The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-19

postofiice on Market street to washington
and entered the law offices that way. The
second time he simply passed from the
street to the stairway leading up to the
offices and as l was some distance behind
him ii looked though he had myster-
iously vanished. l lost no time in placing
knocking at a door labeled John s. Dun
can Several minutes elapsed and / had
TO repeat my knock three or four times
before anybody came 70 the door In re-
Spouse.
DOOR WAS OPENED.
Finally ii was opened in very cautious
manner and the familiar face of Mr.. Dun
can looked out at me. When he recognized
me his look changed to one that few people
ever see on John Duncans face. He fairly
glowered at me. What do you want, young
man.? he demanded sternly. 4 am here to
find out the meaning of that meeting down
IN Ritzinger's Bank and of the frequent
trips George Yandes has been making TO
your Offices 1 said as boldly as / could.
Well, there is nothing in it of interest to
the public, snapped Mr.. Duncan. who at
the same time began TO shut the door In
my face Hold on, please, Mr.. Duncan, 1
said quickly. 1t is OF no use to try TO con-
ceal this matter from me. 1 know per-
fectly well that something Is wrong al
RitZingers Bank, and 1 may as well have
the whole truth only partial story.
T..
reluctantly, at the same time locking the
door and putting the key in his pocket
with grim and somewhat ominous smile.
Following his indication, / entered a room
in which found Mr.. Yandes and Attorney
Smith seated at big table. examining
and discussing certain Notwithstanding
legal documents Mr.. Smith was 1nclined
to be even more severe than was Mr.. Dun
can. When he heard the object of my visit
his wrath was quite disconcertfng to
tlmid young man, such as / was at that
time. Young man. he said. are you
aware that what you have said about this
bank is very serious and that IL you print
anything Of the kind your paper will be
subject 10 a suit for ibel?' Il am, sir, L
replied, but l know l am right, and II you
gentlemen viii not consent 10 give me all
the facts in this case 1 will be compelled
to resort to the publication of the part of
the story which / have obtained by my
browbeat me. Mr.. Smith finally. consented
to tell me the whole truth, which was that
Ritzinger's Bank had failed, that Mr.. YAM
des had been or would be appointed re-
ceiver and that the institution would not
open Its doors for business the next morn
ing, which was Monday.
DOOR WAS LOCKED.
when 1 started to leave the Office
found the door locked, and the half-sup-
pressed laughter of the gentlemen In the
room told me Of their desperate scheme
to prevent publication of the story. They
intended TO keep me there until too late for
it to be printed in Monday mornings is
sue. / finally succeeded In securing my re-
lease by telling them the order l had sent
to the office by City Editor Fortune-to
hold the press until o'clock, if neces-
sary. Now comes the distressing feature
of my story. / have held 1t UP against
Messrs. Duncan and Smith ever since.
suppose they thought they were acting in
the right manner, but IL was a cruel blow
10 me. John Duncan went TO the telephone
and called up the other morning papers,
telling them to send reporters TO his Of
begged and pleaded with him not to destroy
the scoop which L had worked so hard
and suffered so much to gain. but he was
obdurate, saying that II he did not let the
other papers have the story he would be
bitterly accused Of showing favoritism and
that he would never hear the last of it,
So, after L had stood for hours in the cold
and ridden all that distance 10 the Ritz
niger house and built UP all sorts of air
castles about my tremendous beat that
was TO startle indianapolis and the State
OF Indiana as they had not been startled in
many a long day, / was doomed to bitter
disappointment at the moment of my tri-
umph. The story did create a great sensa-
ton, one OF the greatest ever caused by
bank failure, and the city has had sew
eral of those occurrences in its history, as
everybody knows-but 1 have not TO this
day recovered from the sense of keen dis
appointment over my failure to keep the
story scoop, as, by every canon of right
and justice, II should have BEEN