Daily camera., 1899-11-24
Honor Among Thieves.

hohof among HI ewes.
There was fine field in the South
for all sorts OF schemes and promoters in
the reconstruction days" said Mr.. %
Whaling Of New York 10 the Washing
ton Post.
ii was in New Orleans when the car
Pet-bag regime was at its height. and
we'll remember how plausible gentlemen
from the North worked the legislature
for franchises. subsidies, and grants of
every kind. OF course, they had to give
quid pro quo. but it was deemed no
hardship to dish ou. Doodle to purchas.
able law. makers when the returns were
Tar in excess OF the expenditure. On
| one occasion. however, an Eastern capi
talist named Tranor. who was after a
railway subsidy, came to grief in his
dealings with mlddleman. who under
| took 10 furnish him with the votes neces-
sary to get his measure through the leg.
islature.
The legislature had large Ssnagam.
blan membership at the time, and the
most of them were open to persuasion
The middleman was one Huokabee, a
former captain in the Confederacy and
very smooth article. He called upon the
fastener and after introducing himself,
said: Mr.. Trainor, you are short of votes
on your bill. Five more men are needed,
and I've come TO tell you that can, for
consideration. secure you these votes
"Trainor was somewhat astouished at
the accuracy of Huckabee's statement,
or he really did lack FIVE votes of hav.
ing enough to pass the subsidy. Hucka
bee than told him for $50 900, SIC, 900 for
each man, he would secure him the nee.
| essary support. The figures seemed
pretty high. but in the end the terms
were agreed upon. and an appointment
was made for the next day. The next
day. having ascertalned that Huckabee
could make good his promise. Trainor
paid over TO him $4,000. Taking half
that sum, Huckabee called upon the
quintet. whom he had fixed gave each
of them 5000, and promised S 900 more
per man as soon as the bill was passed
Very shortly thereafter the bill was
passed by bare majority, and it was not
long until the members that had been
seen demanded of Huckabee that the
residue of the cash due them be pro
duced. He said it was O. k. and that by
calling on Mr.. Trainor the money would
be handed over instanter. This seemed
satisfactory, but not so was their inter.
view with Trainor. who vehemently as
serted that he had paid over all the
money agreed upon. and that they must
look to huckabee. 1t was a very angry
delegation that filed out of his room, and
fearing trouble Trainor sent word to
| Huckabee to come to his hotel immedi-
asely. In less than an hour that gentle.
man appeared, seemingly in radiant
spirits, and as innocent looking as a
lamb.
"Trainor advanced to meet him in the
lobby of the old St Charles. and. pitch.
ing his voice low because there was a
crowd. began to upbraid him for not
toting fair in the distribution of the
Doodle. In vain Huckabee argued that
he kept $3.50 for his services. which
was only legitimate fee for conducting
such an important negotiation. The cap.
ltalist insisted that ne settle with the
Legislators, and ,hereupon Huckabee be,
gan TO exhibit temper.
"'Sir, said he raising his voice. do not
mistake me for creature after your
sort. want TO tell you speaking in
still louder tones) that when men like
you come down here from the North to
try to debauch our legisla-'
| "By this time he was yelling almos, at
the top Of his voice. and Trainor broke
in hurriedly. seeing that a crowd was be
ing attracted. He whispered excitedly
to Huckabee to stop talking. that every
thing was all right. and that he was fool.
ish to get angry. Huckabee was. in
point of fact, nearly ready to explode
with laughter. He told me afterward
that Trainor paid the solons the balance
due them. but he did not employ him as
disbursing agent"
II