The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 1, 1901, Page 18

TOE SUNDAY CALL.’ 17 HE recent death of m a fear-hzu rs in a tragedy wh New Yo ears ago. gave receded her. e forfeited go she was Jo ym Californ of the Erle Rallroad 2 maze of litigation, i shame that ended in murder. sid w at rest, but to her, the unworthy of all, life Juxurious home is still left mong the theatrical people s earlier days remember beautiul girl of about T mixed among them and ted the stage doors in the days of the Coming from no one seems remember exactly where, she called en Jorephine Mansfield, though was sald to be Warren, was sometimes referred to as the ®ir On the site where the flesent California Theater now stands, there in thosze days an L-shaped alley. It was filled with shabby houses, and in one of these “Josle” Mansfield lived. She most er sixties name she rren 1t of the house where Ife plase. A nsfield lived = screams and jumped from dow and ped over the sheds ey a little street bey while ig h room a newly arrived lover was wildly up braiding her. The papers of the « the most of it, and thus was the we h uty of the woman made the s public comment, a y made rful Not long after th and the girl went East, Rocki as a barr be- tween her and her past life, appeared in Boston, where she lived for some years, in reputable society she always claimed, and =0 say some who knew her there. In the East she met Frank Lawler, the handsome actor, returned from Cali- fornia and then playing leads with Emily Jordan. Iler tigress beauty infatuated him, and in 1866 the two eloped after a ten days’ acquaintance, and were mar- ried. One year afterward they werc di- vorced, the cause, it is sald, being her fondness for other men. Lawler is long since dead, and did not gee all of the de- s.ruction which his one-time wife after- ward caused. Josie Mansfield was born In Boston in 1840, and her parents removed to Stock- ton, Cal, in 1862, There in 1854 her father, Joseph Mansfield,' was the editor of the Republican. He got into personal jour- nalism to such an extent with John Ta- bor, who ran the opposition paper, the Journsl, that @ murder was the result of the thelr differences. Mansfleld was shof dead on the street corner by Tabor on 1834. Tabor was sentenced to be ged, but in 1855 was pardoned by Gov ernor Bigler. He was defended in his trial by David 8, Terry, who afterward shot Senator Broderick fn a duel, and was afterward shot himself by David Neagle, at Lathrop. About two years after her father's death Joste and her mother came to S8an Fran- cisco. The young girl was lovely as a dream then, and she was soon popular among gallants and a certain society set. Then her mother left her with friends in Ban Francisco, went to Stockton and mar- rled a Mr. Warren. Josle preferred life in San Francisco, and soon drifted into theatrical ambitions and the gay life that endéd in the epl- sode which resulted in her golng East. After becoming Mg Frank Lawler she returned for a brief season to California, her husband being engaged for Maguire's Opera-house company. Here a black- malling episode brought the names of ' Lawler then ordered Perley out of ANy 7 both herself and her husband into the San Francisco newspapers. At this time her preferred admirer above all others was D. W. Perley. the wealthy English law partnev cf Judge David 8. Terry. A short time after he became entangled in the wiles of this wholesale flirt, Perley was calling at the house of Mrs. Warren, the mother of the fair but se Helen Josephine. Josic and Perley were spend- in the afternoon in the patlor behind locked doors. Suddenly a loud knocking was heard, the door was burst open and Lawler and Nr. Warren rushed Into the room, cach with a cocked revolver fn his band. Perley in a moment felt the cold steel at his head, which was the signal for Helen Joscphine to fall in a pretend- ed dead faint. Lawler charged Perley with tamperingz with the affections of his wife, and forced the frightened Englishman to sign a check on a local bank for $5000. the. house at the point of his pistol, telling him if he ever spoke of the affair he would shoot him on the spot. Perley hurried to the bank after his escape and stopped payment of the check. At his instigation the San Franc!sco newspapers published the whole particulars of the hold up, describing it as a conspiracy be- tween Lawler and his wife and the others concerned. Through a friend he warned Lawler to get out of California within thirty days on penalty of death. Josle and her h band then salled for New York, where she found a field altogethe” to her taste. She was diverced in New York and shortly afterward went upon the stage in that city. She could mot act, but antmal-like beauty hed a rich, dark, won many admirers. She made no ap- pearance of gny prominence in New ‘York and her short theatrical carcer was not a success. At that time “Jim’” Fisk, the son of a Vermont horse trader and peddler, wa perhaps the most conspicuous figure in New York. He was the man whom fate or some evil genius set apart to come under the thrall of this Nana, whom he afterward housed In a palace fit for a queen. Fisk came to New York from a cor- rupt business career In Boston, where he had’ made his home since his coming of age. At the time of the clvil war he, NS |} \N</ In connectfon with his mtmate rriend, Eben Jordan, a merchant, who was a pillar of the church, cleared over a mil- llon and a half through unscrupulous methods in handling Government con- tracts, ete. By sharp dealing Fisk pock- eted $600,000 at the time of General Lee's surrender. Fisk then removed from Boston to New York, where his financial career was as corrupt as his social one. After some original financial operations with a line of Sound steamers, which he started In opposition to those running, and out of which he made money, he entered Wall street one Monday morning with $1,000,000 with which to buck the street. The fol- lowing Saturday night found him penni- less. His courage and resource did mnot desert him. He pushed forward and be- came the intimate friend of Jay Gould and Willlam M. Twéed. Fisk could swindle a friend out of hun- dreds of thousands of dollars and call it business. In a raliroad and cattle deal he dld Commodore Vanderbiit out of $100,000, and said, laughingly, “The Com- modore got the cows, but I got the cream.” He became largely Interested in FErie stocks, and in the early seventles casily took away from many New York men the prominence of being {n the lead. The women idolized him and the men feared him,* for his corruption w known. He was made colonel of the Ninth New York Regiment and his short stout figure was always a conspicuous one-in the public resorts of the city. With cor and fortune the world called him well on the high road to success. But a man was leading him on the path that to other things. Fisk's vogue, tnmgs were at the lowest eby with *“Josie” Mansfleld. The stage would not yleld her fame or a living, and penniless, she sought an interview with “Jim" Fisk. The luminous light of her magnificent gray eyes conquered him. Her skin was of a deadly falrness, that made more jet black the masses of silky hair that clus- tered closely around her broad white brows. From her tiny pink ears hung a palr of large gold hoops, gypsy fasbion. Small beautifully formed hands, and a tall figure, whose curves were perfection then, formed a picture that caused Fisk to fall down and worship, It'was not Tor.r perore an.New fork was agog over the Mansfleld, and the splendor of eher establishment. Despite her character, her name was used to christen every- thing, from bonnets to jewels. A citizen of San Francisco, who as a lad worked as clerk in the auditor's office of the Erie Railway, remembers well the magnificent palace of brown- stone that Fisk bullt for her at 320 West Twenty-third street, about six doors be- low the Grand Opera-house corner, where his office was. This gentleman remembers the Mansficld at that time as an exceed- ingly handsome woman, above the aver- age In height, and fast verging toward ithe stoutness that afterward marred her figure. He remembers also that Fisk in some way gained permission from prop- erty-owners of the block to cut a small door through each back yard fence in- tervening between fhe office and the house of the woman who cost him Hhis life. He passed much of his time in those days in the mansion with her, and (alifornio for blackmall, seeking the maictment ox both for that offense. This news came to Stokes, lolling amid the luxury of the Mansfield home. It was probably then that the devil entered him to kill Fisk, and It has been alleged that Josie Mans- fleld incited the deed. All of New York was interested and agitated over the dif- ferences between the two men, but none surmised that it would end in red-handed murder. The whole world was for a time famillar with the detalls of the tragedy that followed. Stokes left the Mansfleld place on the afternoon of January 6, 1872, went in & hack to the Grand Central Hotel and sta- tioned himself in the corridor of the par- lor floor. The main staircase was in front of him. He shot Fisk twice as he was coming up that staircase from Broadwa; Stokes was arrested before he could leave the hotel. Jay Gould and Willlam M. Tweed came to the bedside of Fisk, who died the next day. His wife and brothers were with him to the end. “Josle” Mans- the clerks in the office often watched him eficld was not there. 80 through the little green turfed yards to meet the beautiful woman who some- times came out to greet him. Later, among Fisk’s frlends who en- Jjoyed the frequent revels in the Twenty- third street house was Edward 8. Stokes, a young man of good birth, whose father was in the plate glass business. Stokes was a clerk in Wall street when Fisk took a fancy to him and made him his protege, and also wen for the young man the friendship of Jay Gould. The handsome figure and features of Stokes gave him an advantage over Fisk, who was short and so stout as to make it a detriment to his appearance. He was pompous, and also Intensely vain. This may have been a factor in the spell ie’* Mansfield cast over Stokes, > more and more frequently to Fisk mansion. He loved the woman | met her alone often under the roof for which his friend and partner had the paid. Soon F knew tha cared for his wea t the Mansfield only She boasted of her love for Stokes. Fisk was wildly jealous and at once lald plans to ruin Stokes. The latter was arrested one Saturday night for embezzling funds of the oil company in ‘which he and Fisk had become interested, furnishing all the oll used by the Erie com- pany. Stokes was in jail a couple of days, and then had Fisk arrested for conspiracy and false imprisonment. Fisk forced down the stock of the oil company and nearly rulned Stokes, Josie Mansfield at once took the part of Stokes and gave him letters she had recelved from Fisk, exposing the secrets of Tammany and the Erle ring. Fisk paid $10,000 to get them back and then sued Stokes and Mansfleld Colonel “Jim” Fisk was buried with all the honors that New York could bestow. Stokes, after three trials, was convicted of manslaughter in the third degree. After serving four years in prison he was par- doned in 1377 by Grover Cleveland, - who was then. Governor of New York. Since his crime there has been no peace for him and his face has told the story of his misery. He has been guarded by detectives and lived the life of a pariah ever since on the remains of his fortune until death claimed him at the home of his sister. After the murder of Fisk the relations between Stokes and the Mansfleld woman ceased. He is not known to have had any interest -again in any living woman, and the beautiful woman, Rosamond Langdon Barclay, who made claim while he was ill to being his wil>, was not recognized or acknowledged in his will. While Stokes was lying in prison, a play was produced at Niblo's Gardens called “Biack Friday,” in memory of the great gold panic engineered by Fisk, and having for its theme the killing of Fisk. The ne of the murder w: laid in Wall trect, with Fisk shot as he passed the office of Stokes. Charles Thorne took the part of Stokes, W. Price portrayed Fisk, and Lizzle Fechter was the notorious Mansfield. The play was soon drawn on account of public indigna~- On Stokes” release from prison he spent some time at the Hoffman House with his tried friend, Cassius H. Read. Soon after- ward he came to San Francisco, and be- came known as a driver of a number of fine thoroughbreds.. John W. Mackay de- ed to possess a sleek little mare which re noticed Stokes driving, and sent a friend to purchase it, but Stokes refused again sent to Stokes, of for the mare, which was al. declined. Ten days later a messenger de- livered to Mr. Mackay at the Palace Hotel a note from Stokes reading as follows: “Mr. Stokes begs that Mr. Mackay accept the mare Eva, with his compliments and best wishes.” From this dated the well- known friendship between Mackay and Stokes. In conjunction with Read, Stokes ‘ater bought a mine from Mackay, which he placed in London and Paris at a profit of nearly $3,000,000. “Jo: Mansfield fled to Boston. imme- diately after Fisk’s tragic end. From there she went to Parls. There she deposited with the bankers Bowles Brothers the bulk of her fortune, it was said. In about & year the banking firm failed, and the New York papers once. more published columns concerning the Mansfleld, under such headings as “Downfall of a Notort- . ous Woman,” etc. She was pictured as for a time in distressed circumstances, but it is probable that most of the wealth which she Is now known to have was saved from her relations with Fisk and Stokes. In 1891, in London, she married Robert L. Reade, formerly of Minneapo- lis and New York, said to be wealthy. He Jeft her, and since then comparatively lit- tle has been heard of her. She returned to Boston, but has since zone abroad agaln to live.