The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-22
that might come II his "syRdicate'
were not satisfied


Slocum referred the matter to me and
advised me to seek some compromise
with Frost, for" he said. 'our record
is not altogether clear in that uansac-
ton" referring to the sum we had PAID
for services to the treasurer OF the
bankrupt corporation. This move on
the part Of Frost and his associates
was blacknaail, OF course. but the law
yer advised compromise. 1t would
have been the wise thing to do: but.
having succeeded 80 far. felt my oats
too much to be held up In this fash
ion. I refused peremptorily to deal
with the man. aud Slocum tntimated
to him when he called for a reply that
we would not consider giving him
more than the other bondholders had
received-namely, 80 per cent Of the
par value of the bonds he held in new
bonds Frost went of, and We had
heard nothing more from him.
Meanwhile we had gone our way,
making ready to turn over our proper
ties, rounding up this matter and that.
guarding against the tight money mar
ket and quietly getting things in order
one day had come like a thunderbolt
from an open sky an injunction re-
straining the American Meat Products
company from taking over the proper
ties Of the London and Chicago COM
pany, the petitioners alleging that they
held bonds Of the latter concern and
that the sale of its properties to the
representatives of the American Meat
Products company had been tainted
with fraud. A Judge Garretson Of the
circuit court had granted the tempo
rary Injunction one night at his house,
and the argument for the permanent
decree was set for April 10. fortnight
later The names Of the petitioners. all
but Frost's, were unknown to us.
"'There is the trail Of the snake" Slo-
cum muttered when he had read the
Injunction. 1--WE had better find Lokes.
This will be in the papers tonight and
in the eastern papers tomorrow morn
ing. You will hear from it all over"
Sure enough, the next noon I had q
telegram from Farson in Boston:
Papers print Injunction A. NJ. P.
Co.; charge fraud. Wire explanation -
cousin John didn't let the grass
grow under him." Slocum grimly re-
marked when I handed him this tele-
gram at luncheon. "You had better let
me answer him. Now for Lokes. He
denies all knowledge. and it's plain
enough that he isn't interested in hav-
ing this matter aired. But some one
must have found out pretty accurately
what has happened. Perhaps Lokes
when he was drunk let out what be
had got from us. Anyhow it's black.
mail, and the question Is what are We
going to do about 1t. 1t will cost US a
pretty penny to settle now!'
The situation vas alarming. Unless
we could get that injunction dissolved
md speedily our project faced serious
danger. The banker Parsons telegram
| was only the first The banks and our
hackers east and west would soon call
Us to account.
"It is blackmail," said to Slocum,
| "and il there is q way out we will not
| pay those rats. Find out what you
can about them"
In q day or two he came over to me
| with the information he had obtained
The "synuicate" consisted Of three or
four cheap fellows. hangers on Of a
brokers' Office. One OF them happened
to be q relative Of Judge Garretson.
who had issued the midnight injunc-
ton
II got that last from Ed Hostetter.'
Slocum explained Il met him on the
street as / was coming over here. Hav-
ing heard that this Lucas Smith lived
out Ed's way. in May Park, I asked
him II be knew anything about the
man. He said at once: You mean the
jedge's brother-in-law? He's a poiit-
| icai feller' OF course this Smith Is q
| bum Ike the rest"
So we had IN Ed. who had csme
back to work fer me. having failed in
a market where had started him aft
er the sausage plant was sold.