The age-herald., 1901-11-03

New 1ork, fNoVeIhpeE S'-7N1N"o oi U Stokes, who is seriously i'll. has been gradually growing weaker for several days past and the physicians who att tend at his bedside have practically given up hope for his recovery. aStokes friends said today that they anticipated his death at any time now.
 From the Chicago Record-Herald.
 'fEd" Stokes is dying-dying of old age and perhaps regrets Tn few days as days go. he will cross to that unknown to which he sent "Jim" Fisk thirty years ago. There will be left then of an in- famous trio only woman-a broken down woman. Josie Mansfield.
 Lamia survives all Not the I,amia of the wine and gold days of Stokes and Fisk, but that one to whom Lycius look ed up and saw:
 "A horrid presence there,
 And each man felt the terror in his hair. Lamia! he shrieked, and nothing but
 the shriek, /.
 With its sad echo did the silence, break. 'Begone, foul dreaml he cried, gazing
 again es-
 In the brides face, where now no azure
 vein
 Wandered on fair-spaced temples-no
 soft bloom sEs Misted the cheek-no passion to Hume The deep-recessed vision. All was blight Lamia, no longer fair, sits, there, a asdead-
 ly white''
 There is. no failure so frightful as, the success of a demimondaine-a woman, who, as Dumars would say, bears upon her fairness a speck Thirty years ago, ''Josie'' Mansfield triumphed' over, the honor, the business affairs, the reputa- tions and the eternal happiness of 'Ed'' Stokes and Jim Fisk. She plunged the affairs of the Erie Railroad and Jay Gould. into whirlpool of litigation, scandal and shame that ended in murder 2 Fisk Is dead. Gould is at rest Stokes is dying. The Mansfield lives abroad Lamia turned to a deadly white.
 The Hebrew text said of such woman, Her feet take hold on helI'' q.
 'Ed' Stokes has told the story for years in his face His eyes have danced like those of man bounded with fear and dread His hair turned ,white-he has been guarded by. two detectives. He never sat in, a public place unless his position, was, with his back to a wall He seemed always to fear, an attack from behind, A light was always kept III iiiS at l41IleS- Ol lfllSeTy crossed and recrossed. his face. There has been no peace for him since he shot and killed his partner. Jim Fisk, and sold his own soul for the caresses of a wanton.
 "Jim" Fisk was the son of Vermont horse trader and peddler. He inherited from his father cunning, shrewdness, daring. unscrupulousnesS He was scarcely of age when he made Boston his home, where he devoted himself to the business of buying up legislatures de- bauching judges, putting highwaymen In office. ruining women, driving rivals to desperation. drink and suicide, swindling thousands and stealing millions.
 His intimate friend in Boston was Eben Jordan pillar of the church and commerce. When the Civil war came Fisk revealed to Jordan a trick or two. He induced him to take government con- tracts for furnishing the Union army with underclothing. They cleared a mill lion dollars on the deal. Patriotism D said Dr. Johnson, Ifs the last refuge of scoundrel.' Fisk worked the govern ment as patriot and laid the foundation of his fortune.
 When General Lee was driven back