The Washington herald., 1911-08-20

guage. He talks well and his uncommon
face and his nervous movements make
him both interesting and attractive.
Smashing his fists together in his denun-
Citations of graft and the trusts, he would
sound very terrible il ones eyes were
shut Looking at him, however, one sees
his earnest pleasant countenance and
wants to hear more.
Thus Doc Akin dwelt among his neigh
borS, swearing in storm and sunshine, do
ing small favors for the operatives in the
knitting mill when they were i'll or out
of work, milking his cow night and morn
ing, and keeping his shrewd eyes on the
world. With the year 1909, something quite
unlocked for happened. Thence onward
l shall use his own phraseology as nearly
as possible. I found him in his shirt
sleeves. He was dressed in gray trousers.
a white unstarched shirt, a blue neck
tie, low, black shoes, and purple hose. He
was neat, but not gaudy, as the monkey
ventured complacently to observe when
he painted his tail in three colors.
asked him to tell me how he, an obscure
person, ever thought of running for Con-
gress.
IF you'll treat me fairly, I'll relate the
story" he answered. "AH that / want is
square deal Certain events had their
bearing. I'll begin with them. You can
damned please. only be just. I can't
write an article. That's your business.
l can tell fat steer from a lean one.
however, and that's my business.
Nips Mt Annexation Scheme.
We'll, one day a lawyer friend of mine
came to me with quiet tip. Amster-
dam was forcibly to annex Akin. Was
to grab us, then gobble us and then tax
us like hades for its sewers, water works,
and other improvements Akin was
nothing, municipality. at the time-only
some houses on the land we used to own
and plant in hay and corn. Our taxes
We're on a farming community basis. /
put a man secretly to work getting
signers on a petition to organize Akin
into a village. Organized, we couldn' I
be annexed without our consent. Every
body signed. Nobody leaked. Next 1
sent to a remote part of the county for
an attorney to make out the papers.
Lawyers are dangerous and so are
doctors. Yet I took the risk just the
same as would were to get dangerous
ly sick.
"In time the lid came off and the news
got out, but we had the organization
cinched. Along came an agent of the
New York Central Railroad, which has
four tracks right through my land. The
agent was pulling for Amsterdam. He'd
annex Akin, old Doc with the rest, or
he'd eat his own boots. He beloved
and then beloved some more.
Ny boy, said, don't get fresh. I
advise you to visit the county seat and
read the ancient and dishonored deed
that gave you the right of way through
my farm. My father, you'll find, do
mated the land on the written pledge of
your company that It would maintain a
station right here in Akin. You aban-
doned that station seven years ago.
You have broken your contract. although
100 cars of hay are shipped out OF Akin
every month. Now you fun right
homo or I'll sue your damned old COM
pany. and when / sue Or fight I never
quilt until the undertaken walks In with
stretcher, and bottle of embalming
fluid
$50 the agent beat II back. to head
quarters. There's been no settlement.
The deed IL still IN existence. The sta
tion al Akin hasn't been reopcned- l
am resting on the status quo: It's an
ace up my sleeve that may play IA
soms other rama.