South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-30
Where the Graft is Easiest
BY James J. Montague

New York AS you know is the
pitiless city. You can't put anytnin,-
over on New York To is full OF
hard headed business men whose
hearts are as cold as ice. ard who
have run the whole Eamut OF life.
They know everything. They have
experienced every thing. Heaven help
the foolish stranger VII thinks 70
dc them,
Last week one OF these chilly
business propositions only % be
found ln the Metropolis, sat at
his desk telephone He was
speaking harshly 10 a dealer VINO
was Or, ing TO charge him a quar-
teh Of cent a pound 100 much on
a shiI uent OF merchandise
He was snappiiy dressed, was the
chilly proposition with Youngkut
clothes. "A tie worth hfty cents. and
costing hve dollars. and the kind Of
a collar you see on the bilboards.
You saw ar q glance that ne has
won his way up by enlightened sell
fshness. The hard polish OF the
great city was an over him. Wise
that's the word for him-Wise, an
the sense it is employed in the street
and at the race track.
To this man OF claimant appeared
she office boy
Gent outside 30 see YOU. sir
Didn't ne FIJI out a card 90
yep. here II is
The boy laid on the table a card.
bearing these words.
ClR. WnoOzis
DESIRES To SIX MR.. Wiseman,
tABOUT a matter OF great inn
portance.
"Whoozis. Whoozls." repeated
Wiseman, rehectively. Il don't
seem to remember MIN. But I'll
d.spUse 81 him in short notice If he's
a fake show him IN"
The boy went out. Mr. Whoozs
come I'm.
lie was a vounsish man. with e
red vest. which was helied by de
predatory manner
well" snapped Mr. Wiseman. /
what IS IL? Ny time is valuable"
- know sir. shall not ne but "a
minute We boys are giving "A little !
blow out Saturday. and all the firms
on the street has been kind enough /.
10 come ac-to help out We .
thought perhaps you would"
who are we boys'2
why. the boys OF the gang. YOU
know. Just the political boys i'm TIE
ward We pull a stroke with the
administration you know
UNI don't happen to be under
any obligations 10 YOU. do ] -
"No sir. Of course not, only"
:-Only WHAT"
only we got a lo;ta influence
with them crooks that steals stuff
IN the street. We DO a lotta UNI
Official police duty keep.n Them
thugs offa tho property Of our
friends. and ] sort Of thought
what thugs
Mr. Whoods moved over TO the
window. See them boys across the I
street lampin' your salcsroop % he
said. ''-Them's sneak thieves.
Thcy'se been a lot O. sneak thievin'
coin on around here lately but we
bows knows how 70 call 'em off. -
Did Mr.. Vlseman telephone the
police station and ask 20 have Mr
Wh0ozis arrested for biaCkmailH
Did ne personally chastise Mr..
Whoozis and send the porter out 70
hold the two rough necks across the
street until the officers could get
there?
ne did not He asked
How much do the boys usually
collect"
FIFTY dollars" said MIR. Whoozis.
And Mr. Wiseman, that coolest
Of all cold propositions. handed Mr.
Whoozis a hfty dollar bill without
a word
Why Ask somebody that is
wiser than any one at present re-
siding IN the metropolis This is
the great mystery.
Mr.. Whoozis was a pure fake He /
didn't belong 20 any gang or 10 any
political organization. The two /
hard featured gentry he pointed out \
were a couple of cocaine addicts |
ne had paid a quarter a piece 10
stand across the street.
But for sOmo insCrutable reason. !
not only Mr.. Wisernan. but IS or % /
other hard headed business men
had paid him $50 each that morn (
ing without even so much as in 4
quiring for his credentials as & I
ga1gster.
And at the time 1900 or 10000 j
cool. CalCulatinE. unbeatable New I
Workers were investing in oil stocks 3
issued by a company of gentlemen F.
who had a fine deep well on the 4
curb AT Broad and Wall ST., but no .
other visible assets. And when the .
drilIers OF this we'll departed the +
city Just a lap ahead Of the police /
the wise New Workers were nlled 4
with grief and auazement 10 think \
that anybody should try TO take !
them in.
m WIS only last summer that a |