The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-16

AS Tank went into court at two
o'clock with Halloran and his attor-
aeys. they thrust into his hands sheet
all damp from the press. . TANK AD-
MINISTRATION DOOMED! it said
In screaming headlines. 1t was The
Globe, a paper that had fed fat from
Tanks hand for dozen years.
He crumpled it In his hand, his great
lace ablaze with wrath.
The court was Tanks. His man
upon the bench, his man behind the
clerks desk. his man the bailiff. who
with a half-dozen assistants sought to
keep order among the breathless. sweat
Ing, steaming crowd Indeed it was
his Assistant City Attorney who ap-
peared with the prosecution. But for
all that Tank knew better than to use
his power He had meant to. He could
have ordered and forced through a
series of Irritating delays, but each
would have brought men under the
CALLING lash of criticism whom he
wished to keep as free from 1t rs pos
sible. Never put strain on man
unless you've got to" was an axiom of
his. The atmosphere of the situation
told him in minute that here a1i
now was no time to pettifog. His
henchmen whispered that on the Court
House steps two blocks away, a great
mass meeting had come together OF
its own accord. Fiery indignation
speeches were being made
Tank was thinking quickly, deeply.
wonderingly. For once he had mis-
Judged. DUNES work had gone deeper
than he thought. The people we're
tired of mere publicity, but it was the
WEAKNESS of disappointment oft sx-
perienced. Now, with the quarry in
sight, with CRATER in the tolls, and
the prospect of confession that would
point the finger of accusation uner-
ringly at the guilty conspirators against
public right, backed by evidence which
would be incontrovertible, the very
town had risen.
Dunno got up and went out, two Of
Tanks own appointees fighting the
way through the crowd for him.
He's gone to address the mseting
on the Court House steps whispered
some one to Tank.
The proceedings were soon over. The
court promptly held Halloran to await
the action of the Grand Jury. and fixed
his bail as low as friendliness dared.
under the circumstances.
Court adjourned The crowds poured
out. Tank remained within while
bondsmen summoned by him qualified
and Halloran was officially free.
AS they turned to leave the Judges
chambers the next rude shock came to
the Boss. A document was handed to
Halloran and himself Each was a
summons to appear before the Grand
Jury then in session at the Court
House two blocks away where the IN.
dignation meeting was in progress
Tank crushed his in his hand. What
did Peelor mean by treachery like this
Peelor was Tanks foreman of Tank s
Grand Jury which was that day harm
lessly in session, going through the
mockery of listening to the report OF
the experts (Tank's own on the audi
tors office. What business had PeeloI
to turn and rush him like this? He
would break the traitors political neck
for such disloyalty. He ground the pa
per beneath his heel His face famed
hot.
Come on out of this he said tt
Halloran.
Rudely he fought his way through
the crowd In which his sympathizers
mingled with his foes. till he gained
the steps Of the building. In front was
a sea of faces A great shout went III
from them. Tank appeared on the
steps above with Halloran beside him
For a moment the figure of the Boss
stood out against the rim of people
round him, and his huge face was
lifted and turned slowly from left tc
right as he viewed the crowd. An in
solent sneer framed itself on his grea
/ features, framed itself and faded 10 {
1 look of gravity as he realized the in
/ tensity of the silence which had fol
! lowed the first shout of greeting II
4 that silence Tank felt the broodinE
( spirit Of respect for law that turks
! somewhere in the heart of every Amer
/ lean. The fight was one today, be
/ tween the Boss and the Boss system
and that of the law Tank sensed i
keenly. He had ground the subpen;
of the Grand jury, one of the mos
powerful creations of law, under hi
heel He had meant to disregard II
i To send his orders to Peelor instead o
i obeying the orders Peelor sent to him
! But as he saw and felt this vast, ex
/ pectant. sullen spirit before him in
crowd that any moment might fus
into mob or fall into the organized
/ phalanxes of vigilance committee, h
| swiftly changed his mind Selling tn
arm of Halloran, who was small, h
walked swiftly through the passag
kept open by the police-his police
climbed into the municipal automobil
his municipal automobile-and OF
dered the chauffeur to drive to tn
Court House.
Dunno was speaking on the steps 7
crowd far larger and more earnes
than that which had confronted Tank
They drove round to the rear. entere
by way OF the sheriffs Office. going i
through the basement and then up
back staircase, thus gaining the Gran
Jury anteroom unnoticed
III come in first" ordered Tank
the deputy sheriff at the door.
4 have orders to admit Hallora
first. sir" explained the officer.
I'll see Peelor first" responde
Tank grufiy
But my orders, Mr.. Tank, from tn
Grand Jury" faltered the mental. tren
bling between his respect for the pro