River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-10-13
nothing to win by antagorizing

The other shook the hand from his
shoulder. II am a law-abiding Ameri-
can citizen" he said, "and the laws
are as much for me, or for this man."
sweeping his hand toward the me-
chanic, yes, or for the poor little girl
who has been killed or mangled for
life, perhaps, as they are for fellows
like you. Perhaps | will be crushed
in the operation, but / propose to find
>out if you fellows are entitled to run
your Internal Juggernauts over the
rest Of us without suffering the PEN
atty"
The man in the auto remarked "He
wants to find something out, Charley"
he said. I'm the interest of liberal
education l demand to be taken to the
police station and go through all
these motions. And when it's all over
I will take great pleasure to issue a
sheepskin to this inquiring individual,
comforting new ID. d. d. on him
doctor of d. doughheads."
And so this strange group landed
at the station and Hamilton made his
complaint against John Murray, who
had thrown the rock at him. Also did
Robert Dennis, the young business
man, make his complaint against
Hamilton for assault with intent to
kill. ALI were released on bail and
the party broke up. A few days later
the lawyer for the Hamiltons tele-
phoned Dennis to come and see him.
Dennis referred him to his lawyer.
ofn Ind
lawyer, called at Dennis Office.
Young man." he said, Eeverely,
you are making a most serious mis-
take. This entire matter is not worth
the work and annoyance it is going to
give all concerned. OF course you
know as well as l do that there Is
nothing in this charge against Ham
ilton. All an accident, sir, all an ac-
cident-and you know it. Maybe some
damages involved, like doctors fees,
and that is all right and we will not
fight them; but this criminal charge
is preposterous-y preposterous, sir.
1t is persecution-little short Of black
mail, sir, and we are not the kind Of
weddings to sit down impotently un-
der that sort of thing"
Il conceive it to be my duty, SIR
replied Dennis simply, Ito bring this
impudent fellow to Justice He ran
over the child deliberately. l saw the
expression in his eyes, and my own
little boy was only six feet from tho
spot where he ran over the poor little
girl. II 1t had been mine / would have
killed him without fail AS it is,
propose to help Murray, who is more
or less ignorant, to bring this in
solent whelp to justice"
The face of the lawyer got cold, and
he said: Very well, sir; but you I'M
derstand when you take up this fight
that there will be blows to take as
well as blows to give. You are in
business. Is it wise to antagonize the
Hamilton interests?"
''It may not be WISE" responded
Dennis, "but l will land him in the
penitentiary if it costs me all ever
hoped to have"
1t certainly was fierce fight. The
states attorney hesitated a little to
push the prosecution and Dennis hired
the greatest criminal lawyer in the
city to carry the case through OF
course there were postponements and
delays, and the matter dragged fear
fully. And when it became evident
that Dennis proposed to stick, come
what might, all of the tremendous
power of the Hamilton millions wers
turned on him. His business venture
was assailed from the most potent
quarter, finance, and finally was
wrecked. Then Dennis took a salaried
job and lost it, and then another and
another. But the case against Hamil-
ton steadily advanced, and finally it
went to trial. 1t was a hard fought
battle on both sides. The poor little
crippled Murray girl was a most po-
tent witness, but it was Dennis clear
evidence that won the case
81 saw the automobile coming" he
said, "and pulled my little boy onto
the sidewalk and shouted to the kids
to look out They all moved toward
the sidewalk, gesticulating toward the
machine. This man Hamilton glanced
toward them and smiled in a most. in
solent manner. Watch the kids jump
sidewise,' he said to his companions-I
heard him-and he deliberately turned
in toward the children. The children
jumped, but the Murray girl was an
instant too late and was caught by the
hideous monster. And, sir, Hamilton
did not seem to care as the little one
was caught under the wheels. Yes,
sir, and l saw him, and that's why I
made the complaint, and it is why
am following the case"
The jury never left their seats.
Hamilton got five years in the peni-
Tertiary, and all the power of his fam
ily's millions could not secure par
don.