Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-01-12
Continued from Last Week

smash Otis, you say? If Symington
Otis gets In my way rll--crush himl"
And with 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 1t 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
Anks OlAS, hOMCNCAt WAS HUl ltle UcSI-
tant sorr of general. Marshaling his
heavy artillery, he dashed upon the
battlefield, lighting with the implacs-
bility that from the beginning had
characterized his long career in f1nan-
cial warfare. This charge, too, was
easily buffeted. But no white flag was
shown. Beating 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
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
millionaires were never disclosed, and
few knew the main fount of his mann
moth resources.
Mis- 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 i'll sign of the red
bot 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 10 sell wheat.
There were three of item. with orders
to sell half million cash. Then came
an unfathomable surprise: Eitzhugh
sold wheat iushei for bushel, he sold
as fast as his adver$,sges
The price reeled and dropped diz-
ziIy The preceding day II 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 1t, be-
came aware of some one tearing at his
arm and yelling in his ear:
"DanI Dan! Have you gone crazyT
Dn1snI1ivn atr0 OF tha
top OF his voice. he wrenched loose
from the mob surrounding him and,
seizing 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.
Fitzhugh had sold like amount.
When he reached his office Fitzhugh
found his three coadjutors waiting
him In omlnous silence.
"Good-day, gentlemen'
There was no answer beyond an I'M
easy cough from Hunt. Fitzhugn
looked at the three stony faces silent
ly condemning him.
ain good truth" he laughed, "a Dan
Eel come to judgmentp
But when be sat at his desk the ver-
teal lines were between his brows-
He took a deliberately long time to
light a 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 1t was agreed In
the beginning was to run this thing.
and / shall run 1t 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
By selling7"
Glad that one of the tribunal had
shown some life, Fitzhugh swung his
chair round briskly so that he faced
the speaker.
"Who owns the most wheat-Sym-
ington Otis or us7 How long win his
crowd last IL they try to outsell usf
Don't you sect"
"Not for mInutef" broke In ALI
port, reddening under his collar.
"TIl make it clearer. Suppose OTIS
crowd knocks July wheat of fifteen or
twenty points. Very well. Immedi-
ately they stop seliing-perhaps be-
foro-IfU hopin brvfnr Then an an