Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1937-12-03
CHAPTER IA

OndpPlS AOOhSu az SN'
say you will protect me if tell?
You're Griffith, aren't you?"
Clark could scarcely forego
showing the wave of revulsion that
swept over him as he looked at the
man. His appearance was remind
full of a fat, half-crushed snake.
But despite this feeling, Clark felt
a measure of pity for the man. The
pity that every misguided human
deserves when their flimsy, unreal
walls of ego are swept away and
leaves them. standing unclothed
and unclean. A wasted life.
81 can't promise you anything
definite, Allen. have friends
who will pay for whatever infor-
nation you might have of value to
them and to me. They will do
their best and they are powerful"
Allen nodded his head. Il know.
You're a big shot. Everybody
knows it." Suddenly he looked
closely at Clark. Pm not much, l
guess, Griffith. And 1 suppose you
think me a rat for trying to get
out with my own hide. But right
now l don't give a damn what any
body thinks - Pm going to spill
what l know. Just give me your
word that you'll get me clear, and
I'll tell you something that will
make your hair stand. And I'll get
out of this country and stay out. |"
81 give you my solemn word,
Allen, that III do everything in
my power for you if you'll trace
the origin of that paper Sanborn
has"
20. K. But it's a long story"
Hold it," Inky stepped up to
face Chappie again. We've got
plenty of time, fella, to hear it.
But you had better get this through
your thick block head right now:
if what you say isn't the truth,
pimp, there isn't a person in this
country that can save you from
what Toots will do to your worth
less hide" Inky's face was terri
bic. an have you pulled apart in
strips, do you hear?"
Chappie recoiled from Inky's
threat. 'I1l tell the truth, swear
it,"
Never mind the oaths-get on
with the tale" Inky grimly replied.
Allen turned to Clark. Grad
dock hates you like hell, Griffith"
he said.
That's no news. But what has
that got to do with this paper?"
Everything. His mob is out
to get you, and you'll be lucky if
they don't"
"Look-when Craddock heard
that you had married your wife he
went wild. 1 happened to be in his
office the morning after you were
married, and when someone phoned
him and told him the news. He
was like a wild man. He raved
and knocked things over. For
nearly fifteen minutes he was a
maniac. Then he quoted down. He
looked at me like he just saw me.
'Chappie,' he said, you've got
to help me-
Howl / asked.
"'Griffith has got to die. No
dirty - can pull this stunt on
me and run around loose. I'd kill
that -, too, but it will hurt her
more to see that - that - die.
81 got scared. l never mess
around with no murder. And l
started to tell him so.
"He simply looked at me and I
knew right then that if crossed
him, he'd wash me out, too. There're
too many people, white and black,
that he has saved from going down
the river that will do just as he
says. knew that-too well.
WELL / said finally, what do
/ dog
"'That's better, Chappie. You
do as / tell you to and after next
election you will be swimming in
gravy
''Then he told me what he
wanted me to do. There were three
ofays that he had saved from 60
ing up on a murder rap about five
years ago. These white boys were
now big shots in powerful gang
in Chicago. He wouldn't write
them, but wanted me to go to Chi
and tell them he wanted to see
them.
81 caught a rattler and went
down there to get them. l had to
wait a few days before ! got in
touch with them. They couldn't
come, but they sent two of their
gorillas up here.
"He met these birds and told
them what he wanted. They were