The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-08-26
THE MAN HIGHER UP
How a elaokmslIer Was FoIied and
Family Restored

Go over and see this fellow" said
the office manager of the Burns
agency 10 me one day In June. 1910;
and he handed me a card on which
was written ono 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 Esndsykes.
Go over and see Mr.. Haudsykes."
said the manager. -You know who
he is?"
It's Handsykee who sprung the big
bank merger. isn't TT" l 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 a pretty
powerful proposition In its way, Cor
nell. but compared to 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 q
big case. Cornell II doesn't make
any difference what 1t Is, II Hand
sykes Is In It at all it's big"
What is it2'
"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"
l 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. 1t is about as easy for the
average caller to get past the secre-
taries in this office as IL is for the pro-
verbal camel to pass through the
needles eye, but my card opened the
way right through into tho great
mans sanctum.
/ bad never seen Handsykes before,
and my knowledge Of his appearance
had been gained from pictures / had
seen OF him. Now I saw that the pic
lures which had been printed labeled
"Handsykes" were the pictures OF an
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 matchT
These were the first words that the
power that made brokers trembl0 Ut
tered to me.
When we had got our cigars going
we'll he said:
"Blackmail. my boy, is a dirty. low
down trick"
He smoked comfortably for several
minutes
Il don't mind giving up money" he
continued i've been doing. it all my
life. I'm accustomed to II. II anything
happens that l want to pay money for.
pay 1t. II anybody has anything he
ought to get money from me for
or can get 1t from me-he gets It.
Otherwise-no"
Still more smoking.
But blackmail-common, lowdown,
coarse. hold.UD work-that I do not
like. How do you feel about 1t, Mr..
Cornell?"
said. OF course, that thought
blacRmail was one OF the lowest
crimes In the calendar.
Ever get any blackmailers 2" asked
Handsykes
/ had not
Neither have l." said he. But this
time-we1l get emil"
He tossed a letter across the desk
to mo.
Read that" hs said, senially. q
won't pay"
The letter was gem 1t rani
Dear Sir:
ALLOW me to assure you, sir, that
this little incident Is as distasteful to
ms ~ 30 yourself Strange as II may
seem 10 you, ] am not a person who
approaches an act OF this kind with
anything but feeling OF tho greatest
conjunction. Bat as you know your.
self. Mr.. Handsykes. life is made up
largely OF compromises with our con
science aud principles. Circumstances
largely dictate our actions. Circum.
stances at present force me 20 raise a
certain sum OF money. without this
SUM ] am lost socially-aye, even NOR.
ally The spm is q large one-s100,-
600. No assets OF mine Of a tangible
sort possibly could raise tbie amount
ia fact. I have only ono asset in thls
world on which / can hope to raise II.
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 thres
years. since the failure Of the Battery
Trust company, your son Clarence has
lived under the shadow OF q cloud
which. should Il fall, would cover him
instantly With shame and ruinf Yes,
even place hiia IN a federal prison :
/ presume that you DO apf know this.
But / do ! can prove II 70 you, Wr.
Hendsykes And. because circum-
stances dictate It, the cloud shall fall
unless you furnlah me this SUM Of
100000 necessary to save mo from
complete ruin
I sign my full name and address.
knowing we'll that you dare not make
II public, and that you cannot harm
ms IN any way. Awaiting your reply.
am, siS.
"RsspooiSQilY yours.
walter Vaudeville.