Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 291, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1911 — The RING andihe MAN WITH SOME INCIDENTAL RELATION TO THE WOMAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The RING andihe MAN WITH SOME INCIDENTAL RELATION TO THE WOMAN

BY CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY

*aRHUI I r»*» » OWW

SYNOPSIS. &iSA foolish young tenderfoot becomes fascinated with the bold, artful wife of a orunken prospector tn a western mining town. They prepare to elope in’a blindtaar billiard but are confronted by the maudlin husband. He is shot by the wife, but the chivalrous boy pins a note to the body taking the crime upon htw»s*tf. In their flight to the railroad station the woman’s horse faits exhausted: the youth puts her on his own and follows hanging to the stirrup strap. Seeing die is an imped)* pent, the woman thrusts her escort IntS he Mum Mes into the railroad station just as the train bears the woman away. Twenty-five years later, this man, George Gormly.ts a multi-millionaire in New York. Ho meets Eleanor Haldane, a beautiful end wealthy settlement worker, and co-operates with her in her work. Gormiy becomes owner of a steamship line and flada-himself frustrated in pier and track extension plans by grafting aidermen. backed by the Gotham Traction Company. An automobile accident brings the Haldanes to his country home. Gorrely announces that he will be mayor of New York and redeem the dty from corruption. Mr. Haldane in a long desired Interview with Gormiy. makes an indirect proposition to compromise the tight which the Utterhas beeS waging in the newspapers against the Gotham Traction company, sred which Haldane is suspected of being the head. Gormiy boldly announces his plan of campaign to Haldane. Gormiy rides to Haldane’s place, carrying word Of the auto accident. The next morning he refers to the ride of the night before M mild compared to one he experienced In his boyhood days. The papers announce his candidacy for mayor. CHAPTER Vll.—Continued. “Mr. Poole, excuse me; It Is quite useless to talk to me any more on this Mae. My mind Is made up, and nothing you can say, or anyone can say, will change it" “Mr. Gormiy," said Benson, rising, contempt and resentment striving for the mastery of his voice, "In some ways you’re a mighty smart man. You have begun this movement brilliantly, but the position’you’re takin’ now makes me regard you as, you’ll forgive the language, a damned fool!" “Mr. Benson," said Gormiy, “thank you for your compliment. Your opinion does me honor, at least the last

part of it. Let me say that I have been considered by politicians of your stamp as damned fools who have done the good work of the world. Mr. Poole. Mr. Fitchett, I wish you good afternoon.” The disgusted delegation tramped out The three men had to run the gauntlet of reporters outside the business office. They communicated * 1 nothing whatsoever of the results of their interview to these assiduous young men. Gormiy, however, was more amenable to their appeals for an interview. One resolution Gormiy had taken; to give the people the fullest information all the time about what he proposed. He was willing to discuss any public question at any time with anyone, and he had no objections to his opinions being quoted. ’’Gentlemen," said Gormiy to the group of newspaper men. “as has already appeared in the press of the dty, these gentlemen who have Just left came to offer me the nomination of the minority party for the office for which I have proposed myself. I ♦banked them for the honor that they had done me; I declared that I should appreciate the individual votes of any members of that or any other party at election time; but I refused positively to allow myself to be tied up to any party, to be allied with any party, to be the candidate of any party. I Intend to make this canvass as an absolute independent”

"Isn't Mr. Poole a stockholder in the Gotham Freight Traction company T” asked one of the reporters. 1 know nothing whatever about Mr. Poole’s financial undertakings.” “Doesn't Lawyer Fitchett desire to run for district attorney t* asked another. ■‘l am not informed as to the political ambitions of Mr. Fitchett.” “What did Bill Benson say to you?" asked a third. “A* a practical politician of large experience, he ventured to give me some advice upon the conduct of my campaign.’’ “Did you take itr asked another amid the roar of laughter which greeted this reply. “I am sorry to say that the cogency of his arguments and the force of his representations did not appeal to me as he expected. My methods are so different from those he advocated that It is hardly possible to harmonize our views or practises.’ “I think that will be all this afternoon, gentlemen." said Gormly. rising to signify that the interview was over. CHAPTER VIII. A Quiet Meeting of the Dictator*. Early in the new year, at the instance of Haldane, a meeting of the Inner circle of the governing body, popularly known as "The King.” was called at his private residence on upper Fifth avenue, which he very un obtrusively reoccupied flor the occasion. The meeting was held late at night. • The men summoned thereto came up town quietly and unostentatiously slipped into the house For many reasons Haldane’s relation to the Sachem society was care*niiy concealed. Ho represented a distinct group at tHuMden and business interests whose relations with the paijy to power wore most inti *at». Theos retetlons to some to-

stances were suspected, but their actuality had not been allowed to transpire. Haldane kept in constant touch with Llffey the boss; but no one, save the inner circle, suspected that the two were hand In glove together. Haldane did not often meet with anyone but Llffey. In this instance, however, be at least appreciated the gravity of the situation, and had directed Liffey to bring with him those whose advice would naturally be sought on such subjects as he desired to discuss. He had . also assembled two of the directors of the Gotham Freight Traction company, to wit, Van Slyke and Mcßonald, men associated with him upon whose judgment and ability he could rely. In addition to them came Llffey, grand chief of the Sachem society and the acknowledged and undisputed boss of the party; Connell, the chief of police; Rutherford, the district attorney; Habberley, the street commissioner; and last and also least, Hon. Peter D. Warren, mayor of the city. • Llffey, as leader of the Great Sachem society, controlled the organization absolutely. The chief of police wielded the vast powers for graft of that remarkable organization. The district attorney, through whose hands all criminal prosecutions must pass, was the safety valve of both the Sachem society and that portion of the people to which It looked for sup-

port The street commissioner, who bad at his disposal more appointments than all the rest of the administration put together, used them primarily for the good of the party and after that for cleaning the streets. The mayor, the ostensible head but really the servant of the quartet, was there because of his office, and he was in office because he could be controlled. From the point of view of the men present, he was the best mayor that New York had ever had. He was a man of some parts. He could make a brilliant speech, preside gracefully and with dignity at public meetings, and was altogether an admirable figure to head a great city in everything but morals. Associated with these four intensely practical men and this pliant, willing figurehead were the interests represented by the Gotham Freight Traction company, of which Haldane was in absolute control, although the presidency was vested in another man. The interests of Haldane and his associates were not confined to the Gotham Freight Traction company. They had their hands on every public franchise. Their private affairs, of course, were vast and multiform; but with them we have nothing to do. Their alliance with the political party, for which they had paid and would continue to pay enormous sums, had brought them very material advantages in one form or another. All the trusts that make New Jersey their headquarters hardly equaled in wealth and control the organizations these men represented. Haldane, from his one interview with Gormly, had an idea that to this instance the two forces to be dread-1 ed by the ring were incarnated to Gormly and would rally about Gormly. |

Now, of course, everyone at Chose present had read Gormiy I ** startling announcements of his candidacy. Most of them had read them with amusement; only the most prescient with any feeling ot alarm, and even that feeling was not sufficiently deep to have awakened any special degree of anxiety. Yet the fact that each one had been summoned to Haldane’s house, the politicians through Liffey and the financiers through Haldane himself, rather startled them. The eight men assembled In the spacious library of the Fifth Avenue house. The curtains were discreetly drawn. The men had arrived singly and at different times.- They were admitted by Haldane’s confidential secretary •in person. Cigars and liquors were provided, and the eight, from all sorts of differing social ranks, mingled ireely together on terms of absolute equality. The district attorney, for instance, .was a graduate of Yale. Haldane himself had come from Harvard. The mayor was a product of Columbia. Liffey had started in as a poor Irish Immigrant. The chief of police had been a saloonkeeper and finally the colonel of a National Guard regiment Mcßonald was a Scotsman whose shrewdnest and ability had won him a high position among the financial magnates. Van Slyke belonged to an old Dutch family and had inherited a vast fortune, which his adroit management had tremendously Increased. They represented American life with its opportunities and its possibilities. "Gentlemen," began Haldane quietly, “I have called you here, as you have doubtless surmised, because of the announcement of the candidacy of George Gormiy for mayor.” <

“Do you think it’s of sufficient importance, Mr. Haldane, for such an unusual conference as this is?” asked the boss. . . ' “I certainly do, Liffey,” was the reply. A “It isn’t the first time,” said Rutherford, a man of exceptional ability and great distinction of manner and

bearing, “that some impracticable reformer has. offered himself for popular suffrage on such a platform." “But It is the first time in my recollection," returned Haldane, “that a man possessing the peculiar combination of business ability, unquestioned integrity, and unlimited money has put himself forward, and I beg to assure you that I consider him the most available man from the point of view of the opposition that has ever appeared on the political horizon.” "I don’t care a cuss how available he iaZI said Liffey. “We can beat him, and we will. Of course, It’ll take more money.” i / He looked significantly at the trio of financiers. ’The amount of money that it takes now,” said Mcßonald grimly, “is something terrific.” "1 should say so,” added Van Slyke. "Well, you get what you bargain for, don’t your* returned the boss viciously. “You get a free hand to take it out of the people, don’t you?” .“Gentlemen, gentlemen," said Haldane authoritatively, T hardly think the discussion is taking a profitable turn. Doubtless, as Liffey says, we can beat him; certainly we must do so. Probably it will cost more money; that Is, if in some way his candidacy cannot be headed off.” “Can he be induced to withdraw, do you think?” asked Rutherford.

“No. I think not; but if we made him some concessions it is barely possible he might, though I gravely doubt IL He’s all stirred up over this switch business. I have already taken upon myself to offer to use my influence to get the price demanded cut in half. He declined the offer immediately. I think he said he wouldn’t pay anything except the cost of the

switch and a reasonable MSk fIMW —for the privilege.” “I want you to mark, Mr. Haldane,” put in Liffey, “that if we’re mixed up In a fight. It’s the extortionate demands of the Gotham Freight Traction company which has brought it about.” ■''' “My dear sir,” answered Haldane con temptuously, "how are we to satisfy the demands made upon us by you and your fellow members of the Sachem society and make a profit for ourselves out of the matter. If we don’t make men like Gormiy < pay heavily?" "That’s your lookout.” ’’Well, you will find that it’s also yours if we stop "Oh, I don’t know. I guess there’s others that’d be glad to enjoy the fmnplitaM ’* ■ ' - - ' "Now, Liffey,” said the district attorney, who perhaps from hls official position as public prosecutor had more influence over the boss than anybody present “Don’t talk like a fool! You know perfectly well that we are all necessary to one another; that wo are all in the same boat; we all have to fight the same battle. Have you anything to propose, Mr. Haldane?” "I don’t know that I have any definite proposition just at present,” was the answer. "I have met this Gormiy. I have—er—as you would say, sized him up.‘carefully; I put him down for a man of indomitable courage. Whatever his motive may be, he is thoroughly determined upon his course. However small his experience in politics, he is a business man through and through.” “Does he dabble in Wall street?" asked Warren. “If so, it would be easy for you to form a combination to break him.” “His business methods ar£ confined to his mercantile establishment, and they are purely legitimate.” “What resources has he got?” “Well, I should say he can command perhaps a score' of millions.” "Whew!” exclaimed Llffey. “He might be a good man to tie to.” “You can set your mind at rest as to that, Liffey. He wouldn’t tie to a man like you.” : ; “Oh, ? don’t know. Pretty good men have found it to their interests to tie up with me, and they haven’t lost anything by it Have you, Mr. Haldane?”

Haldane locked his teeth. It was this sort of covert insult which was the necessary concomitant of his alliance which, in his secret heart,/he loathed. Again it was the district attorney who interposed. “I take it that this is a conference,” he said equably, “as to what we are to do, if anything, to head off this man. You don’t think he can be bought off, Mr. Haldane?” r ' "I am sure' he cannot be.” ’’Well, then, he’ll have to be fought. down," returned the other; “for it is evident that we cannot afford to have the workings of the Sachem society brought .before the public. The thing to be done now is to get together, keep together, and beat Gormiy.” “You think he’s got a chance, So you?"

“More than a chance.” “But we control everything.” “Everything but Gormly, apparently,” answered Van Slyke. “Yes,” said Rutherford, disregarding the last remark; “but you know, Liffey, our control rests largely upon the indifference of the people. If they get waked up, it would go like that” He snapped his finger as he spoke, and no man contradicted him, for true it is that on the indifference of the many is founded the power of ths one. ■ c-. . “We could still count the votes,” said the chief of police uncertainly. “Undoubtedly; but if there aye enough people interested in the affair, the votes will be counted as cast” “And we have the courts, on oui side,” added Habberley. “Yes. to a certain extent; but there are limits beyond whlfiiveven our own judges could not go. Therefore, if Mr. Haldane’s estimate of Gormly is correct, and for myself I am rather inclined to believe that it is, we are face to face with a terrific proposition.”

“Well then,” said Liffey. “1 think the best thing to do, if you gents are all agreed that it’s serious, is to pitch upon a candidate. We want to have a man that’s entirely respectable, and yet who knows which side his bread’s buttered on and who’ll take care of the organization.” “I think,” said Warren tentatively, “that I have earned another term. I certainly haven’t failed in my duty—’’ • ' ’To the people?” asked Rutherford. ’To the organization,” answered the mayor with dignity, “and my private character is all that could be desired.” (TO BE CONTINUED.)

The Disgusted Delegation Tramped Out.