The Washington times., 1901-11-03
{. S. STOKES PASSES AWAY
Death Comes at the Home of His
Sister IL New York City.

The End of n Remarkable Life-His
Later KiIIed-His business Career
After Leaving Sing Sing Prison
NEW YORK. Nov Edward S
Stokes, who shot Jim Fisk. died at 3
O'Clock this afternoon at the home Of his
sister Mrs. Howard McNutt, at Is; St
Nicholas Avenue after an illness of two
months. Bright disease was the cause
Of death.
Mr.. Stokes was taken i'll at his home.
209 West Seventy-ninth Street. and six
weeks ago was removed to the house
where he died. He seemed to improve
after the change. but few days ago, Mr
Stokes began to sink and his physician
Dr. John 5. Billings, said that death was
a question OF only few days at most
The sufferer became unconscious early
today. and died without recovering con-
sciousncss.
II was not generally known until after
Mr.. Stokes went to the home of his sis
tel that he had been living with a wo-
man. who says she is Rosamonde Lang
don Barclay and that she is his wife.
She said she married Mr.. Stokes in Can
ada more than year ago, and in state
cused Mr.. and Mrs. McNutt of calling at
the Seventy ninth Street houst and
''spiriting her husband away
1t is said that Miss Barclay is an oc-
toroon. and that she met Stokes more
than two years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Nc
Mutt say they have no knowledge of a
marriage between Mr.. Stokes and the
woman, and they do not know anything
about her, except that she called al their
home several times in her efforts to see
Mr.. Stokes. The woman says she can
prove her rights. and it is half expected
by Mr.. Stokes friends that she will fight
for share of his property.
a rumor was spread today that she was
taken before Mr.. Stokes a few days ago.
and in the presence of Mr.. and Mrs. Nc
Mutt said she had no claim lIpon him.
When Mr.. AIcNutt was asked about this
tonight he said to a reporter:
Il have no desire TO discuss that You
may say for me that I deny any state
ment made about this woman appearing
in this house.
It is believed that Mr. and Mrs. McNutt
have come to some kind of understanding
with the alleged widow. because a few
days ago she and her mother. who were
residing at the Stokes house, suddenly
packed Up al their furniture and left.
They did not say where they were going.
1t was said they went to Yonkers.
Edward Stiles Stokes was born in PhiIa-
delphia in 1871. His father, a brother OF
Jas. Stokes, of New York. was man Of
comfortable fortune ard young Stokes
had good education. He came to New
York when he was about twenty years
old, and began business as a produce
dealer. Then he went into the petroleum
business with his father and they built
q refining plant at Hunters Point 1t was
known as the Brooklyn Refining Com
pany. II was the height of the TweetSi
ring days then. and James Fisk. jr., Sc
NOR partner Of the great Wall Street firm
of Fisk. Gould & Martin, was in all the Z
glory Of his half-Falstafiian, half-Hindoo-
nabeb career.
he controlled the Erie Railroad: and on
his own account he owned the Fall River
and Bristol lines of steamers. He was
colonel of the Ninth Regiment and in the
full effulgence of his fiorid taste for dia-
monds and the blue and gold of military
and naval uniforms. Fisk's house was an
Aladdin palace III those days, given over
10 rolicklng suppers and general ri0tous
living This house was at $50 West Twen-
ty-third Street. The head of Fisk's house
was Helen Josephine Lawler Mansfield.
tlsks wife Mrs. Lucy D. Fisk, lived
at the old New York Hotel when she
was IN town, but spent most Of the time
at Fisk's country home in Vermont
1t was at this stage Of Fisk's career that
ne met Stokes. The young oil manufac-
turer was already a conspicuous figure in
the Delmonico district He was notably
handsome man Of twenty-five years. with .
regular eatureS keen grey eyes and a &
fine head of curly black hair. thai then .
had in IL just one Splotch of that white
which by the time he was thirty-fve had .
spread over his entire poll, giving him .
that curious look Of a Young old man that
made him always observed in the streets
OF New York even by those who did not
know who he was
. Ihe relations between Fisk and Stokes
became Of the most cordial character.
ana the handsome young Philadeiphian
began TO make money fast. II was F-isk's
habit 10 invite his boon Cornuari0ns IA
the Twenty-third Street hG,isc. He cot Ia
inviting there his newly-made friend and
pFotege, the dangerously handsome
stokes. In his own jOyial confidence
IN this man Fisk remained long Unsgls-
Plclous Of treachery. But suspicion II
asst came and, with the suspicion. action.
FOR action followed very quickly upon
me neels OF liked purpose in Fisk 5
To confirm absolutely his own distrust
he employed detectives. He quickly had
ii and more than ali the evidence he
Then he started in on a cam
Daign OF revenge. He abandoned the
Mansfield woman He attacked young |
stokes IN the courts, and Stokes was ar
-ested on charge of embezzlement in
connection with the oil business Jcse-
Dhine Mansfield retaliated by tuning
lver to Stokes letters said to comproIn-
Sc Fisk badly with the Tweed gang An
Indictment was found aginst Stokes
There were other troubles, and finally
stokes decided to kin Fisk
On the day that Fisk was shot Stokes
grove from the city hall to the Holman
House, where he then made his home
From the Hoffman House he drove 10
Josephine Mansiield's IN Twenty-tbird
Street; from there to Seventh Avenue
-hence down Seventh Avenue to Four !
.eenth Street; along Fourteenth Street TO
tlfth Avenue: down Fifth Avenue To |
ourtS street. and so across to BROAD !
way. where he was in the vicinity of the
Trand Central Hotel. In his defence he !
positively swore that he did not know |
rlst was at the Grand Central Hotel !
lr likely to be there The Jury on his !
irst trial evidently did not believe this |
,tory, Tor they found him guilty OF muir | .
Ter IN the first degree 1t was affirmed ! !
~ the prosecution that Stokes did know [ !
lsk- was there, OF would be there to sec Z
!. 1drs. Morse, whose husband many years J
)efore had befriended T. isR wien he was I
! boy Just starting in life-a favor which
tlsk did not forget, for in his will he left :
Mrs. Morse an annuity Of 5000.
AZ all events. when Fisk reached the { ,
adles' entrance Of the Grand Central ,
stokes was already in the house, and. as
he prosecution asserted waiting At The ,
lead Of the stairs OF the ladies' entrance
or Fisk to appear. When Fisk did ap-
,ear and was part way up the stairs. I
stokes, resting his arm on the post at |
/