Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-10-14


I'll"
Keep back there, Somes.- said
Gormly sharply as the man stepped
forward. his face afiame 81 can deal
with the man. Conneu," he contfn-
ued, you are going to sit right there
until I've finished with you. Now.
Somes," he said, you stand right be-
hind him, and If he attempts to get
out of his chair keep him down"
You're assaulting an officer of the
Iawi" roared the chief, swapping his
fingers
You ought to be man enough to
know that the games against you so
far" said Gormly, "and keep quiet I'M
til 1 get through. Then I'll give Won
chance to talk Are you ready now.
Mr.. Cha1oner?''
Quite ready. SIR" was the imper-
1urbable answer Of that most excel
lent young man
I'll begin again:
Tonight at half after eleven O'Clock
Ben Connell, the chief of police of the
city of New York, called at my apart
ment. He came unaccompanied and
wearing plain clothes. The object of
his visit was to demand of me that
should withdraw as a candidate for
the mayor of New York; that 1 should
request the people who had honored
me with their support to vote for
Warren; that 1 should declare my be-
lief in the integrity of the Gotham
Freight Traction company and the
purity of the Sachem society, of which
he is an honored member. The means
by which he sought to induce me to
take this course were a promise of
silence as to certain episodes in my
past career, and threat of instant
publicity. including a possible arrest
| II 1 refused In the presence of my
private secretary, Philip Chaloner, of
my friend and servant, William Somes,
and of the chief of police, Cornell
himself. I am debating this state
ment,
twenty-five years ago 1 came to
New York Since that time my ca
reer has been thoroughly exploited
| The detective force of the city, sup
! plemented by whatever talent could
! be procured or suborned, has had me
under investigation. To not one act
| have they been able to point of which
am ashamed, or upon which they
could fix an attack.
When I came to New York / was
nineteen years of age. I was born in
vermont. received common school
education, graduating from the high
scnool when / was sixteen. My father
died before 1 was born, my mother at
my birth Some small property &C
cru1ng to me was turned over to me
by my guardian on my graduation
from the high school 1 spent two
years at sea as a cabin boy, and then
drlfted west, finally bringing up at
XIII Devil Camp in Wyoming.
There I came under the influence
OF woman older than I, who thought
1t not unbecoming to her to beguile
and entrap the young eastern tender
foot who was just entering upon his
nineteenth year. 1 was young, mex
per1enced, impressionable; I fell com
pletely under her influence. There is
something to be said for her, poor
woman. She was married to a drunk
en- brute of a husband, miner, a
gambler, who was not only unfaithful
to her, but who abused her fright
fully think my sympathies more
than my affections were engaged
had a chivalric desire to help her, q
boys reverence for womankind
abused and suffering, a quixotic spirit
of knight errantry. of which even now
l am not ashamed.
Il had still some little money left
and resolved to take her away from
her intolerable life. 1 do not wish to
shelter myself behind a woman; but
1 have always told the people of New
York the exact truth, and l am do
ing 1T now. We had planned to leave
the camp on certain night and ride
south to the Union Pacific. That
night was the night of the great biz
card of 1882, which Is still remem
bered in the west 1t was very late
when l reached her cabin with the
horses. The woman was ready fol
me, waiting eagerly in fact. Her bus
band had recently won a small sum Of
money by gambling. That money she
took with her
I'VE had turned to the door to gc
out, although it was almost certain
death to be abroad in such a storm
when her husband entered the room
How he knew, or whether he knew
what we were going to do, 1 cannot
say. At any rate, he was there He
covered me with a gun; / was entire
ly helpless.
Il worked in a desperate hurry, and
at last got my hand on the butt o
my pistol. saw from the look of his
eye that I would have little time tt
draw it 1 realized that unless 1 coult
1 was a doomed man At that in
slant there was a flash and a report
in the room Immediately after the
man pulled the trigger of his OWL
pistol, but the bullet went Wild He