Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-11-04
EDWARD S. STOKES.

Edward S. Stokes, the slayer OF Col
onel "Jm" Fisk and one of the most
picturesque characters in New York
history, died at $3.50 O'Clock Saturday
afternoon at the residence Of his sister
Mrs. Howard McNutt, in New York.
Stokes suffered from kidney trouble for
yesrs, but it was not until short time
sgo that it was positive y determined
that he had BIight's disease.
While lravelir g 10 Canada in Sep,em'
Der, be became Ill and premonition
that il would be his last illness came Ia
him, He hurried to New York and
went TO his home. Waiting for him
there was Rossmond Barclay, woman
who bad been his companion for years.
Through her il fluence Stokes became
recoDoiled 10 his cousin w. E. ID. Stokes,
eiter which he was removed to the resi-
dence Of Mrs. McNutt. The Barclay
woman then asserted that be had been
taken away against bis will and hers,
and that she was his wife. Within three
days the woman, her mother aud her
brother left for parts unknown. The
prince OF gamblers, an Aladdin like pro-
duct OF early New York, was the Med"
Stokes of his prime. The young man
was educated at the Quaker City High
School sni bsgsn serious struggle OF
life as clerk in a stock brokers'
Office instead Of going to college.
He was q handsome, athletic youth,
with a wonderful charm Of personal
magnetism he was 2 brilliant success
rom The start sld soon found the smart
tricks of fua IT, which he mastered,
too good 70 80 wasted in the narrow
confnts ll Lis Pnllsdelphia environ
uent. no went TO New York at the
i;as whea Wall street Wss eeethinR
ad boiliag under the lashes OF "Jim"
Fisk, Jay Gould, William u. Wander.
Oilt and the Tweed horde of gamblers.
The youth OF twenty-five plunged
into the fercest OF the maelstrom, and
it was not long before he attracted the
interest OF no less a personsge than
Jim" Fisk, then President Of the Erie
Railroad Company, the leader 10 the
widest Wall street speculation, the
ruler Of uptown gay life at night, and
.ne redoub,sble colonel OF the Ni9th
regiment.
Ia 1869 and 1870 the friendship be-
tween stokes and Fisk was the talk Of
the metropolis. Stokes, with his cap
tivating personality and wonderful
skill 10 WiG men aud women with his
schemes, was used 10 many ways by
he man who, for brief period, held
New York Ia the palm OF bis hand.
Fisk IN turn put Ned" Stokes into
Ieals where be won thousaDds--like
fading the money in the street. II
was Damon and Pytbias done over in
me modern gold and glamour of untold
millions until a WomsD's shadow fell
across the cleaning way-the shadow
OF a woman from the gilded world OF
their own crestion-Josie Mansfield.
The woman had caught Jim" Fisk
10 tolls which none of the desperate
groups OF those dsys-the Tweed ring,
the cut-,broats of Wall street-had
been strong enough to cast about him.
She had him completely eDamored.
He lsVished riches on her. She reign
ed the mistress of brown stone man
sion and her at-h0mes were crowded,
al the command of Jim" Fisk, with
the leading personages of financial and
Bohemian life.
Fisk drew all the gay world near to
marvel at the beauty OF his mistress,
that he might be envied the more.
Aud the dsshiDg Ned" Stokes was
nis master OF ceremonies. Stokes was
The Fisk right.hsnd man until his
vanity prostrsted him before the
onarma OF his benefactor's idol. Swift
and deadly Was the resentment Of
Fisk.
The woman Yves cast upon the
streets, her gorgeous fneries torn from
her clutch. Stokes was pursued In
Wall street by the unseen, merciless
hand Of Fisk. His riches melted away
before the wstchful, svenging power,
always dashing his deals to destruc-
ton. With the desperation of the
sinking gambler, Stokes finally sued
Fisk for 5000, 900, threatening to pub
lish his letters and secret associations
with both Josie Mansfield and the
Tweed ring. The Fisk vengeance was
halted for q brief moment
Then Fisk obtsined possession OF the
discriminating documents and the pur-
suit of Stokes was resumed. The wom-
an sued Fisk for $4,000 damages. She
and Stokes were held up in court by
the Fisk lawyers on January 4, 1872, to
the most crushing iRnominy and con
tempt. Ibe desperation OF the once
proud. defiant Stokes could not further
oe restrained. o. the following day
stokes met Fisk coming down the
stairs at the Grsud Central Hotel and
shot him dead.
Fisk's hnsnois1 aud social followers
we're legion. The sentiment of the
public was a. fever best against Stokes
Fax was the close financial partner o.
Jay Gould. The trial Of Stokes was
short and decisive. He was convicted
b. the jury and sentenced to be hang.
ed. As the verdict OF "guilty" wat
pronounced Stokes arose in court
trausfxed the foreman OF the jury with
piercing gaze sud exclaimed dram 'ti'
cal'y: "Jsy Gould has done thiF."
Stokes got stay and q new trial
HIS father vent on from Philadelphia 4
spend mis- entire fortune in the effort Il
save the young mans life. While con