Evening journal., 1904-10-21


ance" in the November number of Ev-
erybody's Magazine offers what is
probably the best account Of iinan-
cial war ever printed. Mr.. Lawson is
now we'll into the main course Of his
narrative, which leads by way Of the
Boston gas fights TO Amalgamated Cop
per. In this instalment. after a thrill
ing account Of his great fight against
the system" on behalf of the Westing-
house Companies. Mr.. Lawson reports
two exceedingly interesting interviews
with Mr.. Addicks. arranged by the lat
ter with view TO inducing Mr. Law
son to Join him in his fight with Rog-
ers and STANDARD OIL" During the
course Of the second conversation.
which took place on Addicks' yacht,
the Now Then" Mr.. Lawson said:
Mr.. Addicks. let's have no fooling
about this matter. If we do business
together, it will only be after there is
some plain-brutally plain talk be-
tween us. IL will do no good to trick,
because someone will get slaughtered
when the trick is discovered, as it sure
ly will be, after we hitch up together.
This seems the proper time for clean
statement from you as to just where
you and your companies stand
Il did not believe this man could
make an absolutely truthful state
ment on any subject OF Importance, but
1 knew enough Of his real position to
project nle frptu being fooled. What
was my surprise therefore, when in the
most open way possible he calmly
spread before me condition OF affairs
far worse, than the worst I knew. He
was indeed bankrupt and his corpora
ton was 8hi little better shape"
After Wore than an hour of fencing
/ between these two masters OF the art
Mr.. Lawson Terminated the interview
by sayingi aaea tr
ITS unnecessary to say any more
l see the situation as you would hav,
me see It. and 1t comes TO this: II 1 re.
fuse to link up with you il means an
other STANDARD Oil" victory and an
other wreck for Boston. Rogers sue.
cess means that New England specu
latOrs and investors will again, for thl
three hundred and thirty-third time
be robbed Of their savings II I ge
in, we may avert all this or / may b'
ground at the same time you are How
ever, it's too good a fight to miss, an,
so here goes. I'll link up"
Within forty-eight hours Mr. Lawson
had mapped out his campaign for Ad
dicks. He found that chief among tn
enemies against Addicks at that tim
was the young and brilliant boss o
Boston, its reform mayor, the Hon
! Nathan Matthew'S and, thereby hang
one Of those swinging tales which ga
, be used as milestone lanterns TO illu
, inmate the readers course or to ligh
up those resting places which ever
historian should provide at pleasant II
tervals along his narrative. When n
Addiclzl-Rogers gas fight broke out
Boston this Nathan Matthews was
the zenith OF his political career, an
was rather a greater man than eve
~ reform. mayors. generally fancy then
selves. He was at that phase in IN
lives Of aspiring persons which com
pels the average spectator TO debat
whether the swelling of the craniur
should be met by a larger hat band o
a sweeping haircut. En- passant, Ad
dicks Panama had had its fifth en-
largement to accommodate the success
ssive bulges of his brow"
Just at this time BOston's contrac
with the Bay State Gas Company 70
gas at $1.25 was expiring. AS a resul
OF a disastrous telephone dialogue be
tween the mayor and the Gas King. In
new contract went to Rogers corpor
alton at S1-"Standard Oil" had cap
tured City Hall.
So matters stood at the beginnin
Of the great Bay State gas fight. TIL
early stages in that momentous strug
gle consisted of the exchange of tn
, most violent printed assaults by Nj
J Lawson and Mr.. Rogers upon eac
others system-an exchange in whic
Mr.. Lawson had the last word.
Thus far" says Mr.. Lawson, 9TH
campaign appeared to be workin
smoothly, and I proceeded next to pu
into play my rear attack. / began ne
b gotiations with Mayor Matthews fo
the withdrawal of his support froi
} Rogers. 1t was a difficult task, br
after much manoeuvering landed m
! big fish. I promised him the presl
, dency of the Boston, South Bostoi
Roxbury. and Bay State gas companie
for the term of three years, at a salar
OF $4,000 per annum, with the explic
understanding that he was to allow m
as his vice. president, to see that III
bargain between us was lived up L
When the trade was made II was ur
derstood that the fact of Matthew
change of base should be kept secre
, and that he should not assume II
, office until the end of his term
/, Mayor Of Boston. With that agre,
, ment the deal was clinched. signe
sealed. and delivered. Like the prems
lture bursting Of a bombshell at
Fourth OF July celebration, the tran,
8 action leaked and the press an
/ lnounced i'm sable headlines that May,
y Matthews had sold out, that Addict
, was on top. and that Rogers an
STANDARD Or would surely be -four
beneath the debris"
The story of this explosion. of Il
. way in which Mayor Matthews brol
his agreement with Mr.. Lawson, ar
e of the trap-door through which A,
3 dicks escaped from giving Mayor Ma
q lthews the presidency. promised I'm a
1 liron-clad contract. is one OF the mo
: thrilling IN finapcial history.
4 At length Mr.. Lawson determined
a lopen peace negotiations with Henry ]
. Rogers. BY means Of a curious col