Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-12
CHAPTER vi.

anchor at Quaratine.
CHAPTER vi.
A MONTH had passed since the
~ memorable meeting of the dir
ectors of the Southern and Transcon-
tinental Railroad in New York and
during that time neither John Bur-
kett Ryder nor Judge Rossmore had
been idle. The former had immedi-
ately set in motion the machinery he
controlled in the Legislature at Wash
ington, while the Judge neglected no
step to vindicate himself before the
public.
Ryder, for reasons of his own-pro-
badly because he wished to make the
blow more crushing when it did fall
had insisted on the proceedings at
the board meeting being kept pro-
found secret and some time elasped
before the newspapers got wind Of
the coming Congressional inquiry. No
one had believed the stories about
Judge Roosmore, but now that a
quasiofficial seal had been set on the
current gossip, there was howl Ct
virtuous Indignation from the journa-
listic muck rakers What was the
country coming to? they cried in
double loaded type. After the en-
bezzling by life insurance officers the
rascality of the railroads, the looting
of city treasures, the greed of the
Trusts, the grating of the legislators.
had arisen new and more serious
scandal--the corruption of the Judi
ciary The last bulwark of the nation
had fallen. the country lay helpless
at the mercy of legalized sandbaggers.
Even the judges were no longer to be
trusted, the most respected one among
them all had been unable to resist the
tempter. The Supreme Court, the
living voice OF the constitution, was
honeycombed with graft. Public life
was rotten to the core!
| Neither lie newspapers nor the
public stopped to ascertain the truth
or the falsity Of the charges against
Judge Rossmore. 1t was sufficient that
| the bribery story furnished the daily
sensation which newspaper editors and
newspaper readers must have. The
world is ever more prompt to believe
| i'll rather than good of man, and nc
one, except in Rossmore's immediate
circle of frineds, entertained heslight
est doubt of his guilt. 1t was com
mon knowledge that the big inter
ests" were behind the proceedings
and that Judge Rossmore was a
scapegoat, sacrificed by the System
because he had been blocking theil
game. If Rossmore had really accept
ed the bribe, and few now believed
him spotless, he deserved all that was
| fp ir,, oh
very ective in Washington preparing
the case against Judge Roosmore. The
latter being democratic and "the In
terests" controlling Republica,
majority in the House, it was fore
gone conclusion that the inquir.
would be against him, and that de
mand would at once be made upon thu
Senate for his impeachment
Almost Frustrated by the misfortun
which had SO suddenly and unexpect
eddy come upon him, Judge Rossmor
was like man demented. His reason
seemed to be tottering, he spoke an
acted like man in dream. Natul
) ally he was entirely incapacitated 70
work and he had applied to Washing
ton to be temporarily relieved fror
his judicial duties. He was instantl
granted a leave of absence and wen
at once to his home in Madison avs
nue., where he shut himself up in hi
library, sitting hours at his dec
wrestling with documents and lega
times in pathic endeavour to fin
some way out, trying to elude this ne
? in which unseen hands had entangle
5 him.
( What an end to his career! To hav
V struggled and achieved for half
/ century, to have built up a reputatio
: year by year, as man builds hous
v brick by brick, only to see the Who'll
! crumble to his feet like dust! T
, have gained the respect of the countI
v to have made a name as the most il
: corruptible of public servants and no
t to be branded as a common bril-