Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1921-06-02
"1ts up to you, clanahan, and you

and get In on the right side. If they
don't; and II Norcross stays and keeps
his fire burning, you fellows lose out"
Clanahan sat back in his chair and
showed his hands into his pockets.
'Ye'd stirring me as IL was u boy"
he scoffed. "'Tis your own game firm
first to last. Dye think I'm not know
ing that? 'Tis bread and butther and
tn big rake-off for you. and little We
we'd croak this man in TIL hot par-rt
av tn plitcal fight; what happens?
Half tn noospaypers in tn state ID
play him up FIR martyr to TIL cause
av good governmint. and we'd all 60
to hell In hand-basket!"
was cramped and sore and one of
my legs had gone to sleep, but
couldn't have moved IL had wanted
to. My heart was skipping beats right
along while waited for Hatch's an
swer. When 1t came, the drumming
in my ears pretty nearly made me
lose it.
"Clanahan," he began, as cold as an
icicle. II didn't get you down here to
argue with you. You've bungled this
thing once. and for that reason you've
got 1t to do over again. We haven't
asked you to 'croak' anybody, as you
put 1t. and we are not asking it now"
"'Tis id little you lack av asking
It," retorted the divekeeper.
"Listen," said Hatch, leaning for.
ward with his hands on his knees.
Besides keeping cases on Norcross
here, we've been digging back into his
record few lines. Every man has
MS sore spot, If you can only find 1t,
Clanahan-just as you have yours.
What If should tell you that Norcross
Is wanted. in another state-for a
crime? Before he came here he was
chief of construction on the Oregon
Midland. There was right-of-way
fight back in the mountains-fifty
miles from the nearest sheriff-with
the p. & s. F. Norcross armed his
was man killed."
Though 1t was warm night, as
have said, the cold chills began to
chase themselves up and down my
back. What Hatch said was perfectly
true. In the right-of-way scrap he
was talking about, there had been a
few wild shots fired, and one Of them
had found p. & S. f. grade laborer.
don't believe anybody had ever real
ly blamed the boss for it. But there
had been q man killed.
While was shlveriny, Clanahan
said: "Well, what av it,"
| "NorcrOss was responsible for that
mans death. If he was having trouble
over his right-of-way, his recourse was
to the law, and he took the law into
his own hands. Nothing was ever
done about 1t, because nobody took
we sent man to Oregon to look up
the facts. He succeeded in I finding
a brother Of the dead man, and q war
rant has now been sworn out for Nor
cross arrest"
"Well?" said Clanahan again. rye
have the stirring in yer own hand /;
why don't We pull it?"
That's where you come in," was the
answer. ''The Oregon justice issued
the warrant because it was demanded,
but he refused to incur, for his county,
the expense Of sending deputy sheriff
to another state, or to take the neces-
sary steps to have Norcross extra
dited. If Norcross could be produced
in court, he would try him and ethel
discharge him or bind him over, as
the facts might warrant. He took his
stand upon the ground that Norcross
was only technically responsible, and
told the brother that in all probability
nothing would come Of an attempt, to
prosecute"
"Thin we've got nothing on him,
after all" the Irlshman grunted.
"Yes," Hatch came back; tive have
the warrant, and. in addition to that.
we have you, Pete. A word from you
to the Portal City police headquarters
and our man finds himself arrested
and locked up-to wait for requisi-
tion from the governor Of Oregon"
But you said tn requisition wouldn't
come" Clanahan put in.
Hatch was sitting back, now and
stroking his ugly jaw.
ut might come, Pete, IL 1t had to:
there's no knowing. In the meantime
we get delay. There'll be habeas cor
pus proceedings, Of course, to get him
out Of Jail, but there's where you'll
come in again; you've got your own
man for city attorney. And, after all.
the delay is all we need. With Nor
cross in trouble, and in Jail on Il charge
Of murder, the railroad ship'll go on
the rocks in short order. The Nor
cross management is having plenty
Of trouble-wrecks and the like. With
Norcross locked up. New York will be
heard from, and Dismuke will step in
and clean house. That will wind up
the reform spasm."
"'Tis small chance" growled the
chief Of the ward heelers. "Ill talk
1t over with the big fellow"