St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1937-11-19
CHAPTER IL


Verda's shop in ten minutes. With
desperate anxiety he leaped from
the car and rushed into the shop.
When he saw Verda approaching,
obviously unframed, his relief was
unbounded.
Before she could speak, he en-
braced and kissed her. 81, honey,
l thought something had happened
to you"
"What do you suppose we are
here for?" Clark turned to the
speaker, and recognized him as
a detective from the local precinct.
With him was another officer who
looked capable of dispensing mob
single-handed. They, too, were
both Negroes.
"Sorry, men," Clark said simply.
go. H." they both grinned.
"We've got wives, too, old man."
"What is it, honey?" Clark asked
Verda.
zone of the girls was about to
give a pomade treatment to a
customer about an hour ago. When
opening a new jar of grease she
noticed it had a peculiar color. She
didn't use it, but brought it to me.
Every jar she opened in the new
case looked just alike. forbade
her to use it and sent her to the
corner drug store to get some
more. Here is one of the jars"
Clark took the jar and looked
at it's contents. It had a dull
greenish-brown color.
"I'll have this examined by the
city chemist at once" he said.
Twenty minutes later he re-
turned. His face was set in hard,
tense lines. "Where did you get
this stuff ?" he asked Verda.
"Why, from my usual dealer.
Why?"
at contains enough of some cor
rosive chemical to eat your scalp
off"
Verda paled.
"This settles it." Clark said.
"Close the shop at once and dis
miss the girls. Their salary will
go on just the same but you do
not reopen until this thing is
settled. Well go home and pack
you up. You are going to my
brother in Chicago-now."
Without word Verda turned to
obey.
Two hours later Clark kissed
her goodbye as she boarded a
train, accompanied by one of the
detectives. "Don't call me. My
wires might be tapped. I'll call
you every night from a different
pay phone. I'll send for you when
this is over"
"Please, darling, be careful"
Verda implored. "
"Don't worry, Mrs. Griffith, we'll
watch him." the larger of Clark's
bodyguards assured her.
When Clark returned to his
office a swarm of people were
awaiting him. He kept busy until
dinner time, directing assistants
from all parts of the city, and lay
ing plans to bring the Negro vote
in. His zeal, borne of the knowl-
edge of the responsibility with
which he was entrusted, COM
municated itself to the workers,
and the office hummed like a bee
hive.
He was about to leave when his
phone called him back.
"It's Shoestring, boss"
go ahead" Clark said.
"Craddock's mob have opened
two big headquarters down here,
and they're dishing out dough
right and left. Zigaboos are pour
ing in there all day long. Gonna
be a big stomp tonight at Apex
Hall, which is over their place on
Calumet Ave. and Seventy-sixth. |
Free liquor, food, and hot music.
Hear Craddock is coming down to
make a speech. Guess they're
really gonna spread it."
Thanks, Shoestring. From now
on l want you to pay particular
attention to what people are say
ing about the election. Talk with
everyone with whom you have an
opportunity. Get it,"
81 sure do, boss. Been doin'
some o. that already, but I'll widen
out. l know one thing, though"
eyes 2"
"I'm damn sure Craddock's gang
are pretty worried. They got too
much pressure on. and lots of talk
been fioatin' round about if Grad
dock can't hang on to what he's
got, himself, then how in hell is
he gonna protect Jazz Hollow.
'Scuse me, boss, but I guess you
know what / mean"