Life, Trial and Conviction of Edward Stokes, For the Assassination...
The Murder of James Fisk: McDade 922 [Trial]. Stokes, Edward [1841-1901], Defendant. Life, Trial and Conviction of Edward Stokes, For the Assassination of Jas. Fisk, Jr. To Which is Added, The Life and Eventful Career of Josephine Mansfield. The Interesting Trial. Many Secrets Now for the First Time Made Public. Philadelphia: Published by Barclay & Co., [1873]. [ii], 19-111, [1] pp. 12 full-page woodcuts. Complete. Octavo (9-1/4" x 5-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet in pictorial wrappers. Light soiling and a few faint dampstains and minor tears to wrappers, spine abraded, moderate wear to corners of wrappers and text block. Moderate toning to interior, corners of some leaves dog-eared, faint stains to a few leaves. $1,250. * Only edition, one of two issues. "Jim Fisk...was a financial wonder in New York in 1872. Edward Stokes had been associated with him in the oil business, but they had become engaged in a bitter legal battle which originated when Stokes stole Fisk's mistress, Josie Mansfield. In retaliation Fisk had charged Stokes with embezzling oil company funds; Stokes replied with a charge of false imprisonment. Then Mansfield threatened to publish letters from Fisk revealing some of his transactions. On January 5 an injunction was issued restraining the publication of the letters; on the next day Josie Mansfield was exposed to a humiliating cross-examination in police court on her relations with Fisk. Stokes, in a rage, followed Fisk to the Broadway Central Hotel where he shot him on the stairs. After two trials the state could only convict Stokes of third-degree manslaughter" (McDade, annotation to 917). This Barclay account was published after the second trial. It was also issued by Barclay with the imprint: "Cleveland, Ohio: Great Western Publishing Company, [1872]." OCLC locates 2 copies in law libraries (Harvard, Yale), both with the Philadelphia imprint. McDade, The Annals of Murder 922.
Price: $1,250.00
Book number 71294