The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1912-02-06

I'll"
Keep back there. Somes." said
Gormly sharply as the man stepped
forward, his face aflame. 81 can deal
with the man. Connell," he contin-
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
law!" roared the chief, swapping his
fingers.
You ought to be man enough to
know that the games against you 30
far said Gormly, land keep quiet I'M
til l get through. Then III give you
chance to talk Are you ready now.
Mr.. Chaloner?"
Quite ready, SIR" was the imper-
.urbable answer Of that most excal-
lent young man.
"Ill begin again:
Tonight at half after eleven o'clock
Ben Cornell, the chief of police Of the
city Of New York, called at my apart
nent. 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 l should
request the people who had honored
me with their support to vote for
Warren; that l 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 a threat of instant
publicity, including a possible arrest
If 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. l am debating this state.
ment.
twenty-five years ago l 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
nave they been able to point of which
l am ashamed, or upon which they
could fix an attack.
When came to New York l was
nineteen years Of age l was born in
vermont. l received a common school
education. graduating from the high
SCHOOL when l was sixteen. My father
dleo before l was born, my mother at
my birth. Some small property &C.
crulhs TO me was turned over to me
ny my guardian on my graduation
from the high school. l spent two
years at sea as a cabin boy, and then
drlIted west, finally bringing up at
All Devil Camp in Wyoming.
There l came under the influence
OF woman older than l, who thought
II not unbecoming to her to beguile
ana entrap the young eastern tender.
loot who was just entering upon his
nineteenth year. was young, mex.
perlenced, impressionable; fell com.
pletely under her influence, There IA
something to be said for her. Door
woman. She was married to a drunk.
en- brute OF husband, a miner. a
gambler, who was not only unfaithful
10 her, but who abused her fright.
July. l think my sympathies more
tnan my affections were engaged.
mad 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.
mad still some little money left
ana resolved to take her awav. from
her 1ntolerable life. do not wish tn
shelter myself behind woman: but
! 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
soutn to the Union Pacific. That
night was the night Of the great bliz.
zard OF 1882, which Is still remem.
oered In the west. 1t was very late
when l reached her cabin with the
horses. The woman was ready for
me, waiting eagerly in fact. Her hus.
band had recently won a small sum of
money by gambling. That money she
took with her.
We had turned to the door to ~
out although 1t 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. l cannot
say. At any rate. he was there He
covered me with a gun; l was entire.
ly helpless.
Il worked in desperate hurry and
at last got my hand on the butt of
my pistol. l saw from the look Of hi.
eye that would have little time n
draw 1t. realized that unless could
l was doomed man. At that in.
slant there was a flash and a renor+
In the room. Immediately after the
man pulled the trigger Of his own
pistol, but the bullet went wild. He