Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-03-13

Their business was fly catching.
They were three to be precise
the fourth was the secretary, and he
did not count. The three were Gold
stein, the stout Jew; Jefferson, the
lean American. and Bludgeon. an
Englishman, who looked as If he had
kept door at a boxing club and pros
pered to higher but not necessarily
holier things.
The secretary was meek. cool, eff
ficient and unobtrusive. He lid as
he was told. trembled when he was
spoken to and looked afraid.
Goldstein was a resplendent per-
son. His hat and boots were of the
glossiest; his coat was immaculate;
his taste in fancy waistcoats was
doggy to a degree, but did not get
dangerously doggy; his trousers hung
with an accuracy which is only seen
on the musical comedy stage and In
the higher walks of shady finance.
His tailoring was good. But no tailor
could discount the face, with its
pendulOus rolls Of unhealthy flesh;
the dun eye that cleaned snakelike,
though dim with drink and good
living, and the predatory mouth,
from which teeth started-buck
teeth, fanglike. and stained with to-
bacco. He sat over the web and
watched the flies come, talked to
them as they hung on the net, and
wove the silken death strands round
them.
Jefferson was the very reverse.
His spare frame was clothed in blue
serge. His face had something of
the hawk in it--a cold, calculating
expression, as Of one who preyed for
pleasure. He stood in the background
and wove the net that caught the
fly He wrote the advertisements.
Bludgeon was the bully. His brass
voice frightened women and intimi-
dated men. 1t was he who challenged
assault and brazened things out when
the Jews heart failed him before the
bigger and angry insects who pro-
tested at their treatment in the net.
They were partners, and daily put
the fear Of death by starvation into
the head Of the secretary, Dobbs.
They delighted to believe they kept
his nerves quivering. 1t was a part
of their creed that man works best
who can be kept at the nice ex-
IRENE which draws nerves to their
highest tension without inducing
prostratfon. So they kept him on the
rack.
They did everything-the three
partners. They swindled PEOPLE in
nocent Of the city by dealing in op-
tions they never boAght. They had
nice pickings on fe ktious margins.
They played battledJ e and shuttle
cock with all sorts bf people over
borrowed money and they didn't start
lending under fifty rer cent, and
usually finished off somznhere about
320. They carried on 4 nice little
game over packets of shores, selling a
good line or two for appearances
sake with three or four lines, ho-
cussed in pre-prospectus days, for
the sake of profit. They would lend
you money on houses OF land, and
you were lucky If you had eithe
money, houses or land in the
Sometimes they would rig ous .1e
company of their own p collar
everything selling not g to the
subscribers at gel ..ne diamond
mine price, and getting further fat
by the process Of buying in and sell
ing out until the company was so
much like financial carrion that not
even the most innocent ny could
stand the odor.
For headquarters they had hand
some place in Doobrown street, near
the Mansion House. and we'll in the
charmed circle Of the Easteheap5 dis
trict, packed full of clerks andf,ype-
writer's, boys in buttons and mAn in
livery. To the unsophisticated it
looked like money making mill fsr
the clients, but to the people WIN
knew it was mill which ground not
slowly but exceeding sure, its food
being the fool. and its purpose being
to separate him from Lis money.
Their biggest effort was happening
at the TIME this story opened The
Redsand lobked like being boom.
@Boys, saId Goldstein, in his fat
voice. to his partners. may l die if
this. amt good thing, il it amt the
best thing that ever vas.
Bludgeon stood listening with his
mouth open.
Jeffersons thin lips crinkled.
"Three hundred thousand pounds, by
gosh, in one handful, out Of the Brit
ish public ne said.
AN all for nothink,p snuffel
Bludgeon.
Haven't told you,v scowled
Goldstein, mot to speak the truth?
1t is not for nothink-it's a pinch for
the public. Vat say Is. we give EN-
gold mine, and, II do. we do +"
we give the mugs a gold mine.
of course" said Bludgeon, as If re-
peating a lesson.
"And very good gold mine, too,
think, Jefferson added. ITS true
there amt enough gold in it to tip a
cigarette Without only three men
kaoW tnat, and they are round this
table.
The secretary came in, noiselessly,
and laid card on the table in front
of Goldstein.
He is waiting.
Goldstein picked up the card.
Abel Storm. publisher, was the
name it bore
Storm shifted Goldstein. don't
know him from Abraham.
What is he2s asked jefferson.
a publisher, accordin to his
card, Goldstein answered.
Jefferson's thin lips set in a long,
straight line.
Look here, Goldstein,g he said, al
don't like the look of that carl.
There's something unpleasant about
a publishers card, coming the day
before we put out the prospectus"
But he cannot know anythin',s
Goldstein said hoarsely.
"Barabbas was publisher, some
man said, answered Jefferson sand