The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-10-24
How a BlackmaIIer Was Foiied and
Family Restored

the Office manager Of the Burns
agency to me one day In June. 1910;
and he handed me a card on which
was written one of the most proml-
nent and powerful names In New York
financial circles, and therefore one OF
the NEST powerful In all the country.
For the purposes of this story the
name shall be Handsykes.
Go over and see Mr. Handsykes,"
said the manager. "Yeu knew who
he ts?"
It's Handsykes who sprung the big
bank merger. isn't it?" I replied.
Yes, that's the Handsykes," said
the manager. "Remember all the time
you're dealing with him that he is the
Handsykes. This agency Is pretty
powerful proposition in its way, Cor
nell, but compared 70 Handsykes we're
infants. Don't forget that. You'd BET
ter dress accordingly. too. I've pick
ed you for the Job because you don't
look like a detective when you try
to look like business man This Is
big case, Cornell. 1t doesn't make
any difference what 1t Is, If Hand
sykes Is In it at all it's big
What is it?"
"Oh, Handsykes doesn't tell things
outside Of his private Office" was the
answer. "He just sends for people,
and they come. He sent over for a
man. You're the man. And whatever
you do, don't forget who the man is."
went home and put on an outfit OF
clothing that made me look like a
quiet. prosperous business man, and
went down to Handsykes' Office on
Wall street within sight of Trinity
church. 1t is about as easy for the
average caller to get past the secre-
taries in this office as 1t is for the pro-
verbal camel to pass through the
needles eye, but my card opened the
way right through into the great
mans sanctum.
l had never seen Handsykes before,
and my knowledge OF his appearance
had been gained from pictures I had
seen Of him. Now I saw that the pic
lures which had been printed labeled
''Hapdsykes" were the pictures of an
other and totally different man. The
pictorial Handsykes was lean and eu-
stere; Handsykes i'll real life was
round and merry. Afterwards I
learned that there never had been a
single photograph of the great man,
and that the pictures handed out as
his were in reality the likeness of an
old private secretary.
"Sit down." said Mr.. Handsykes.
Have cigar. Got match?"
These were the first words that the
power that made brokers tremble at
tered to me.
When we had got cur cigars going
we'll he said:
"Blackmail, my boy, is a dirty, low
down trick"
He smoked comfortably for several
minutes.
i don't mind giving up money" he
continued. 1--WE been deing it all my
life. I'm accustomed to 1t. If anything
happens that want to pay money for.
I pay 1t. If anybody has anything he
ought to get money from me for
or can get it from me-he gets it,
Otherwise-no."
Still more smoking.
"But blackmail-cemmon,i ow-down
coarse. Kold-up work-that do not
like. How do you feel about 1t. Mr.
Correll?"
said, Of course, that I thought
blackma1 was one Of the lowest
crimes in the calendar.
Ever get any blackmailers7" asked
Handsykes.
! had not.
Neither have l." said he. But this
time-weT1 get 'em!"
He tossed q letter across the desk
TO me.
Read that" he said, geniaily. IT
won't pay"
The letter was q gem. 1t ran:
Dear Sir:
ALLOW me to assure you, sir, tina
this little incident Is as distastefu1 t.
me las to yourself. Strange as it ma!
seem to you, I am not a person VIII,
approaches an act OF this kind Will
anything but feeling Of the creates
>compunctioa. But as you know your
self, Mr.. Handsykes, life is made u.
largely of compromises with our cor
science and principles. Circumstance
largely dictate our actions. Circun
stances at present force me to raise
certain sum Of money. Without thi
sum am lost socially-aye, even mol
ally. The SUM is q large one-$100
900. No assets Of mine OF a tangibl
sort possibly could raise this amoun
In fact, have only one asset In thi
world on which can hope to raise 1
That asset simply consists Of the POI
session of secret. The secret col
Germs your son. Do you happen
know, Mr.. Handsykes, that for thre
years, since the failure Of the Batter
Trust company, your son Clarence ha
lived under the shadow Of a cIou
which, should it fall, would cover bill
instantly with shame and ruin7 Ye
even place him in q federal prison