Evening star., 1924-11-30
CONTINUED from First Psse1

came back to North Dakota and ran
for United States Senator, he
said, at the behest Of the President
and to hold up the hands of Wood
row wilson, His opponent was P. J.
McCumber. as great an orator as
Burke and a willy politician, backed
by the tradition of the "old guard
which dies, but never surrenders."
The people of tho State felt that
Burke had q good job and should
be satisfied with it. and Burke tasted
winning over him by 1900. He re-
turned to Washington and remained in
Office until the close Of Wilson's ad-
ministration. resigning in January,
1921, to take effect on the appoint
ment of his successor
At that time he was inclined to re-
turn to the home State and resume
the practice of his profession. But
he was tempted by the prospectus
held out to him by a brokerage firm,
Kardos & Co. of New York, in a
private banking and brokerage bust
ness, and invested his life's savings
in the concern, amounting to $4,000.
One year later. or in February, 1922,
the concern collapsed and went into
bankruptcy with liabilities at $780,
coo and assets s1oo,o0o. That was
his great defeat.
Pays with All He Has.
Haggard and broken in heart and In
purse, John Burke walked into the
ONCE Of the United States District
Attorney of New York to offer what
help he could in the grand fury in
vestigation of the affairs Of the clio sed
concern. He waivered immunity and
was ready to tell everything he knew
which was astoundingly little
about the operations Of the firm. 1t
might have been more. had his old
time partner, Middaugh, been with
him in the venture. The assistant
district attorney inttmated that was
The trouble. 81 don't think" he told
1urke, that you even knew you were
alive in that outfit" But he was
willing to pay for his own weakness.
- turned in his banks deposit, 1880.
his life insurance policies of $4,000,
and went voluntarily into proverty
With the words on his lips: ''rll be-
hin all over" No wonder they called
him Honest John Burke and Dtogenes'
lamp went out. He explained 1t In
his own way:
"The whole thing reminds me of
the old adage. 'Cobbler, stick to your
last am a lawyer. I made mis-
take by going into the brokerage
business, concerning which L knew
TOO little. AS soon as this is over l
will start anew. But this time 1t Will
be in my own profession. I ask only
that my health holds out"
At that time he was SO years OF
age, but the West keeps the souls
of men Young. So he turned home
..ard In an old car, for he had not
money to pay railroad fare, bringing
his wife and two children. 1t is
teuorded that when he was called on
% testify before a meeting Of credi-
tors at New York he had not enough
money to pay his fare from Wash
,usron and his attorney advanced It.
"a MS way he stopped In st. Paul
Eure %, 1922. arriving with the sum
OF so cents in cash. But he made
home," by nightfali. and there friends.
warned of his coming, rallied round
him with the temporary support and
comfort he needed until he could
got to work." He formed a partner
snip with Usher L. Burdick, once
lieutenant governor when Burke was
governor, and they started up, hum
bly, enough in a couple Of dark rooms
racing on an alley between Broad
way and Roberts, in Fargo. Burdick
was one of the original Republican
insurgents, who wrought with Burke
for the downfall of the staiwart re-
;,ime. He had himself felt reverses.
due to the financial deflation. and
lost heavily on his fine horse and
cattle ranches. losing them and re-
turning like Burke to the business
he knew. ~
Pluck, Honesty Rewarded. =. > /,
The new partnership was not Ions
In the shabby back-street offices.
North Dakotans like pluck and be-
lieve In honesty. In q dull time. the
Law practice Of Burke and Burdick