Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-10-20

Il
ing the battle Of his whole career In
behalf Of the measure. II he could but
| induce his solid thirteen" aldermen tC
| stand firm and could maintain his holt
on Roberts for the fourteenth. al
| would be plain sailing and the bill
would pass by two-thirds vote II
spite of the mayors veto.
| More than the mere bill and his
price for II were included in Horri
| gan's reasons for his present activity
He recognized that his prestige as boss
was at stake-that In case Of failure
his hold on the organization would bt
considerably weakened, perhaps almost
so much shaken as to permit Phelan tt
| fulfill his once absurd threat to teal
| him down from his eminence. For the
| whole organization was viewing Will
breathless interest the duel between
Horrigan and the youthful mayor the
boss had made" In such circles q
beaten man commands scant respect.
The board OF aldermen were In ses
sion In the city hall. Of the ante
| char of the great room where the!
met was a small, snugly furnished
apartment, first Of series Of similar
rooms that stretched away. with con
| Meeting doors, to the far end OF tht
main corridor This place. with the
room adjoining. had once been the
comptroller's Office. or late. however
that official had changed his quarter:
and the room nearest the antechambel
had been appropriated by Horrigar
himself as a sort Of unofficial snug
gerry, where he could sit at ease and
| transact business at close quarters
whenever the organizations secret in
terests demanded his presence at the
city hall.
Here, his whereabouts known only
| to his intimate and personal lieuten
ants, the boss was wont to sit at ease
like some fat rublcund spider IN the
center Of a web Of intrigue, and issue
his orders or plans Of campaign. Some
of these were carried by word Of mouth
through the anteroom into the alder
manic chamber. Others he transmit
ted by means of telephone that stood
ready on the center table, before which
his great easy chair was always placed
| Around this table as the board Of al
dermen were about to convene on the
fateful Friday of the Borough bills
| final consideration sat three men
Wainwright. Gibbs and Horrigan. The
former, In spite Of his habitual steady
coOlness. was plainly uneasy. Gibbs
made no effort to deny his anxiety
His eyes We're bloodshot. his manner
distracted and his nerves evidently
strung to breaking point. Horrigar
alone Of the trio had abated not one
jot Of the colossal calm and brutal
power that were part and parcel OF
the mans mighty character.
when will our bill come up, do you
Suppose?" asked Gibbs. breaking q
brief silence.
"In half ali hour or so probably,
answered Horrigan. glancing at his
watch. Il thought It was better fol-
us to get here ahead Of time"
Half an hour" fumed Gibbs. land
neither Ellis nor Roberts here yet
Suppose they don't get here on time"
"They WILL" grunted Horrigan plac'
Idly.
"Do you think 1t Is possible either o
Them has come YETI went on Gibbs
with glance ut the antechan ber door
"Nu"
"How do you know? Perhaps
civilians would have told me. HI
knows where I'm To he found"
YOU'RE sure Ellis and Roberts vii
show up!"
"Yes.S
How soon?"
"In good time"
But suppose they don't?" insiste'
| Gibbs nervously What ther:'
why. II they don't. then they wont
What do you SUPPOSE" snaprrd Hor
rigan What's the matter with you
anyhow? Are you looking for muse
um job as the human question mark?
Gibbs is naturally nervous" explain
ed Wainwright. Hes not 50 old Il
this game us you and |. Horrigan. ant
we must make allowances.
"NervousT grunted the boss. g
i H. tt 1,..l, ttn
cigar | gave him He's been chewing
Ii rs If II was Il sausage That's H.
way to treat fifty cent cigar. maD
Iere. try another. and see IL yon can
smoke II instead Of eating free lunc
nff It. Nothing like Il good smoke t
steady your nerves. If"-
| The antechamber door opened. an,
Williams hurried In.
II got Ellisw he reported. He
here. and"-with significant emphasis
he'll vote right!'
Good" assented Horrigan.
thought he'd come to time. Now. TO
Roberts and the things done"
1.-THE gallery in there Is Jammed." re
ported Williams jerking his head te
ward the aldermanlc chamber. 81 ne,
er saw such a mob In the place be
fore"
That's what comes Of all this news
paper publicity" growled Horrigan II
It wasn't for the papers the people :
never make any trouble for us. Blu
they read the news and then they &c
silly ideas about their rights. and
lot Of them come here to see they don
get swindled Lord! II the paper
would only suspend publication for OH
, month. I'd guarantee to put The Who'll
! state in my vest pocket. They're a
ways butting in to spoil the organiza
tlon's honest profits. How are tn
crowd In the galleries behavlng?"
They're quiet" answered William
, uneaslly TOO quiet That's wha
bothers me. They seem to be waitin
for the Borough bill to-
: "lf they raise any row. rush mt
ton through to clear the galleries" Of
dered Horrigan.
Nothing short Of the police coul
clear away that big crowd"
"Then we'll have the police In
help"
, "But." argued Williams. "that woul
mean riot. and lot Of people woul