The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-29


evening. The Impossible Man o. ~
Years ago was an entirely d If rent c-ta-
ture from what he is today. Then he
was a kind of an Admiral Crichton.
who knew everything and could do eV-
eI.yth.ng, who was brave and learned,
tender and courageous as a lion. oae Of
Cuda's heroes stalking out from be-
tween the covers Of book and posing
for all humanity to gaze at He was
romantic and sentimental OF course
h. had a large fortune and spent it Law
ishly, sometimes in self indulgence, but
often in deeds of charity.
Today the Impossible Man must be
the antithisis of the one describ above.
He must necessarily b. poor in III SO
else he would not I'll the bill of imp s.
sibility. Were he wealthy he would be
Il common, everyday fellow vi. no ear
marks of impossibllity about him. Here
is story OF an Imross. BILE Man that
must be told.
Jim" DiXby was a lawyer. He was
not a corporation lawyer, nor did he
have many civil cases involving large
amounts of money. There was a reason
later on. But in the criminal branch
OF litigation DiXby was supreme. He:e
10 great financial interests FLASHED. TIE
case was tried solely on its merits and
the fate of the prisoner was left to his
attorney and the jury. In this field
Dixby had attained eminence and an
Cnviable reputation for fidelity to his
client
One day at city convention Jim
DiXby was nominated for alderman. His
party was in the minority and the ticket
was not expected to win out at the polls.
And it didn't, with the single exceptil n
of DiXby. He was popular with all par
ties. and it so CHANGED that he swung
into the Office by slight plurality over
his leading competitor. To vary lha
mCnotOny OF being an Impossible NJ n
DiXby set up cigars numerously. There
was nothing near about D-X@y.
Several weeks before taking his seat in
the council he was buzz5d around by
number of representatives of water
supply syndicate which desired to secure
q franchise to create a monopoly Fl ON
the council. The plain people were all
against the project and over half the
council at the inception of the deal.
DiXby was emphatic in his opposi ion.
At last, when the new cgunc held its
first meeting, it was discovered that Dix
by's vote would turn the scale. So
would one OF the others, but someh W
the idea obtained that Dtxby's vote ana
influence were badly needed in tie cCun-
ell favOring the franchise
On the evening of the meeting OF the
council ii was the express d intention OF
the opposition to press for a vote on the
proposition and kill 1t. Noses had been
counted, including Dixbys, ard IN Cp-
ponents of the scheme We're in high gle. =.
Suddenly the rumor began spreading
that Dixby had been fixed. Counc linen
focked around him for confirmation Of
the report
Yes" he said, i've sold out my vote
to the water works company. I'm not a
Croesus and IN in debt. 1 had to have
money, and they gave me a big lump
sum, $4,000, in short"
Then everybody against the water
works company cried "Shame!' and said
that was the last thing they would have
expected of DiXby, but of course every
man had his price, and some of the OPP
ponents began kicking themselves because
they had resisted all advances made by
the corruptionists Of the new water
works system. However, they purposed
to vote against it, and let Dixby bear all
the Odium of selling out the people. Then
he could take his $4,000 and go to the
devil. He would probably be prosecuted
for bribery, anyway. and go to prison.
Representatives of the water works COM
pany said that DiXby was a liar No
money had been paid him. and that if he
voted for the franchise he would do 1t
pro bono publico, because it was a good
thing and ought to be pushed along
When the roll was called D1xby passed
his vote, and the result showed for the
franchise ard against it. Dixby's vote
could settle the tie for or against it. A
few minutes before the time came for
DiXby to vote a messenger boy came in
'Fith large square box and placed it
an the councilman's desk. Dixby opened
!. 1t was a monograph.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Council: Certain parties now in this
hall have seen fit to denounce me as a
liar this evening. Now, as a lawyer, I
am we'll aware that my unsupported word
ag 1st representatives of the water
COZ 1pany would not go far. It is true
that 1 might have quietly voted against
this franchise and killed it. Cui bono?
1t would have been jumped up again
and lived TO become plague on all our
houses. SO I thought, and I consider
wisely, that [ would not only scotch the
snake but kill it as well.
Mr. President, 1 have the pleasure of
laying before you $50 000."
Here DiXby advanced to the presidents
desk and deposited an exceedingly cor
puent roll OF bills Then he resumed:
Now, you all know I never was worth
that amount of money in my life I leave
it here for the future disposition of the
city council. But here is one more link
in my chain Of evidence This IS a
photograph of two individuals taken yes
terday afternoon in my room. One of
them is myself, the one on the right, in
the act of receiving this wad of money.
You will all recognize the other gentle
man, who is presenting me with it."
Two men in the rear of the room at
this hastily left the council chamber and
went down stairs.
Now, gentlemen, with no desire to turn
this meeting into a vaudeville entertain
ment, let me ask your indulgence while
you listen to a bit of conversation as
faithfully recorded in this photograph.
You will observe the position of the in
strument in the picture"
Mr.. Dixby touched a spring and the
dialogue was emitted.
you will easily recognize the other
voice." said Dixby. This is what the
photograph revealed to the astonished
aldermen who had clustered around it:
81 believe 1 can rely on YOU
well, you know my general reputa-
ton. Honestly, 1 was, and am now, OPP
posed to the franchise 1t is not in the
peoples interest. They know it, 1 know
it and you know it. Still. 1 am in debt
My family expenses are large, and
must have money. When 1 say must
mean all the term implies. will accept
the $2C 0O0."
."All right. Here is the money. OF
course this transaction can go no further,
You are considered a discreet man and
one, I am happy to say, cannot overlook
his own self-interest. That Is every
mans duty. We shall depend on your