The Press., 1915-06-09
TALE OF { TOWER
There 1t Stood, Yet It Had Never
 Been Erected"
CLEVER EVASION OF THE LAW

 |. Graves Turned Out His Shot and
 Bullets and the Contract the Courts
 Declared Had Not Been Broken.
 The late Senator Allison, whose home was at Dubuque, Ia.. thoroughly enjoyed humor and q good story. One day when in a reminiscent mood MT 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, number of busi ness men in Dubuque conceived the idea of esta blishing plant for the manufacture of shot and bullets At the time there was no factory of that sort nearer than St. Louis. and. with q lively demand for ammunition. it 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 it 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 power in eastern Iowa politics. Graves quietly bought up the stock as it was offered, getting practically all of it eventually on the basis of or 10 cents on the 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. It 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 indulged in cer tain statements concerning his plans and purposes in the presence of per sons he knew would flash the informa tion to St. Louis concern. and his scheme worked admirably Inside of two weeks a man whom Graves knew to be q 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 q small fortune.
 By the terms of the agreement, however. Graves legally bound himself not to erect q shot tower within hundred mics 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 new shot making plant. While awaiting it's arrival he indulged 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 larged and bricked up. A lateral in cision was made into the side of the bluff. striking the main vertical shaft a hundred feet from the surface open ing. Here a room was dug out and bricked up and prepared for the recep 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 dsposing 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 te Dubuque loaded with contracts and receipts and parhphernalia 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 he had violated any law or any pledge and that he would go right along making bullets, suggesting to the attorney that he start proceed in"S The attorney invited Graves at tention to the bond given by the latter that he would not engage in the manu fracture of shot or bullets within 100 miles of Dul.uQue for ten years. Graves contended that he had entered into DO such covenant: he had pledged himsfLc not to erect shot tower and askssl the attorney if he had erected a shrt tower The attorney said that Has boys talk; that such byplay would Hot l go in h court of justice
 ''The "aSe was tried. and notv.1h | standnH that every inch of grouprt Nas | contested by the St. Louis cor'srn | which had able counsel. Craven ~on The St. Louis lawyers could not 'Aake the jury believe that Graves had erect sd' a shot tower. And so he weDc tight l on pouring melted lead into tff hole in the top of the hill and gatheyifig up shot and bullets in his brick rCpt0 100 feet below and became a wealthy man." Frank Stillman in Ss Louis Republic
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