The Starkville news., 1920-04-30


"SymingtOn Otis Is bearing the mar
ket," he said, his hands gripped tight
ly round the arms of his chair. HE
knows you're long on July wheat, too,
and" He checked himself, struck
by sudden thought: "Pm hanged If
you're not doing this to beat him"
Fitzhugh's iron jaw tensed. "HA
thinks I'm doing it alone. He'll fight
me for all he's worth. So much the
worse for him."
Hunt gave full vent to his excite
ment: "Where's he going to get his
wheat? That's what want to know"
He showed back his chair, unable
longer to restrain himself, unable
longer to keep unvoiced the thing up
permost in both their minds. "We can
do it. Dan, we can do 1t! Well corner
the market"
Daniel shook his head. 81 will cor
ner the market"
Hunt pounded his fist into his open
palm. "And smash Otis!" he cried,
exultantly. you owe him one Dan.
Smash Otisw
Smash Otis?" Daniel laughed.
There was no mirth In the laughter.
Smash Otis. you say? If Symington
Otis gets in my way I'll-crush hint"
And with a spasmodic 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 1t 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 hesi-
tant sort of general. Marshaling 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 a fresh onset. The next
clash, he decided, would be the decis-
I've one
By the middle of June, Fitzhugh was
all but czar of the pit.
When Fitzhugh formulated the pool
to corner July wheat 1t 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
"ClC lCfCl ulS,iooCu, oht
few knew the main fount of his man.
moth resources.
HIS marvellous vitality gave contin-
ual wonder to his associates. He was
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 Ill sign of the red
hot tension under which he worked,
but seemed to thrive on it. He was al
ways 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 million each. Then came
an unfathomabe surprise: Fitzhugh
sold wheat Bushel for bushel, he sold
as fast as his adversaries.
The price reeled and dropped dlz-
zily. 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 crazyr
Beholding Hunt screaming at the
top of his voice. he wrenched loose
from the mob surrounding him and.
selling his subordinate under the arm