Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-07-29
CALEBCON0VFR
f esif fs,t 's" RAIL ROADER
iCONovEH
rssu0 o. 7at a STORY Of LOVE POLITICS. INTRIGUE.
soe-e II or A RICH & POWERFUL BOSS
SE&IS AND AN INTREPID YOUNG
IszSTSSSSy5@ee REFORF1ER
AZ 1b IRJ BY ALBERT. PAYSoN TERHuNE.

RAILROADER


has a right to read about If Jerry's
dragged us into the limelight, can We
kick if the papers let folks see US
there?"
"But surely"
"That's the easiest part of it. I've
got to face my wife with this story
Not tonight, but tomorrow anyhow.
Sweet Job, Ell? A white man don't
enjoy squashing the life out of even
a guinea-pig in cold blood. let alone
a BOYS mother. And reporters'll be-
Gin coming here by sunrise for inter
views. and folks'll be staring at us In
the street and Offering their measly
sympathy and then running off to tell
the neighbors how we took 1t. And
every paper we pick up will be full or
the latest d'vel'pments' and all that
And those of us who know Jerry WHY
get into the pleasing habit OF (remem-
bering what a cute, friendly kid he
used to be when he was little, and
the great things we used to dream
he'd do when he grew up, and how
we hustled SOS he'd have as good a
chance in life as any young Teller on
earth. And then We'll remember he's
waiting in jail to be tried for murder
ing a chorus slattern's lover, and all
the black, filthy shame he's pat on de-
cent folks that was fools enough to
love him, and the way he's fulfilled
them silly hopes of ours. Oh yes,
oil vic
all right I don't need no Weakening
sense But maybe I've made it clear
to you now WHY it is I don't go ca
vorting off by the next train to con-
sole and cheer up the boy who's
brought this on us. don't just
hanker-"
"Don't take that tone, I beg, STR"
pleaded the lawyer deeply panied BY
what underlay the fathers half-scoff-
is, lIO...~~-4 >------~. SO IL
down. lie is only twentytcllr. The
jury will surely be lenient. After ali,
there's the 'unwritten law and
"And of all the Shiny rot ever
thought up by paretic's brain, that
same 'unwritten law is about the
rankest specimen" snarled Caleb.
"By the time a mans learned to live
up to all the written laws, guess he
left to go moseying around among the
unwritten ones. Whenever a coward
takes a pot-shot at some one within
half mile of a petticoat, up goes the
'unwritten law scream. Use it if you
like in the trial, but for Gods sake cut
out such hypocritical bosh when
you're talking to me. 'Unwritten
law!' Why don't the Legislature take
a day off and write it?'
"Then you won't come with me to
town." asked the lawyer, with another
covert glance at his watch.
"Come with you and tell Jerry how
sorry l am for him, and how I sympa-
thize with him for killing his mother
for that's what it'll come to-and
for wrecking a name I've spent all my
life building up for him, and for max
ing me the shame of all my friends?
No, Wendell, I guess I'll have to de-
prive him of that treat I'll think up
later what's best to do about him. In
the meantime get him acquitted"
Acquitted? That is not so easy.
But"
"Not SO easy? Why amt it?
Didn't l tell you to draw on me for
all you wanted? I've got somewhere
between forty and fifty millions all
told. The jury don't live this side OF
the wn-your-own-cloud suburbs Of
heaven that hasn't at least one man
on it that 100000 will buy. If not
that, then $1,O00,O00. I'll leave the de-
tails 80 you. Buy enough jurors to
hang every verdict till they get tired
of trying Jerry and turn him loose to
save the State further expense. II
murderer amt convicted on his first
trial, it's a cinch he's never going to
be on his second or third. Now, it's
up to you to buy that drawn verdict
for the first trial, and then for the
others till they acquit him or parole
him in your custody. It's been done
before, and it'll be done again. This
amt 'life-and-death matter as you
called it. It's a question Of dollars
and cents. And as long as I've got
enough of those same dollars and
cents, no boy of mines going TO the
death chair or to life Imprisonment
either You'll have to hustle for that
train. If you miss it, come back and
I'll put you up for the night"