The Columbus journal., 1910-07-20


any way the deed was done. All wondered what
he would do.
They didn't wonder long. As fast as rail-
road king can get over the rails. Joe Dale came
to I.acedaemon He almost literally threw the
Daily Planet out Of its office windows. murdered 1t
and Jumped on its corpse. He fired Pat OBrien
from the presidency with force and arms 1t would
have been tragic. II everybody had not been grim
ming at Dale's futile wrath. AS 1t was. the only
satisfaction the irate railroad king got out OF 1t
was to tell a few party leaders who besougnt
him to continue the paper or sell. that he would
let the Western Associated press franchise ex-
pire rather than see another fool paper Ike
that in Lacedaemon Even this small satisfac-
ton was lessened when Pollock insisted on his
salary being continued to the end Of an ironclad
fouryear contract. Mr.. Dale went back to New
York with new ideas about city bosses and their
ways.
The episode for It was only an episode In the
life Of busy Lacedaemon. was soon almost forgot
ten The cardinal had shown Joe Dale that he
was boss of the town. Joe Dale had chopped OF
the cardinals presidential head in retaliation.
John Dale continued his business friend and Gus
toner, and the whole affair was dismissed from
the cardinals busy mind closed. with honors
even.
But Joe Dale was not through with Pat
OBrien. 1t Is a railroad kings prerogative to
punish. as well to reward. and for the punish
ness of which lay entirely In its simplicity.
Came John Dale one day to the cardinal and
said Pat l have a private tip that a big kill
ing is coming of in Nipper stock. Buy me ten
thousand at the market and hold on until
tell you to let CO."
"An right" said the cardinal. and bought an
other ten thousand as we'll for his own account
Nipper advanced a point He called In few
chosen friends who formed q pool ard invested
adv wO DOintS
Pat bought more: he would pull out when John
Dale did and retire from active business with his
profits.
John Dale himself had gone to New York on
the day he gave his order to O'Brien. Within
day Nipper began to sag. Then 1t dropped below
the buying point. The pool put up more mar.
gins. The stock still dropped. swiftly now. and
the other members Of the pool became alarmed.
Pat treasured them. They're shaking out the
small blocks of stock" he said Then you'll see
her skyrocket."
Nipper continued to toboggan. Pats friends
were seriously concerned. They talked of SELL
ing and pOcketing their losses. but he showed
them his hand. Look here" he said. John Dale
is in this thing up to his neck and we know where
he gets his private tips. Here's what he
has on my books alone. As long as he holds on
and keeps up his margins. I'm satisfied" His
friends knew the cardinal: they knew he. too.
was up to his neck" they held on.
Suddenly Nipper went down like mercury in
blizzard weather. The friends were wildly
alarmed. They insisted that John Dale was giving
Dick the double Cross" Though he did not be-
lieve It. he wired to New York for special and
private investigation Of John Dae's movements
there. And after little delay tidngs came that
made the poOlsharers very sick men. John Dale
had gone to New York, had q short talk with his
father. then gone straightway to his broker and
sold short ten thousand Nipper at the market. The
Profits ON the sale as the stock went down would
pay his losses the Lacedaem0n purchase
Meanwhile Joe Dale would see to 1t that Nipper
did go down until Pat O'Brien was utterly
swamped.
OF course the pool made haste to sell out. John
Dale's private tip had been q prophecy. A killing
had been made and OBrien and his friends were
the slaughtered ones. When the debris was final
ly swept up the cardinal. who had plunged fierce
ly on his own private account. found himself poor
er BY some $750.OO0. It had cost him that much
to disobey the mandate Of q railroad king But
he still owns Lacedaemon