The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1914-06-05
TALE OF A TOWER
There 1t Stood, Yet 1t Had Never
Been Erected"
CLEVER EVASION OF THE LAW
The Curious Place Where John X.
Graves Turned Out His Shot and
Bullets and tho Contract tho Courts
Declared Had Not Been Broken.


Declared Had Not Been Broken.
The late Senator Allison. whose
home was at Dubuque, Ia, thoroughly
enjoyed humor and good story One
day when in a reminiscent mood Mr..
Allison narrated the following story.
based upon facts, which is worth
place among tales extraordinary:
along about 1860, when the west
was yet quite new, a number of busi-
ness men In Dubuque conceived the
idea Of esta tablishing plant for the
manufacture of shot and bullets. At
the time there was no factory Of that
sort nearer than St Louis, and, With
lively demand for ammunition, II
was figured that shot tower would
pay like q California gold mine. The
tower was built, the necessary ma
chinery was put in at large expense
and production began
For time business was quite sat.
isfactory; then demand slackened. and
1t soon became apparent that the enter
prise would never develop any Stand
ard Oil dividends. After a time some
of the stockholders became disgusted
with the whole business and practical
ly offered to give away their holdings.
Among them was John K. Graves,
who afterward became a power In
eastern Iowa politics. Graves quietly
bought up the stock as 1t was offered,
getting practically all of 1t eventually
on the basis of 8 or 10 cents on the
dollar. Just what Graves wanted this
stock for his associates In the venture
could not figure out, but they did not
lose any sleep over that They were
tickled to death to get anything out OF
the dead enterprise. 1t had been los
ing money for some time.
"Soon after this the war broke out
Graves instantly saw his opportunity.
War makes great quantities OF bullets
necessary, and he made preparations
to supply them. He INDUCED in GER
tain statements concerning his plans
and purposes In the presence of per
sons he knew would flash the informa-
ton to a ST. Louis concern, and his
scheme worked admirably. Inside OF
two weeks a man whom Graves knew
to be representative of the ST. Louis
shot tower company called upon him
and in the course of the conversation
brought up the subject Of stock in the
Dubuque company. After several days
Of dickering and bantering Graves un-
loaded his entire holdings Of stock at
over fifty cents on the dollar, realizing
I small fortune.
by the terms of the agreement,
however, Graves legally bound himself
not to erect shot tower within
hundred miles Of Dubuque within ten
| years. The representative of the St
Louis concern had scarcely got beyond
sight of Dubuque, down the river, until
! Graves sent in an order for a complete
equipment OF machinery for a new
| shot making plant While awaiting
| its arrival he INDUCED in little sur
veying.
Dubuque is situated partly upon a
! lofty hill or series of hills, and the in
land country is extremely rough When
| wandering among the bluffs Graves
came upon the excavation Of a deep
well. Shortly afterward there was
considerable activity in that vicinity.
A force of men was employed to re-
move the debris, and the hole was en-
| iarged and bricked up. a lateral In
clsion was made into the side Of the
bluff, striking the main vertical shaft
hundred feet from the surface open
Ing. Here a room was dug out and
/ nd mn nd
tion Of machinery. By the time this
work had been completed the outfit ar
rived and was quickly installed. With
in two or three months Of the time of
disposing of the stock of the Dubuque
concern Graves had the new suburban
underground establishment in full
blast, producing bullets and shot
OF course news Of the new factory
speedily reached the ST. Louis concern,
and they sent an attorney to Dubuque
loaded with contracts and receipts and
| paraphernalia for making trouble. The
lawyer called on Graves and plainly
told him that If he did not shut up
shop he would get the law on him
quick. Graves replied that he did not
understand be had violated any law
or any pledge and that he would go
right along making bullets, suggesting
to the attorney that he start proceed
ings- The attorney invited Graves at
tention to the bond given by the latter
that he would not engage in the manu-
facture of shot or bullets within 100
miles Of Dubuque for ten years. Graves
contended that he had entered into no
such covenant; he had pledged himself
not to erect shot tower and asked
the attorney IL he had erected a shot
tower The attorney said that was
boys talk; that such byplay would not
go in court of justice
THE case was tried, and notwith-
standing that every inch of ground was
J contested by the St Louis concern,
which had able counsel, Graves won.
The st. Louis lawyers could not make
the jury believe that Graves had erect
ed shot tower And so be went right
on pouring melted lead into the hole
in the top of the hill and gathering up
shot and bullets in his brick room 100
feet below and became a wealthy
| man. Frank |. Stillman In st. Louis
Republic.
The road ambition travels is too mar
| row for friendship, too crooked for
love, too rugged for honesty, too dark
for science.