won Now he is fighting for life
again. He is victim of nerves In
nid-life he is broken down, haggard and
Worn, physical wreck.
Wherever he has been the public have
recognized him. His personality has in
tensiiied his notoriety The human IN
terest in him has been continuously keen.
The fact that he killed man because OF
q woman, that he was three times tried
for murder, and that the woman IN the
case, who desc rted him in his disgrace
stll lives, is yet conely and by no means
existing i'll oblivion, is recalled by friends
each times Stokes name is mentioned III
Josie Mansfield is referred to.
1t 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 posses
sion of the counsel either for the proSecu-
ton or the defense
Jay Gould, who relentlessly pursued
stokes, paid enormous prices for any
thing that could be used to injure Stokes
or, on the other hand, protect Fisk's
memory The Iaters printed in the Sun
day World Yesterday have been sacredly
.u
carefully n the private safe Of a we'll
known lawyer to whom they were con-
fided They reveal d new side to the
inner life OF men whose most sacred
thoughts weIe supposed 10 have been laid
bare more than d score of years back.
The story OF Josephine Nansfeld's treaeh-
cry, of James FIsk's weakness and dis
honor, and of Edward Stokes revenge is
old enough 70 be new. tits twenty-six
years ago since Stokes, then said to be
1.-THE handsomest man in New YORK. In
cold blood shot James Fisk, who was his
predecessor in woman's favor Fisk
was partner OF Jay Gould. and known
with Gould aad Drew and old Commodore
Vanderbilt as one of the Erie kings in
those days when that group of men Con-
trolled the money interests of the country.
OF all the people actively Interested in
that bloody transaction, of all the dis
tineuished men actively participating In
the three trials Of Stokes-the counsel on
both sides, the experts, the witnesses, al
most the entire dramatis personae, all
have passed Off the stage-all but the lead
ing figures of that story of intrigue and
deatC, Josephine Mansfield and Stokes
Stokes is stricken with a mortal disease
OF the body, Those who know him best
aud Know how much or good there Is in
him say he has been a soui-sick man
these uiaBy, many years, and that since
the hour of Fisk's death he has reyer
known q 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 pe'idler's cart with him and assist
in disposing of the tinware and drygoods
which composed his stock The peddler
vagoi- was characteristic of the Jim Fisk
OF later days. 1t was decorated with
life-siZe portraits OF the peddIer and his
wife, with their Christian names in shin
ing letters under the wonderful works OF
art--Jarles and Lucy. Fisk was shrewd
and gOod-natured, always a clever adveF-
tiser. He soon set up several establish
ments, aud the country round rang with
praise of Fisk's travelling wagons, as they
were called.
The breaking cut Of the war save Fisk
bis first opportunity to speculate. He
obtained big contract for furnishing under-
clothing to the troops, and made half a
million dollars in few months. He then
bought an interest in Jordan 4 Alarsh's
immense Boston dry goods house, and
manipulated a cornerin c..ton that brought
him into prominence all over the world
as shrewd and daring speculator. He
naturally turned to Wall street, and shortly
his name was coupled with that of Gould
and Drew. Fisk was called 1.-THE Prince
of Erie.'' He entertained lavishly, and
was on friendly terms with actors and
actresses. About this time he met Josephine
Mansfield, woman whose beauty as of
the order to attract man of Fisk's
qualities.
No one doubts Fisk's love for this black
eyed, rosy-lipped, buxom young woman.
During all the historical ntigations be-
tween Fisk, Drew and Vanderbilt, Miss
Mansfield'S home, in Twenty-third street,
was to Fisk the oue haven OF security
When Black Friday, with it's scenes appal-
ling of ruin and desolation, drove men to
madness, aud crowds ofthose who had been
made penniless in one hour by Gould's
master stroke would have murdered Fisk
and Gould, had they shown themselves,
Fisk, Gould and Tweed were concealed
for one week in Miss Mansfield's house ut
this time.
Now Stokes first appears. Unlike either
Fisk or any of his companions who were
Miss Mansfield's friends, Stokes was a
man of birth and educa ton. Stokes be-
came a steady visitor. The woman de
ceived Fisk for nearly year, and during
that time the coarse, good-hearted Erie
king helped Stokes to make money. Fisk.
when he began to doubt, did Just what
a man of his stamp would do. hired
detective, and for months he knew every
move made ty the pair. Over convinced OF
Stokes tTeachery, he determined to make
him powerless by running him financially.
He knew that the woman would cling to
no man who could not support her In
affluence.
On the night OF January Z, 1871, Stokes
was arrested at the Hoffman House on
the charge OF embezzlmg money from the