The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-11-28
The MAN HIGHER UP
How a BiackmalIer Was Fooled and
a Family Restored

GO over and see this fellow" said
the Office manager Of the Burns
agency to me one day in June, 1910;
and he handed me card on which
was written one Of the most promi-
nent and powerful names in New York
financial circles, and therefore one Of
the most 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. you know who
he is?"
IT'S Handsykes who sprung the big
bank merger, isn't it," / replied.
Eyes, that's the Handsykes," said
the manager Remember all the time
you're dealing with him that he is the
Handsykes. This agency is a pretty
powerful proposition in its way, Cor
nell, but compared to IIandsykes were
infants. Don't fcrges that You'd bet
ter dress accordingly, too. I've pick
ed you for the joS because you don't
look like detective when you try
to look like business man. This is a
big case, Cornell. It doesn't make
any difference what it is, if Hand
sykes is in it at all it's big"
What is it,"
ooh, Handsykes doesn't tell things
outside Of his private Office, was the
answer. 'ae 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
quiet, prosperous business man, and
went down to Handsykes' Office on
Wall street within sight of Trinity
church. It is about as easy for the
average caller to get past the secre-
taries in this Office as it 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.
had never seen Handsykes before
and my knowledge of his appearance
had been gained from pictures had
seen of him. Now saw that the pic
lures which had been printed labeled
'Handsykes" were the pictures of an
other and totally different man. The
pictorial Handsykes was lean and au-
stere; Handsykes in real life was
round and merry. Afterwards
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 ut
tered to me.
When We had got our cigars going
well he said:
@Blaokmail, my boy. is a dirty, low
down trick"
He smoked comfortably for several
minutes.
Il don't mind giving up money" he
continued. 1--WE been doing it all my
life. I'm accustomed to it. If anything
happens that want to pay money for
/ pay it. If anybody has anything he
ought to get money from me for
or can get it from me-he gets it.
Otherwise mo"
Still more smoking.
t'But blackmail- common, low-down,
coarse, hold-up work-that do not
like. How do you feel about it. Mr..
CorneH?"
/ said, of course, that I thought
blackmail was one of the lowest
crimes in the calendar.
Ever get any blackmailers? asked
Handsykes.
had not
Neither have l." said he. "But this
time-well get 'em!"
He tossed letter across the desk
TO me.
Read that" he said. genially. Il
/ won't pay"
The letter was a gem. It ran:
Dear Sir:
ALLOW me to assure you, sir, that
this little incident is as distasteful to
me as to yourself. Strange as it may
seem to you, / am not a person who
approaches an act Of this kind with
anything but feeling Of the greatest
computation. But as you know your
self, Mr. Handsykes, life is made up
largely of compromises with our con-
science and principles. Circumstances
largely dictate our actions. Circum-
stances at present force me to raise a
certain sum Of money. Without this
sum am lost socially-aye, even NOR
ally. The sum is a large one-$100,-
900. No assets Of mine Of tangible
sort possibly could raise this amount.
In fact, have only one asset in this
world on which can hope to raise It.
That asset simply consists of the pos
session Of a secret. The secret con-
Germs your son. Do you happen to
know, Mr.. Handsykes, that for three
years, since the failure of the Battery
Trust company. your son Clarence has
lived under the shadow Of a cloud
which, should it fall, would cover him
instantly with shame and ruin? Yes,
even place him in a federal prison?
I presume that you do not know this.
But do. I can prove it to you, Mr..
Handsykes And, because circum-