Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-01-22
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Dinner time was drawing close WHtu
she returned home. She sat down By
window that overlooked the street
10 watch for Bill. Six passed. The
half-hour chime struck on the mantel
clock. Hazel grew impatient. petu-
liant, aggrieved. Dinner would be
served in twenty minutes. Still there
was no sign Of him. And for lack OF
other occupation she went into the hall
and got the evening paper, which the
carrier had just delivered.
A startling headline on the front
page stiffened her to scandalized atten-
columns it ran, facetious caption:
WILLIAM wAGsTAFF is A BEAR
Under that the subhead:
Husky Mining Man Tumbles Prices and
Brokers. Whips -Four Men in Broad
Street Office. slugs Another on
Change. His Mighty Fists Sub
due society's Finest. Finally
Lands in Jail
The body Of the article Hazel read
In what a. sob sister would describe
as state Of mingled emotions.
william Wagstaff Is mining gentleman
from the northern wiIds Of British Colum~
bia. He 10 a big man, q natural-born
fighter. To prove this he inflicted . binok
eye and O split lip on Paul Lsoriner, .
broken nose and sundry bruises on James
r. Brooks. Also Allen T. Bray and Ed
ward Quincy Parkinson suffered certain
conclusions in the melee. The fracas oc-
Cured In the office Of the Free Gold Min.
ing Company, 1854 Broad street. at $50
this afternoon. While hammering the
brokers a police officer arrived on the
scene and Wagstam was duly escorted 70
the city bastile. Prior TO the general en-.
counter In the Broad street office Wag-
staff walked into the Stock Exchanges. and
made statements about the Free Gold Min
ing Company which set all the brokers by
tie ears. Lorimer was on the floor. and
received his discolored optic there.
A reporter was present when Wagstah
walked on the floor of the Stock FIX
change. He strobe up to the post where
Iorimer was transacting business.
81 serve notice on you right now" he
said loudly ana angrily, that II you sell
another dollars worth Of Free Gold stock.
III put you out OF business"
Torjmer appeared to lose his temper.
Some word was passed which further IN
eensed Wagstaff. He smote the broker
and the broker smute the floor. Wag-
s4aff's punch would do credit to cham
pion pugilist. from the execution II
wrought. He Immediately left the Stock
Exchange. and not Ling afterward Broad
street was electrified by sounds Of combat
IN the Free Gold office. 1t Is conceded
that Wagstaff had the situation and his
three opponents well In hand when the
cop arrived.
None of the men concerned would dis
cuss the matter. From the remarks drop
ned by wagstaff. however, 1t appears that
Inc policy Of marketing Free Gold stock
was inaugurated without his knowledge or
consent.
Be that as It may. all sorts Of rumors
ere In circulation. and Free Gold stock.
which has been sold during the past week
as high as dollar forty, found Few taxi
ers at par when Change closed Thsvs
has been considerable speculative nove-
pent in the stock, and the spectators
ire beginning to wonder If there 10
screw loose in the company affairs.
Wagstaff's case will come UP tomorrow
forenoon. A charge Of disturbing the
,eace was placed against him. He gave
4 cash bond and was at once released.
Fhen the hearing comes some OF Inc
parties to the affair may percfance di-
Thlge what lay at the bottom OF the row.
Any fine within the power of the eouIt
q the distinction Of scientifically man
handling four OF society's finest IN one
afternoon. AS one bystander remarked I'm
ne classic phraseoiogy Of the streets
'sWagstaff's q bear!
riae brokers. concerned might consider
mis- to have q double meaning.
Hazel dropped the paper. mortified
md wrathful. The city jail seemed
the very Pit~itself to her. And the
lurid publicity, the lifted eyebrows OF
her friends. maddened her in prospect.
olain street brawling. such as one
might expect from cabman or q taxi
mahout. not from man like her hus-
oand. She involuntarily assigned the
blame to him. Not for the cause.-The
cause was of no Importance whatever
TO her-but for the act itself. Their
best friendsi She could hardly realize
It. Jimmie Brooks. jovial Jimmie, with
q broken, nose and sundry bruises
And Paul Lorimer, distinguished Paul.
who had the courtly bearing which
was the despair Of his fellows. and the
manner of dozen generations of cul-
ture wherewith to charm the women
,f his acquaintance. He with a black
eye and a split lip! So the paper
stated. 1t was vulgar. Brutal! Inc
act OF cave man.
She was on the verge Of tears.
And just at that moment the door
opened, and in walked Bill.