The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1911-03-16

nave TeGllZeu lIial TT HHu uoW Ill uls
possession $4,000 worth of stock for
which he had not paid Il cent and fur
thcrmore had deposited it when a rcor-
ganiZatiOn came.
But the judge was sincerely grateful
for RyderS apparently DISTINGUISHED
advice and wrote two letters to him,
one i'm which he thanked him for the
trouble. Ire had taken and another IN
which he asked him il he WAS sure the
company was financially sound, as the
investment he contemplated making
represented all his savings. He added
in the. accoEd letter that he had re-
ceived stock for double the amount OF
his investment and that. being per-
feet child in business transactions, lie
had been unable to account for the ex-
ira $4,000 worth until the secretary Of
the company had written him assuring
him that everything was in order.
These letters Ryder kept
From that time on the Alaskan MINI
ing company underwent mysterious
changes. New capitalists gained con-
troll and the name was altered to the
Great Northwestern Mining company.
Then 1t became involved in litigation.
and one suit, the outcome of which
meant millions to the company. was
carried to the supreme court. where
Judge RosSmore was sitting. The
Judge had by this time forgotten all
about the company In which he owned
stock. He did not even recall its name.
He only knew vaguely that it was a
mine and that it was situated in Alas
ka. Could he dream that the Great
Northwestern Mining company and
the company to which he had intrust-
ed his few thousands were one and the
same? In deciding on tile merits of
the case presented to him right seemed
to him to be plainly with the North
western, and lie rendered Il decision To
that effect. 1t WAS an Important de-
cision. involving Il large Sulu. and for
a day or two it was TALKED about. But
as it was the opinion of the most learn
ed and honest judge on the bench no
ono dreamed of iUcsti",,ils: it.
But very soon ugly para graphs be-
gan to appear in thc newspapers. One
l,ap.,r asked if ii were true that Judge
EoSsnorc owned stock in the Great
Northwestern Mining company which
lad recently benefited so signailT by
his decision. Interviewed by Il report
er, Judge Rossmurc Indignantly denied
being interested in any way IN the
company. Therctpun the same paper
returned to the attack. stating that the
jude must surely l,a mistaken, as the
records showed sale OF stock to- him
at the time the company was known
as the Alaskan Mining company.
When he read this the judge was over
whelmed. 1t was true then. They
had not slandered him. 1t was he who
had lied, but how inuoccntly--h how In
nocently!
His daughter Shirley. who was his
greatest friend and comfort. was then
in Europe. She had gone to the con-
tinent to rest after working for months
on a novel which she had just pub
lishel. His wife. entirely without ex-
perience in business mattcrs and some
what of an invalid, was helpless to adj
wise him. But to his Old and tried
friend, ex-Judgc Stott. Judge Ross
more explained the facts as they were.
Stott shook his head. ITS a conspir-
acy.' he cried. aud John Il. Ryder
Is behind it," Rossmore refused to be-
ly try to encompass anotlicrs destruc-
ton, hut when more newspaper stories
came out he began to realize that Stott
was right and that his enemies had in
deed dealt him a deadly blow. One
newspaper boldly stated that Judge
Rossmore was down on the mining
company's books for $4,000 more
stock than he had paid for. and it went
on to ask if this were payment for the
favorable decision just rendered. Ross
more, helpless, childiikc as lie was in
business matters, now fully realized
the seriousness Of his position. "My
God! My Cod" lie cried as he bowed
his head down on his desk. And for
whole day he remained closeted in his
library, no one venturing near him.
AS John Ryder sat there sphinxlike
Mt the head of the directors table he
reviewed all this in his mind. His own
part in the work was now done, and
well done, and he had come to this
meeting today to tell them of his tri-
umpll. Cries of "The chair! The
chair!' arose on every side. Senator
Roberts leaned over to Ryder and
whispered something in his ear.
With an acquiescent gesture John
Ryder tapped the table with his gavel
and rose to address his fellow direct
ors. Instantly the room was silent
again as the tomb. One might have
heard a pin drop, so Intense was the
attention. All eyes were fixed on the
chairman. The air itself seemed
charged with electricity that needed
but spark to set It abiaze.
Speaking deliberately and dispas-
sionately. the master dissembler be.
gan.
They had all listened carefully, he
said, to what had been stated by pre-
vious speakers. The situation no doubt
was very critical, but they had wealth
cred worse storms. and he had every
reason to hope they would outlive this