Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-18
RUDE TOUCH OF FATE
Jim Fiak's Widow, once n Rich
woman, DespOiIed of Her
wealth.

Bereft of fortune and friepds who
courted her society in the days when her
husband was one of the chief figures of
the financial world of New York, the
widow of the former king of the Erie
railroad, business associate of Jay Gould
and boon companion in New York's fast
est set, Mrs. Lucy ID. Fisk, widow of Colo
mel James Fisk, is now passing the last
years OF her life in comparative privation
in a room in two and half-story frame
dwelling, S26 X street, South Boston. Her
income is estimated 10 be Sc a week.
Those who are her conhdants say that
she has neither envy nor blame for those
who have been benefited by the misfoT-
tune that has made her poor, and who,
after the death Of James Fisk, fought to
drag from the grasp of the widow the for
tune that he left. There are but few of
the things that she saved from the wreck
OF the days of her prosperity left to Mrs.
Fisk Three times has fire visited the
houses where she lived, and Of the little
that she rescued only few photographs
faded with age and a badge remain to re-
call to her the time when a fortune in its
day as magnificent as any of the vast ones
OF today was hers.
The fortune was not dissipated by her
acts nor did she help to squander it. For
almost before the funeral of her husband
took place men began trying to get posses
sion OF the Widows dover From the
moment the shot from the pistol Of Edward
s. Stokes struck the breast of James Fisk,
on the stairs OF the women's entrance TO
the Broadway hotel, misfortune has fol-
lowed the steps of the woman he took
from the little Vermont town to rule
mistress over his mansion in the metropolis.
But short time before he had found
her happDss and contented, the belle of the
mountain town, and offered himself and
his fortune He won her and from the
country village she was transferred TO the
magnihcence of city palace. No longer
did she delight I'm dreaming OF fairyland
where her wishes were obeyed. 1t was
now reality and she had but to make
known her desire TO have IL fulfilled. Moth
ing was too extravagant nor beyond the
willingness OF her husband.
But "A cloud soon came over her happy
life A newer face, not more beautiful
than hers, caught the fancy of the man.
A new nest was furnished for a new bird
with gaudy plumage.
Trials have spoiled the beauty of the
face that attracted James Fisk 20 the
Vermont belle in her little home town. but
they have produced a beauty of character
that makes her a loyahle woman and
pleasant neighbor to those who share her
humble surroundings.
Josie Mansfield, for whose smiles the
faithful wife was forgotten and whose
wiles led to the tragic death Of James Fisk,
fed from the place where her life became
notorious through the death of her lover.
Paris. with its gayeties, offered forgetful-
ness for time, but even there she could
not buy a good reputation, and while she
| lived from time to time she was recognized
/ by visiting Americans and the story OF her
life in New York and the tragedy Of which
/ she was the cause were repeated Death
/ has claimed her and Edward Stokes and
others concerned in the fall from high
position 10 poverty Of the widow Of James
| Fisk. but Mrs. Fisk has no word OF blame
/ for them, and in hopes OF meeting a like
I forgiveness from her Maker she bears no
malice toward their memory, nor does she
I envy them their wealth Of which they de-
prived heT.-New York World.