The Republican journal., 1877-08-09

ne Nlctlm Wrthed and struggled. Du
all IN vain: his pertinacous assailan
stuck to him like a green-hcaded horse
ily, and, when shaken Oft, returned to tn
| charge with a glutinous, clinging persis
tency that at last prevailed over the re
luctance of Belton to bleed again. anl
the contest ended in a surrender to tn,
| Dook-keeper Of another check for $4,000
From that moment the merchant coulc
not call his soul his own, he submitted t.
every eNaction, paying sums at ditferen
times during the next sixty days rangins
from 5000 to s 900 and amounting in al
to 100000 additional, besides giving hi,
notes for $4,000 more
Inc bOok-keeper proceeded to inves
the huSh-money in real estate living OF
his salary As the accountant of the firm
he feelings Of the senior partner dur
ing the period Of these eNactions may bt
better imagined than described 70 Kill
hllnSeI1 or 70 be murdered bv inches
and to die leaving ruin and blighte(
name behind mini. We're in his thoughts
day and night. Daily he saw the re-
moTseleSs possessor of his secret before
nm, cool and imperturbable, performing
bly, and gloating over the assets which
ne hoped eventually to gobble to a muc
larger extent than he as vet ventured t.
do: the sight Of this man was poison to his
victim, and but for one ray Of hope that
showed itself through the gathering gloom
ne might have even added murdcr to en-
beZZlemcnt.
1t chanced that late in April of the
same wear and while the regiments of the
hostile sections We're concentrating around
the Capital of the Republic, Bolton chanc-
ed to meet q cotton broker (tor whom he
had done some friendly acts) and inullir-
ed about the price OF cotton.
Bound to 90 up" was the reply. and
10y the way, Bolton, why don't you buy a
couple Of thousand bales Ill hold it for
You SIN months on a ten thousand dol
lar margin YOU can make a hundred
thousand on it as easy as winking."
The idea struck the merchant like a
hammer: that very day he took 1000
bales at T. cents per pound and put up
S3O,oo with the friendly broker, who
accepted this small margin, partly out of
gratitude to his customer for past favors,
but mainly because he was confident that
the certain rise would secure him from all
loss,
The merchant covered his tracks from
ms WomnN and lnquiSitiVe emplove. and
watched the cotton quotations with an
a-oniled interest. Previous to the bat
tie OF Bull Run the rise in the staple was
very SLOW. When that event occurred
the gross profit on the purchase was little
over 81. 700. But when the call came
for 3oo,Oo0 men the price OF the article
began to move.
Acting on intuition, the merchant doub-
led his stock Of cotton, and soon saw it
one per cent Il day. In a few
weeks he could sell out at Il profit of
$3.50. 900
Then he laid a trap for the blackmailer.
Before tins time, however, his first note
for 5000 had become due and he had
prevailed upon the holder to surrender it
amt accept Il new note for sixty days. in
which he omitted the words cor order;
this omission rendered the note non ne
gotlahle and therefore not transferable hv
endorsement. The book keeper over
looked This little omission. The mer-
chant also ascertained that all the money
that had been tNtorted from him was in
vested l Il tine brown stone front house
which stood in the blackmailer's own
name. When the eNtortioner next ap-
proachcd him With Il demand for money.
hr turned on him and asked tiercelv
whether he thought it for his interest to
ruin the firm Of Beton 4 Go. ''Would
You Kill the hen that had been LAYING
these eggs in Your basket ~ inquired the
merchant. This idea struck back the cN-
tortloner, for he we'll knew that in case
the firm failed, not only would he lose all
future opportunity to continue his prac-
tees, but possibly he might be compelled
to dI>gorge his plumber Accordingly,
for the time being he held back in his de
mands.
BY means of exiting" and "shinning"
the firm had thus far been kept on its
legs; the hook-keeper was We'll aware of
that, and 50 he hided his time. trusting
that the rise IN cotton goods of which
the firm had Il large stock. would soon
place it in circumstances which would
Justify him in renewing his demands. He
had now sucked oct >2I 900 in cash, be
sides the threenotes for 5000 each. and
this would serve for the present.
The time at last came when the victim
thought he could turn upon his persecut-
or and put him into chancely, where he
could punish him worse than Sullivan
punished Tim the Crow" in that famous
bar-room fight in days Of yore
The day before the second note for
$1,000 became due, the merchant hand
ed the Watchtul rascal II certified check
for S50.OOO which he had induced his
broker to advance on the prospective pro
fits OF the cotton speculation. On the
same daN one OF the collectors who had
Just succeeded in getting through the
Confederate lines delivered to Bolton
flO,OOW i'll exchange on London, being a
portion OF what was due tie firm from its
southern customers. The bills of eX-
change were speedily sold bv Bolton. and
the proceeds, nearly S50,OO0 in the form
of Brown Y Bros. check, also handed to
the book-kceper who received these evi-
dences OF the increasing assets of the firm
with secret JOY not unobscrvcd bv his
employer, who had an object in thus max
ing 4 parade of his fresh receipts before
the eyes of his rascally torlnentor.
Bolton then left orders at his bank that
certain note for $1,000 which came due
the next day should not be paid on pre-
sentation.
The book keeper could not restrain his
greedlness, after seeing ninety odd thou
sand deposited to the credit Of Bolton &
Co. that day but like a ghoul, came down
that very night on Bolton, at his house,
and demanded $40, 900 more in cash. Bel
ton simulated u fear he did not feel, and
begged to know how much he would take
TO trouble him no more. The book keep
cr, after 4 moments reflection, replied,
''S50,0O0"
Say S4O,0O0, and we have a final set
tielnent, tomorrow morning, ut lOo'clock.
Papers will have to be drawn, and after
that you will ut once see the propricty of
leaving our employ"
The bool1-keeper acquiesced in this ar
rangement, which, Notwithstanding the
modification, gave him so much more
hlackmail, and took his departure with
hls caden eyes frightened with anticipa-
ton, and promising himself fresh spoils
from SO easy a victim.