The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-15

| two OF their 1.lhd-"l fote.s," they were
called. Now we would hang these
eight in a proper. legal and ordinary
| way. And then back to business.
| suppose that the world seemed to me
| so good place to hustle in that l
couldn't rightly appreciate the com
plant Of these rebels against society.
And at any rate ! was convinced that
we scrabble folks who had the upper
hand could not tolerate any bomb fool
| ishness. I'm behalf OF society'-yee
| before we had left our seats in the
courtroom my mind was made up.
| Guilty or not, these men must suffer
! for their foolish opinions. which were
dead against the majority.
Thus I performed my duty to society.
When our verdict was ready and we
came In to be discharged. saw Hill
larry Cox again. As the foreman rose
to give our verdict her SCARED face
flushed with excitement. and IN ugly
scowl crept over her brow l turned
away. Queer thoughts came into my
| mind, for the bad air and the weeks of
close confinement had made me nerv
Gus, suppose. Society! / seemed to
sec old Strauss. with his puffy. ashen
face and his broad hands that hooked
In the dollars. dirty or clean, and Wit
ger, who kept our honorable council on
his payroll for convenience, and the
man who had been with Lou Pierson
that night and many others. Were
! they better men before the eye Of God
than. these eight misguided fools whom
Vrr a RI hn
the most harm to society, they or that
pale faced Fielder, who might have
been a saint instead of an anarchist
The Judge was still making remarks;
the jury were listening restlessly; the
prisoners at the bar seemed little in
terested in the occasion. l kept saying
to myself: Society! In behalf Of soci-
ETY.! have done my duty in behalf Of
society" But what was this almighty
society, anyhow, save a lot Of fools
and scamps. with q sprinkling of
| strong souls, who were fighting for
life, all Of them sighting for what only
q few could get? My eyes rested on
Hostetter's face in the crowd. His jaw
was hanging open. and he was staring
at the judge, trying to understand it
all.
Poor Ed! He wouldn't have much
show in the scramble II society didn't
protect him. Suddenly a meaning to it
al came to me like great light. The
strong must rule. The world was for
| the strong. It was the act of an idiot
to deny that truth. Yes. life was for
the strong. all there was In it. I saw
i 1t SO then. and I have lived it SO all my
life.
The man from Steeies nudged my
elbow.
/ my. tell you I'll be glad to get
home tonight! Won't the old woman's
food taste slick tonight? You bet"
'The jury Is discharged"
/ The play was over. The specta-
tors were moving from the crowded
room.
At the door my friends were waiting
for me. Hillary Cox stretched up q
thin hand.
"Thank you. van." she said
"You fellows did just right" Hostel
ter added.
Slocum said nothing. but there was
a dubious smile on his lips.
Were going to blow you OF for q
dlnuer at the Palmer House, the best
you ever ate" Dick Pierson called out
loudly.
Then he, added for the benefit OF
the onlookers. ITO hell with the an.
archists!'
"Quit thatv' said sharply, some OF
those queer doubts about the justice OF
the act l had been concerned in re.
turning to me. Its over now and
let's drop it,
4 It was good to be out on the streets
once more, knocking elbows with folks
|. and my heart soon began to feel right
In the lobby of the hotel men l didn',
know, who recognized me as one Of the
famous jury, came up to me and shooh
hands and said pleasant things. Be
. fore the dinner was far along l wal
|, quite myself again, and when Slocun
set up the champagne for the party
had begun to feel rather proud of tn.
part had taken in public affairs. Aft
er all it was q fine thing to live an(
hustle with your neighbors for the dol
| lars
) hac done my part to make tn,
: game go on smoothly At the yards tn,
next morning 1t was the same thing
Ny desk was covered with flowers. ant
, the boys kept me busy shaking hand
| and taking in the cigars until though
was at a church presentation party
Big John was one OF the first to vel
> come me back.
'Say. do you want q vacation? tn,
old man thinks a month or two woul,
t be the right thing. Enjoy yourself, m.
/ boy. after your ardueus duty"
/ "Shoor' l replied. what would d
t with months vacation. John? nv
} just pinned to be back here ut work
What do want to light out for now
e "Supposing some OF 'en should tr.
T to fix your" he crinned.