Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-07-29

Smash Otis. YOU say? If Symington
Otis gets in my way Tll-crush him !''
And with Il spasmodc movement his
fingers contracted, and from wrist to
shoulder beneath their tweed covering
the ripping muscles of his arms stood
out in cords.
Otis was planning another of his
celebrated bear raids He was re
solved it should be the mightiest he
had ever led. He gathered In money
from every available source. Realiz-
ing the market disfavored him, he was
determined to conquer it by sheer
force of capital.
His first onslaught, started in April,
made little if any impression, and he
redoubled his attack. Still the enemy
showed no sign of weakening. Again
and again he charged, but every rush
was met and repulsed. He was over
whelmed with buying orders. They
swamped him from every side. He
stopped, puzzled. He had not ac-
counted his opponent half so power
full. Otis however, was not the hest
tant sort of general. Marshaing his
heavy artillery, he dashed upon the
battlefield, fighting with the implaca-
bility that from the beginning had
characterized his long career in finan-
cial warfare. This charge, too, was
easily buffeted But no white flag was
shown. Beating a retreat, the grim
old warrior gathered his forces to-
gether for fresh onset. The next
clash. he decided, would be the decis-
I've one.
BY the middle of June Fitzhugh was
ell but cZar of the pit
When Fitzhugh formulated the pool
TO corner July wheat it was understood
that, no matter what might arise, he
was to be free to follow the dictates of
his own judgment. For this and other
reasons the names of the Packingtown
millionares We're never disclosed. and
few knew the main fount of his mann
moth resources.
Mis- marvellous vitality gave contia-
H'i NpiibSl W MS tSSOclulSS. lie WIS
made of iron. he would work eighteen
hours day. dispatching with sureness
and speed the thousand pressing duties
that crowded upon him, taking his
meals on the wing, and requiring of
the tWenty-four but four or five hours
for sleep. Most amazing of all. he
displayed never an i'll sign of the red
hot tension under which he worked,
but seemed to thrive on it. He was al
wavs fresh and eager for each days
tasks
His last battle with Symington Otis
was the most spectacular of the final
trilogy. 1t began on the morning of
July first and lasted for three terrific
days. AS the gong sounded on that
first morning Fitzhugh appeared in the
pit, girded for the fray.
With the stroke of the opening gong
Otis lieutenants began to sell wheat.
There were three of them, with orders
to sell half a million each. Then came
an unfathomable surprise: Fitzhugh
sold wheat Bushel for bushel, he sold
as fast as his adversaries.
The price reeled and dropped dir
lilly. The preceding day it had closed
strong at one dollar; by eleven that
morning it was unsteady at ninety-six
and half.
At the height of the furious conflict,
Fitzhugh, who was the core Of it, be-
came aware of some one tearing at his
arm and yelling in his ear:
Dan! Dan! Have you gone crazy?'
Beholding Hunt screaming at the
top Of his voice, he wrenched loose
from the mob surrounding him and.
Selling his subordinate under the arm
pits, lifted him clear outside the pit.
AT the close of the days session
wheat had dropped to ninety four and
an eighth, where it swayed uncertain
ly. Otis had sold two million bushels.
Titzhugh had sold like amount.
When he reached his Office Fitzhugh
found his three coadjutors waiting
him in ominous silence.
"Good-day, gentlemen!"
There was no answer beyond an I'M
easy cough from Hunt. Fitzhush
looked at the three stony faces silent
~ condemning him.
''In good TRUTH" he laughed. "a Dan
lei come to Judgment"
But when he sat at his desk the YER
teal lines were between his brows.
He took deliberately long time to
light cigar, then, extinguishing the
match and depositing 1t carefully in
an ash tray, he settled himself COM
fortably in his chair and said:
you all remember it was agreed in
the beginning l was to run this thing,
and l shall run it in my own way or
not at ALL"
But confound it, man," exploded
Marsh, who had been holding his
tongue with difficulty, "what in the
name of common sense do you mean
Inv s91Ea~>