The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-11-16

ever to do with this affair beyond a mild
protest against the passage Of the fran
ch1se ordinance without due and proper
investigation.''
OF course he was telling the truth, and
yet 1t might be possible that influences
arising in the church had moved Slough
ton without the pastors direct interven-
ton. I questioned him as sharply as
dared upon this point, and he finally said:
If anybody connected with this church
has Influenced Mr.. Stoughton 1t is Hiram
Higgins. You may take my word for It
that IL It was not Higgins it was none Of
u.s."
where can ind him?' asked.
Il think he's in the church now" said
the pastor. glancing out Of the window
and across the street.
The door of the church was opened as
I approached. and upon the steps stood
the gray haired, deaf. decrepit sexton.
childish with age.
us Mr.. Hiram Higgins insideT' ask
ed.
Hiram Hisginsr' he piped. I'm HI
ram Higgins"
II was the pastors little Joke and his
side his congregation.
Well. I searched, and I got six more
''Eaps" inside the next hour, and every
one Of them proved baseless upon the
brN,fest examination. met Dillon in tho
course Of the trouble. and he confessed
THAI his own errand had been a wild
goose chase
This town is full Of liars" said he
gloomily-'liars and people who think
'em!''
ITS no speciality Of Southborough's 8, ''
said I from the depth of an experience
that covered two states.
We held a conference and decided upon
| a new line Of investigation in which
| neither Of US had any confidence. 1t be-
| gan to look very much as II the Ohm
steads would be obliged to hold their fes-
| tivities without my assistance and I was
blue to the backbone.
/ Again came the sweet voice calling. and
! looked over my shoulder to behold Nina
Lowering running after me.
i've been looking for you everywhere. ~
said she. ''Oh, I've had such an expert
encey'
"Come with me-" said I and led her
into a convenient ice cream "parlor.' y
where we found table in a quiet corner
II have the story she whispered az
! soon az We were seated. Listen. Mr.;
Olmstead told me. begged him hard
but he didn't know why I wanted 1t. The
| facts are these: There IL a very public
| spirited man named Curtis G. Goodwin
What" gasped.
''Mr Olmstead told me about him. r6
never heard Of him. It seems that this
man knows all about the bribery in the
franchise business"
| YES" said l, there's no doubt of it."
1T was he who did this thing" sale
she. "in the interest Of the public. Mr.
| OlmStead saws So"
This is joker
mot at all, my friend. have seen Mr.
Goodwin. called upon him. told hin
that had learned that 1t was he VIII
persuaded Mr.. Stoughton not to speak"
half rose from my chair and stared a
her.
What did he dor gasped
He was terribly excited. He looked a
II he was going to faint or have a fit. H
offered me $50 IL I'd tell him where go
the Information. and then he offered m
a hundred IL wouldn't print It. You see
he thought l was a reporter"
my blessed grandmother" exclaimed
this beats anything that ever happened
We have landed tho story
"Of course we have"
"But It's all an accident. Mr.. Olmstea
was Joking with you. Curtis Goodwin
; the chief Of the railroad syndicate an
} the crookedsst old rascal that eve
breathed the breath Of lffe Mr.. Ohm
stead had no idea that 1t was he VIII
called Stoughton of. But 1t was. View
caught him. He was 30 amazed that h
gave himself away. He called Stoughto
OF because he was afraid he might ga
something injudicious. In fact, Stoughto
was in n place where he couldn't eithe
speak Of the franchise or not speak of 4
} Why didn't see this before? Nina
, | you're the only reporter in the state
Well. that's the way I got my stor.
. and I had a clean beat on 1t. But
didn't get to the lawn party. worked a
day and all night, and with the aid Of tn
knowledge that 1t was Goodwin who ha
; coerced Stoughton dug up crookednes
: : right and left. The -upshot of it was tina
we wrecked Stoughton's power and force
the mayor to veto the franchise