Charlevoix county herald., 1907-01-05

letters TO the public on investments
have, fas you know, got me big fol-
lowing that would help me make the
fiotation an even bigger success than
it's bound to be, no matter who an
noupces it and invites subscriptions.
As l thus proposed that | be in a
jiffy caught up from the extremely
humble level of reputed bucket-shop
dealer into the highest heaven of high
finance, that | be made the official
spokesman of the financial gods, his
expression was so ludicrous that | al
most lost my gravity. l suspect, for a
moment he thought | had gone mad.
His manner, when he recovered him.
self sufficiently to speak, was GER
tainly not unlike what it would have
been had he found himself alone be-
fore a dangerous lunatic who was
armed with bomb.
you know how anxious l am to
help you, to further your interests,
Matthew" said he wheedlingly. Il
know no man who has a brighter flu
ture. But-not so fast, not so fast.
young man. OF course, you will ap-
pear as one of the reorganiZing com
mittee-but we could not afford 10
have the announcement come through
any less strong and old established
house than the National Industrial
bank
'At least, you can make me joint
announcer with them" l urged
Perhaps - yes - possibly - we'll
see," said he soothingly. There is
plenty of time"
Plenty of time" | assented, as II
quite content. Il only wanted to put
the matter before YOU" And l arose
to go.
Have you heard the news of textile
common?" he asked
Yes" said carelessly. Then, all
in an instant, plan took shape in my
mind Il own a good deal Of the
stock, and | must say, l don't like
this raise"
"Why?' he inquired.
Because I'm sure it's a stock-job-
bling scheme" replied l boldly. Il
know the dividend wasn't earned.
| don't like that sort of thing, Mr.. Roe
| buck. Not because it's unlawful--the
| laws are so clumsy that practical
man often must disregard them. But
because it is tampering with the repu'
tation and the stability of great en-
terprise for the sake of few millions
of dishonest profit. I'm surprised al
Langdon."
| Matthew
was Roebuck's only comment. He
questioned me no further and | went
away, confident that, when the crash
came in the morning, il comes it must
there would be no more astonishec
man in Wall street than Henry j. Roe
brcl.. low he must have laughed; or
rather, would have laughed, if his sor
of human hyena expressed it's emo
tons in the human way.
From him, straight to my lawyers
Whitehouse & Fisher, in the Mills
building.
81 want you to send for the news
paper reporters at once" said l t.
Fisher, land tell them that in my be
half you are going to apply for an in
junction against the textile trust, toI
bidding them to take any furthe
steps toward that increase of div
dend. Tell them |, as a large stock
holder, and representing a group o
large stockholders, purpose to sto
the paying of unearned dividends"
Fisher knew how closely connecte
my house and the textile trust ha
been; but he showed, and probabl
felt no establishment He was too el
perienced in the ways Of finance an
financiers. 1t was a matter OF IL
difference to him whether was tryin
to assassinate my friend and ally, c
was feinting at Langdon, to lure tn
public within reach so that we nigh
together, fall upon it and make
battue.
Not without some regret did thu
arrange to attack my friend in his al
sence. "till," l reasoned, Ibis blul
der in trusting some leaky perso
with his secret is the cause Of m
portland I'll not have to justify m,
self to him for trying to save myself
What effect my injunction would hay
could not foresee. Certainly it coul
not save me from the loss of my TO
:, tune; but, possibly, it might check tn
= upward course of the stock Ion
enough TO enable me to snatch myse
from ruin, and to cling to firm grour
;, until the coal deal drew me UP
safety.
My next call was at the Intersta
Trust company. | found Corey wal
= ing fox me in a most uneasy state
mind.
rs there any truth in this stol
: about you?" was the question
: pumped at me.
i What story?" said 1, and hal
= fight / had to keep my confusion al
. alarm from the surface. For, appa
: emily, my secret was out.
" ,-N,,,ra IN, tho urOnU side