The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-03
N.n,oeld rr.nty-third street house.

INA h0n40BiQ lNCnty-ttbhe tt'
He got to inviting there bis newly,made
friend and protege, the dangerously hand
some Stokes. In his own jovtal confidence
intkis man, whom he made his boon com
panion, Fisk remained long bhIsu SiD ross
and his friend. But suspicion at last came,
and with the suspicion action. For action
followed very quickly upon the heels OF q
fixed purpose In Fisk's mind.
Is FISK HAD STONES WATCHED.
2 To confirm absolutely his own distrust
he EMPLOYED detectives. He quickly had
ali ard more than all the evidence he wanted.
Then he started in on a campaign OF re-
yengc. He threw Mansfield overheard.
He attacked young Stokes N tne courts;
and Stokes was arrested on n charge OF
embezzlement in connection with the oil
business. Miss Mansfield retaliated by
turning over 10 Stokes letters SAID 10 COM
promise Flax badly with the Iweed gang
An Indictment was found, against Stokes.
There were other troubles, and finally
Stokes decided to kill Fisk.
On the dny that Fisk was shot. Stokes
drove from the City Hall TO the Norman
House, where he then made hts home.
From the Hoffman House he drove u, the
Mansfeld's in T~wenty-third street; from
there TO Seventh avenue; thence down
Seventh avenue to Fourteenth street:
along Fourteenth street to Fifth avenue;
down Fifth avenue to Fourth street, and
90 across 20 Broadway, where he was IN
the vicinity Of the Grand Central Hotel.
In his defence he positively ewore mat
he didn't know Fisk was at the Grand ten-
trail Hotel, or likely to be there. The jury
on his first trial evidently didn't believe
this story, for they found him guilty OF
murder In the first degree. II was affirmed
bv the prosecution that Stokes did know
Fisk was there, or would he there To see
a Mira, Morse, whose husband many years
before had hefriended Fisk when he was
a boy Just starting In life-a favor which
Fisk did not forget, for In his will he LEFT
Mrs. Morse an annuity OF 5000.
STOKES IN WAIT FOR HIS VICTIM.
At all events, whom Fisk reached the
ladies' entrance Of the Grand Central,
Stokes was already In the house and, as
the prosecution asserted. waiting at the
head Of the stairs OF tho ladies' entrance
for Fisk to appear, ", mh ,ho f sssir n,a s Sr5
resting his arm on the post at the end OF
the balustrade, deliberately fired a shot,
which struck Fisk in tho breast and re-
Stokes. after his fin shot fired another,
which made a fesh wound In .ffsk's arm
Then he fed through the ladies ,parlor'
throwing his pistol under a sofa as he ran.
He was headed off and captured IN me
rear Of the office or the floor, below, as he
was making his way toward the Mercer
street en'-ance OF the hotel
His plea at the time was self-defence'
he alleging that the meeting vas a TS,-
dental: that when he saw Fisk first FISK
had a pistol in his hand. which no was
aiming at Stokes, and that seeing this,
Stokes fired and got in tho first shot Inc
only pistol found near Fisk was under, a
sofa IN the parlor-the sofa on which he
was first laid after being shot; There
were witnesses who testified that they saw
Stokes himself throw the pistol there
Stokes was convicted and sentenced 10
be hanged on Feb. q, 1873. He obtained
a new trial and was again convicted; a
third trial was granted. and he was found
guilty of murder in the second degree
He served four years at Sing SIM
sroKEs's REMARKABLE CHARM.
=. When the Prince of Erie, a. Fisk was
known In those days. took up Stokes he
recognized in him n peer in craft: But I'd
ward Stokes had in addition TO his shrewd-
ness a mar ming person. Even IN ms later
years the most virulent OF MS thousahus
Of enemies called him a handsome man
He possessed n grace of body and manner
and an actual beauty Of face that his ac-
ouaintancez of later years could not
imagine. Stokes conquered women with
ease, Al least the women with whom his
associ ates then focked. The hot rum
epoch had ended, and the champagne era
OF Wall Street was just beginning. When
the winners each day left care behind In
their Offices and sought relaxation In
lighter scenes, IL Stokes was OF the party
the Others found themselves nonentitieS.
The women were drawn to him as 70 a
young god. One said at the time that
his heart must he a magnet. IL was not a
bad phrase, for his heart was IKE steer,
His fascination extended TO one-half the
men as well as all the women In his society.
The intense manliness OF Stokes IN those
DAYS aroused admiration for him, hls
whole bearing attracted FISK. FISK was
ponpous, and he had the bearing oil a
f. braggart; he was intensely vain. His waved
mustache, his love Of display, his passion
for j~ewelry. are still remembered. FISK
put chances In Stokess way-gave nm
opportunities for making money that ne
--.I - ha.-n ,aVUunZaAI nnainAd. Inc
help was given from genuine liking. Every
body in Wall Street saw that, and II was
agreed that Stokes had cause To be grateful.
Stokes caressed his dropping black. mus
tache. accepted everything, and sad niue
II was not to be expected hat a mar Like
Fisk using all weapons TO shape his own
ends, and with absolute unscrupulouShess
OF handling, should give perfect trust 70
even an intimate friend. and despite me
fascination that Stoke- exercised upon
Pisk there were times when the protuberani
bosom Of Fisk was filed with doubts 81
lila friends good faith Then he would
regard stokes out Of the corners OF his
eyes like O suspicious BULLDOG.
.Ned's a nice fellow, he said In one
" these moments uf uncertainty, "a nice
fellow; but ! wouldn't trust him further
than that with n snap - ~ hugrft 70
mark the utmost boundary - cpnidHhcr
When fisk discovered that Stoke "as
foremost Ia the affections ~ Josie Maii-
field, he stopped Josi''r allDvarcc, started
IT. 10 ruin Stoke IN his Wal Street -ls-cul,-
tions. and diso rmlnatsi against stoke
IA the shipments ~ ou tIJlu IA" iru+-A4 D.
vanla regions Stok,s Understood al that
NAs going Oh, yet tie sturdy gam 9
nerve never fai'.t him No' one - lie
fellow boarirf- - fhr H1rwln Huu," cav
lin oth.rNi- s han calm and perfectly c1i.-
pee 'As-.u- " Rr.,i wa "a" proprietor
~ tho H"riu4H House a. Nh" 10 e. N'ohes
exercised his fascination ~ uY ls0''l go
nen and Sousl cave Nj h""d lh" ia"d