Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-11

Slnple, uIidHeClSu, ildiiiy ahu 'hS
bronzed look of his face told it's story
of life in the open.
Not our distinguished young dis
trict attorney whom the politicians had
to get rid Off" he asked in tones of
surprise and pleasure.
The very same" Bivens answered
gravely.
The major gripped Stuart's hand a
second time.
Then want to shake again and Of
fer you my congratulations on the SER
, vice you have rendered the nation.
It's an honor to know you, SIR
| Stuart was too much amazed at such
speech to reply before the tall figure
had disappeared.
Bivens pressed his arm.
That's why I could afford to pay
you a million a year."
You don't mean to say that his
fortune is streaked with the stain Of
| fraud?" Stuart asked, in low tones.
Certainly. Personally, he's a fine
fellow. He's big man and lives in
big world. His fortune Is not less
than two hundred million, securely
salted down in gilt-edged real estate,
most of 1t. But the original fortune
was made by fraud and violence in the
old days of colonial history. The ell
der Viking was furrier. The fur
trade was enormously profitable.
Why? Because the whole scheme was
built on the simple process by which
an Indian was made drunk and in one
brief hour cheated out of the results
Of a years work. His agents never
paid money for skins. They first used
whisky to blind their victims and then
traded worthless beads and trinkets
for priceless treasures of fur. And on
such a foundation was the great house
founded"
It's Incredible"
1.-The facts have been published. If
they were not true the publisher could
be driven out of business. The Vik-
ings maintain a dignified silence.
They have to do it, but softly, here is
the head of the house of Black Friday.
Everybody knows about his fathers
sins. Yet he was the friend and COM
rade of the great who were canonized
while he was cannonaded. Good fell
low, too, all the same breed when you
come right down to it, only some Of
them have the genius for getting away
with the goods and saving their repu-
tations at the same time"
For instance?" Stuart asked.
Bivens craned his neck toward the
stairs.
There's one of them, now, one Of the
great railroad kings, not one of your
western Founders, but the real East
ern, New York patriotic brand, one of
the brave, daring pioneers who risked
all to push great transcontinental rail-
roads through the trackless deserts Of
'he west-with millions furnished by
the government-which they dumped
into their own pockets while the world
was shouting their praises for develop
ing the nations resources.
my friend, Mr.. James Stuart, Mr..
Van DAM"
1t was with difficulty that the young
lawyer kept his face straight during
those introductions.
Van Dam bowed with grave cour-
tesy, and when he was beyond the
reach of Bivens's voice the little dark
biographer went on:
"Old Van Dam, the founder Of the
house, whose palaces now crowd Fifth
swearing, God-fearing, man-hating
old scoundrel who put on no airs, but
simply went for what he wanted and
got it. He was the first big transpor-
tation king we developed. His fortune
was founded on the twin arts of brib-
cry and blackmail. The lobby he
maintained in secret collusion with his
alleged rivals in Washington while he
was working his subsidy bills through
congress was a wonder, even in its
day. He and his rival with two gangs
of thieves publicly lobbying against
each other met in secret and divided
the spoils when the campaign was
| over. If a real rival succeeded in
getting a government subsidy for
TRANSFORMATION line in which he had no
share, his procedure was always the
same; he began the construction or
equipment of a rival line until they
| bought him off by a big payment OF
monthly blackmai His income from
blackmail alone was frequently more
| than a million a year. His sons are
fine fellows and doubled the old mans
millions in bigger, cleaner ways, as I've
doubled mine. But it gives me pain
when these men begin to nose around,
inquiring about my early history"
We'll, CAL" Stuart broke in with a
laugh, "the one thing l like about you
is that you have never been ashamed
of your humble origin"
Still I'm not without my weak
spot, even there, Jim," the little man
said, with an accent Of pain that star
tied Stuart.
What do you mean?"
You see that bunch of newspaper
reporters over there? They are the
ghosts that haunt my dreams. Oh, not
what they'll say i'm their dirty papers.
We can control that, we own them.
But there's a magazine muckraker
among them. He has nosed his way in
here tonight as reporter, for some
devilish purpose. He has been down
| in North Carolina, moving heaven and
earth to find my poor old father and
mother and get under my hide with a
biographical sketch. He has written
volume of lies about them already
but list here's another one of the great
ones you must know, old Grantly, the
proud possessor of fortune made In
the services of the nation for the NOM
inal consideration of so per cent prof
it, a typical civil war nabOb."
| RiyenS bowed with exaggerated