Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-03
CHAPTER XLU
The Day of Decision

TERRY walked out of the courtroom
y greatly depressed by the realization
tnat this was Ruth's father whom Vic
tor Robinson. in the interest of truth
and justice, had just eNcoriattd 50 ruth
'non't read the papers tonight. Ruth
nor tomorrow morning. Just don't read
EN- at ALL" he telephoned her. "Aurent-
sky? Oh guilty. of course, but
with recommendation to mercy. Vic
tor handled the case marvolOusly. and
the man will probably not go to jail at
ail-iust go out with suspended sem
and twice as beautiful and Victor twic"
as determined. ! saw him turn and look
at her when it was all over. Such a
look Ruth. it would make you believe
such thing. Yes he out tonight ::
tell you all about everything"
Th" trial was concluded on Friday.
The campaign was in its final days.
story of the dramatic events of the
trial. all of which had taken place aftc,
the prisoner was convicted. and events
which We're themselves surpassed in in
terest by the severe arraignment of
buckingham with which Robinson had
concluded his brief passage at arms
with the banker. created a profound
impression. For one thing. it gave the
lie finally to the hypothesis that Jerry
Archer could be construed as in any
sort of real or prospective alliance with
the projects or bucklnRnan. fOr an
other, it gave one final and striking In
stance of the effect of misgovernment
unon the lives and health of whole
city.
the humber classes. the dwellers in
tenements, that this impression was
made.
daily in that one alley to bring a
plague to the whole ety." Doctor Owen
baugh had declared in an interview with
the reporters.
There was wave of outspoken sym
pathy for AurentslIv. too. and generous
approval Of the judges action with re-
gard to sentence while Jerry'S magnan-
imous spirit toward the man who had
stabbed him did more than anything
else to drive homo to the Cty the fact
that his administration. as he had tried
to tell the people of kensington, was to
| be characterized by the human touch.
This was the atmosphere in which
Jerry at headquarters rallied his forces
/ ON Friday night for the last two days OF
battle, Saturday and and Monday .isGed ETed
! that he had by now got the virus Of his
/ fight beneath tho skin of the c0ldest
| most stodgy Of PHILADELPHIA tempera-
ments. Everybody knew the contest was
on; everybody knew what it was about
| everybody had taken s. doS. 1t was the
! tensest battle of give and take, blow or
| blow. attack upon attack that Phlladel'
nhia had ever seen in municipal cam
Convinced now that votes enough
were going to be cast to elect him, Jerry
| began TO concern himself with getting
| these votes counted. 4
There We're all sorts of rumors about
false registrat ions. about plans fol
stuffing the ballot boxes. and for mutt
! lating and disqualifying in the count the
votes cast for the Real Republican can
didates. The election boards were. ac'
cording to custom, entirely in the hands
of the opposition. The safety Of tho
ballot for the Real Republicans lay in the
! ShrewdnesS. the persistence and th'
courage of its watchers al the polls
Watching at the polls on the part of re
form representatives had in times pas
been so dangerous that it was nov
entitled to rate as a hazardous occupa
! shown a disposition to be more thai
perfunctory in the performance of thei
duties. they had encountered very cavali 81
. . treatment. Sometimes this took IN
: form of being coolly ignored. elbowe'
: or josted out of the way. TIL is was tn
| mildest form. In the more violent form
it expressed itself in threats and il
bodily assaults.
Keenly CogniZant of this, and abSo
lutely incapable of doing anything in tn
conventional or commonplace way, Jerr.
issued a call for workers that in itSel
fell upon the opposition like the rain
, ing of bombs from the sky upon al
enemy's works.
5 'It will not be an easy job" ran tn
5 last paragraphs of the call IF you ar
' afraid don't come. They have treate