The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
Josie Mansfield, in Poverty,
Seeking to Enter Convent.
ONCE A MOST FAMOUS BEAUTY
Woman for Whose Sake "Jim" Fisk
Was Killed Reveals Her Identity
I'm south Dakota, where She Has
Lived for Some Years-StOFy of Love
OF Two Men for the same Woman.

Mansfield. the actress for whom Edward
s. Stokes shot down and murdered Jim
Fisk, jr., in the Grand Central Hotel.
New York. IN 1872. for seven years has
been a resident OF this city under the
name Of Mrs. Mary Lawler. yet IL vas
only recently her identity became known.
The woman is seventy years old. penni-
less and a paralytic. and is seeking en-
trance 20 a convent For several months
she has been living on the bounty Of
friends. and money for her support has
been raised by card parties and voluntary
subscription.
The woman who was the cause OF one
Of the greatest tragedies in the history Of
American finance is ending her days in
narrowing obscurity. There was no sus-
picion OF her Identity when she was
brought here in 1902 by NJ d. Flint al
that time one OF the most prosperous busi-
ness men in Watertown.
Flint was her brother. but there was
nothing in public knowledge TO connect
him with the woman whose beauty had
led TO the estrangement Of Fisk and
/ Stokes and lhe death OF Fisk by the hand
/ Of his former friend Flint lived in the
[ largest house in the city. and close 20 IL
he built small cottage for his sister.
He gave her two servants, and for five
! years she lived there IN ease and COM
/ fort Flint never even hinted 10 his most
intimate friends that the old woman was
Josie Mansfield. and he died without DIS
closing the secret
/ When she first came here the woman
was almost a helpless paralytlc She
gradually recovered strength and vigOr.
| however. and gave herself 20 deeds Of
charity. She went about in a carriage.
l helping the poor For that work she was
| supplied literally with money BY her
+ brother TWO years ago Flint died He
/ had failed 70 assign the cottage 70 his
I sister Ills estate was found 10 be in
lvolved, and only a small amount remained
after all creditors had been satisfied. The
woman lived sparingly on that remnant
until about three months ago. when she
/ came 20 the end o. her resources. She
had made many friends here and they
/ offered aSsistace. At first she refused
but finally she was forced 20 accept
She Is Recognized
Her identity was made known by an old
| commercial traveller. who recognized her
by the traces Of the beauty that cost FISK
his life and blasted the career OF Stokes
Despite the effect OF the paralysis. which
has been growing on her steadily for the
last year. she still preserves distinction
Of face and an attraction which seems 10
defy Time itself She broke down when
informed her story was known and ex-
pressed the hope she would find shelter
behind the walls Of a convent.
This is the first time q has been reveal
ed that the woman's real name Is Flint.
When before the public she always as
serted her full name was Josephine
Mansfield. one report gave her real
name as Warrent. but she put ali doubt
I al rest the other day by saying Flint IN
reality was her brother.
/ She made her first appearance on the
stage IN California in 1856. She was about
sixteen years old. extremely lovely. but
/ ignorant She became the wife Of Frank
Lawrence, an actor. and they came East
I and lived in Boston until 1861 In that
year she obtained divorce. and went on
the New York stage. She could not act,
being cold and emotiOnless. After appear
ing In several companies without success.
she found herself without money. She
| sought an audience with Fisk II was
/ said she told him she had only her
beauty 20 commend her. but that was
/ enough.
Fisk Her Slave.
Fisk became her slave. Her skin was
fair. Her silky black hair was arrayed
in clusters around her broad white brow.
Her ears were small and finely modelled
and from them depended a pair Of large
gold hoops. which gave her a gypsy at
tracuveness. Her eyes were light but
luminous gray. She fattered Fisk until
/ she met Stokes. when she promptly trans
ferred her affection" 10 the younger man
] The effect Of this betrayal embittered
\ Fisk all the more as he had boasted in
public OF the woman. He had given her
/ a house on West Twenty-third street II
was at a feast in that place he vain
glorioUsly declared that he held the legis-
lature in the hollow Of HIS hand, and
thought he would have 1t change the
name Of New York 10 Fiskville- Il was
was then Josie Mansfield, with her lips
to his ear whispered
Why not name il after me-"
BY" exclaimed Fisk. you're beau
tiful enough 10 have this town wear
your name. But what should fl be- Josie
is not dignihed enough. You ought 10
be Helen-Helen OF Troy II you were
!
Fisk tried 70 ruin Stokes financially. He
had Stokes arrested on a charge Of en-
bezzlement. Josie Mansfield gave away
secrets Of Fisk's life 10 Stokes. and the
war between the men grew until IL at
tracted the attention OF the country. Fl
nally Stokes went from the side OF the
woman 20 wait for Fisk and TO shoot
him down on the stairs Of the Grand
Central, now the Broadway Genital HO-
tel Stokes thought that by this act he
would assure a permanent place in the
wOman's affection, but the minute she
heard Of the death Of Fisk she turned her
back on the murderer forever.
Stokes was tried three times. The first
trial resulted IN disagreement. the sec
ond IN conviction Of murder. the third
in manslaughter in the third degree. In
1877 the killer was released after serving
four years On December l. 1884. Grover
Cleveland restored him 20 citizenship. and
he died November ,. 1901.
Following the Fisk murder Josie Mans
field sued the Fisk estate for 500. 000.
The case was thrown out OF court She
went 10 Boston and was hoOted. She fed
/ 20 Paris. and in 1891 in London was mar
ried to Robert Livingston Reade. Of New
York After a few years they were di-
| vorced Ten years ago she was living in
Boston as Mrs. Josie Welton. Then she
went to Philadelphia. and finally she was
brought to this city by her brother.
Modern requirements
From the Bohemian.
Have you thrown the COW into the
antispetie tank?'
! Yes"
Have YOU washed the can with carbolic