The Alaska citizen., 1911-01-30
George Randolph Chester
 In Saturday Evening Post.
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 Facts were uncovered that set the entire city in turmoil. More than fifty men who had never been born had been carried upon the city and
 ounty pay-rolls. and half Cf their diaries went dire Ctly into Stones pocket. the other half going to the
 nen who conducted this paying en-
 erprisc. Contracts for city paving
 md other improvements were let 10
 ayored bidders at an enormous fig
 ire. and Stone personally had one fourth of the huge profits on "scramp- pd" work. another fourth going to
 hose who arranged the details and
 lid the collecting. lnnumerable in stances Cf this sort were brought out: but the biggest scandal of all,
 n that il involved men who should nave been unassailable, was that of the banks. The relentless probe lruught out the fact that all the city and county funds had been dis
 ributed among the four banks, the
 deposits yielding no revenue what ever to either commonwealth. These funds. however. had paid privately wo per cent interest, and this in t,rest was paid in cash, in sealed envelopes. to the city and county auditors and treasurers. who took the envelopes unbroken to Stone for dis .ribution The amounts thus divert ed from the prop-r channels totaled 70 an enormous figure, and. as this money was the most direct and ap- proachable. Chalmers, who had the interesting role of inquistor, set out to get it. The officials who had been longest at the crib, grown in cautious were now men of property, and by the use of red-hot pincers Chalmers had betn able to restore nearly sixty thousand dollars of stolen money, with the possibility of more in sight.
 ,t was upon the heels of this that Chalmers candidacy for mayor was announced, and the manner in which the Store macnine nal dropped 10 pieces was laughable Chalmers, and the entire slate so carefully prepared by Bobby in conjunction
 ~ith the shrewd old fox, Cal Lewis. wen by majority so overwhelming as to Ie almost unanimous. I'm mediately upon Chalmers election heads began to drop, and the first 10 go was Cooley, chief of police, in whom, four years later, Bobby recC gnized the driver of his ice wagon. Coincident with the election came well-foundcd rumors of grand jury indictments. Two of Stones closest and busiest lieutenants. who
 were most in danger Of striped ,1, oi their ire property into cash and then just as quietly slipped away to Honduras.
 Late one afte rnoon, as Bobby sat alone in his room in the almost de
 serted Bulletin building so worried over his business affairs that he had no time for elation over his political and personal triumphs, the door open ed and Stone stood before him. The pouches under Stones eyes were heavier and darker, his cheeks droop- ed flabbily, and he seemed to have fallen away inside his clothes, but upon his face there sat the same stern impassiveness. Bobby instantly rose, having good cause to want to be we'll planted upon his feet with his man near him. Stone carefully | closed the door behind him and ad- vanced to the other side of Bobby's desk.
 Well, you win" he said huskily. Bobby drew long breath. Tt has cost me a lot of money, MT. Stone. It has left me almost flat broke-but I got you" Il give you credit" admitted Stone. T didn't think anybody could do it, least of all a kid; but you got me and you got me good It's been hard fight for all of us, l guess. I'm a little run down." and he hesi- lated curiously; my doctor says got to take an ocean trip" He sud ienly blazed out: Damn it, you might as well be told. I'm running away!"
 Bobby found himself silent. For two years he had planned and hoped for this moment of victory. Now
 hat the exultant moment had come he found himself feeling strangely sorry for the big man, in spite of his unutterable rascality.
 T ain't coming back" Stone went on after a pause, and there's some thing l want to ask you to do for me-"
 T should be glad to do it, MT. Stone, if it is anything l can allow myself to do."
 ''Aw, cut it!" growled Stone. Look here. l got a list of some poor mutts l been looking out fer, and I've just Set aside a wad to keep it going. l want you to look after 'em and see that the money gets spread around right. l know you're square l don't know anybody else to give it to-"
 To Bobby he handed a list of some fifty names and addresses, with monthly amounts set down opposite hem. They were widows and or phans and helpless creatures of all sorts and conditions, blind and deaf and crippled, whom Stone, in the great passion that every man has for some one to love and revere him, and in the secret tenderness insep- arable from all big natures, had made his pensioners.
 There ain't a soul on earth knows about these but me, and every one of 'em is wise to it that if they ever blat a word about it he pap's cut off. l don't want a thing, not even hint, printed about this-see? I ain't afraid that you'll use it in the paper after me asking you not to, so l don't ask you for any promise"
 ''Pll do it with pleasure" onered Bobby.
 Well, guess that's about all," said Stone, and turned to go.
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