The citizen., 1911-09-15

of the amount, for it was vastly great
er than what Gormly expended They
had nearly >as many expenses as he.
except for the newspaper advertising,
which they got free, and in addition
they disbursed an immense bribery
and corruption fund through Liffey.
Connell, Habberley and Benson.
Again and again were Haldane and
his associates called. upon for remit
tances, which were invariably forth
coming. There was no possibility Of
refusal. Failure to win victory
would mean financial ruin to many of
them. Fortunately for him, it did not
mean so much to Haldane, although
his great fortune would be seriously
impaired by defeat Most of the
others, however, had turned over
everything that they possessed, and
pledged their credit as well, to the
vast syndicate of which he was the
head. Indeed. he and Van Slyke would
be the only ones not totally ruined
by the election of Gormly. Conse-
quently they paid and paid and paid.
protesting in their hearts but shutting
their teeth grimly and handing out
the cash, which was disbursed to the
best advantage by Liffey and Benson.
Gormly himself spoke every night
somewhere, and the crowds that greet
ed him were enormous. Meanwhile
every detective in the employ of the
city, and all others who could be
suborned, were concentrating their
efforts on Gormlys past and present.
He could net take a step outside OF
his office without being shadowed. It
was not difficult for spies to mingle
with the crowd of buyers in his store
and scrutinize every person who en-
tered his private room. They had
so far discovered nothing Gormly
had lived an absolutely clean. upright.
honest, hardworking life since he
landed In New York. They did not
find out where he came from or even
where he was born. The only possible
clue they had was the statement that
he had once been in the west, with
which Haldane had supplied them.
Men had secured the principal cities
of the west; but nothing had been
learned. Connell was in despair. He
and Liffey and Benson had again and
again been on the eve Of determining
upon the manufacture of some degrad-
ing or incriminating story which
would at least serve their purpose. 1t
would not be difficult to get witnesses
to such an endeavor; but 1t would be
highly dangerous to resort to such an
expedient, and they were still hesi.
tating and undecided.
About this time the disputed fran.
chise expired. A resolution was i'm.
mediately introduced in the board OF
aldermen at the city hall granting a
renewal of it to the Gotham Freight
Traction company. Every move in
the game was watched, and the reso-
luton had scarcely been read and re-
ferred to a committee when it was
communicated to Gormly. The next
day the Gormly papers rang with the
charge that the city fathers intended
to give away its most valuable remain.
ing public franchise to the Gotham
Freight Traction company.
At the next meeting, despite the
furious protests of the Gormly party.
the resolution was put upon It's pas.
sage. Gormly here played his great.
est political card. Attended by a
body of friends, he presented himself
at the council chamber and forced ad.
mission. When the resolution re-
newing the franchise was about to be
voted upon, as citizen of New York
deeply interested in the matter he de-
manded to be heard Before permis-
sion was either granted or refused
by the astonished presiding officer,
Gormly drew from his pocket piece
Of paper Amid the deepest silence
he held it up and said: