Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

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O tions it was. Every man in the city was ttoon on tlie mailing list. The “Buckley Truths” it was called and the dashing headlines were far from comforting to Crawford and his associates. First they exposed the exact method of running the other two dailies of the city,—an exact photograph o! Mayor Crawford and the Editor of the Daily Herald signing a central t leasing exclusive control of the Herald for four weeks was reproduced. Below this was printed an exact reproduction of the contract and in glaring type was printed the announcement that tonight in a political speech Dick Buckley would display the original contract and challenge his opponent to deny the origin of it. A glimpse of the contract with the Editor of the Times was also promised. Other sensational statements were brought out in the “Buckley Truths.” A public warning was issued to Crawford and his followers declaring that any attempt to frustrate Buckley’s plans by crookedness would result in harm to themselves, as detectives were watching them It was merely a hint and as the Buckley faction reasoned would prevent serious trouble and unnecessary action. All day the issues were discussed with zeal. Crawford and Dalbey remained under cover in fear,—they had lost their papers and to get into the limelight would only mean more trouble for them. They still had confidence in Jack Brown, the burglar, and relied now on his work to save them. It was 7:00 P. M. Buckley had not been heard from. The burglar and his accomplices no doubt held him in Pittsburgh, forty miles distant. Such was the presumption of Crawford and Dalbey as they lounged in the comfortable rockers in the Mayor’s home. “What should we do, Crawford?” asked Dalbey, “send him the money?” “Yes, of course,” growled Crawford, “we don't want that devil to come running back on us with those contracts we lost last night do you? But see here, Jim Dalbey, those two contracts with the Editors were not amongst those other papers they were locked up in that sate, and if you’ve gone and given things away tell me so now.” “Come now Ed, I don’t blame you for suspecting me, but on my word of honor I’m with you to the last. And we'll win yet, if the last atom of my energy and skill is expelled in doing it.” “Put it there, Jim,” and he wrung Dal-bev’s hand, “but let's wire two thousand dollars to Jack Brown at Pittsburgh.” The following telegram was wired at once: To Jack Brown, Pittsburgh. “We have ordered for you two thousand dollars on Bank of Pittsburgh. Wire hack all news.” JIM DALBEY The following message was received back: To Mayor Crawford, -------------- “Have ordered for you twenty-one hundred dollars on First National Bank of your city. Dick Buckley will address the citizens of your city at eight tonight. See me tonight at midnight in the ‘Secret X’ Ha-ha beaten at your own game!” JACK BROWN One can imagine the effect the message would have on the mayor. This much it meant for sure,—he had been beaten at his own game,—trickery. “Well,” he mused, “it's a poor man who will give up at that. Come on Dalbey. So we are to hear Buckley speak after all And Jack Brown will meet us in the ‘Secret X.’ Now how does he know where the ‘Secret X’ is. Say Jim, you and I will need some help. W here can we get a couple of good detectives.” “At the Gct’em Detective Agency, I guess. Let’s get a couple. ’ The Get’ein agency was called up and in five minutes two plain clothes men met the politicians in the lobby of the Hotel Randolph and the party of four departed 9

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dared that the next night at nine o’clock on the same spot, the Buckley faction would hold another meeting and promised positively that Dick Buckley would be there with a volley of evidence to give them, and would for the first time in the history of Crawford's fame e | ose the truth. Few of the crowd trusted in Carel-ton's statement believing that the clever Crawford faction could easily hold Dick at their will, if he were in their hands. They would though without doubt be on to leave them there, wasn't it? It was someone elses turn to get a surprise next and one can imagine the dismay of the wily politicians when they returned to find that the important papers had all disappeared. CHAPTER III. (In which Buckley makes a move). The next day was Tuesday and no political excitement of any active kind broke up the busy routine of the days business in the enterprising city. Politics was the Buckley was still hammering away his threats toward the Crawford faction, when a powerful motor car suddenly drove up with three occupants, ran right alongside the dry goods box on which the young political aspirant was mounted and stopped just long enough for two of the men to scoop him up into the car. then sped away like fury. the spot the next night for political excitement of some kind, for one or other of the two factions would l e there. “Let's start something,” Dal hey suggested to Crawford. “No, we'll let it go at this,” Crawford said, “This’ll end everything. The election is as good as won, Jim. Two thousand dollars well spent, don't you think?” “Right you are, Ed. Let’s go hack to the house and put those papers away.” “Good suggestion, Jim. Careless of us 8 big issue, however, and the city had gone crazy over the excitement of the previous evening. But most interesting of all was the news press of the day. The two regular daily papers of the city were full of praise of Crawford and ridicule of Buck-lev but the reason was obvious. (Taw-ford’s financial interest in the two papers was sufficient to govern them, and the public suspected it, though no one dared to expound it. But a new paper begun its history that day and full of revela-

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 to a private room. The detectives gave Crawford and Dal-bey their cards and offered their services at one hundred dollars a day. “The price is reasonable” Crawford remarked, “but what are we to receive in return. Exactly what can you do for us. eu know as well as we do the details of the case. Buckley has a little the upper hand on us at present and has got hold of some papers we left on our table last night. And by the way, do you know Jack Brown?’ The detectives listened eagerly. One of them answered, “Jack Brown is a detective, is working for Buckley, though money might buy him off. Buckley is due to speak now and I know of no plan at present to stop him from cutting loose tonight but we will do our best. But listen, ( rawford, the detective leaned over and talked in a low monotone, “the office of the ‘Buckley Truths’ is known to very few men and my partner and myself know the location. Now Crawford,” the four faces grouped close together, “what’s it worth to you to have that office destroyed ?” It was a terrible question to be put to the Mayor of a city like ------------- but Crawford did not falter. “A thousand dollars” he replied “providing it is cleaned out of existence.” “Two thousand and we’ll blow it to the Heavens, and no one will ever know who was to blame for it.” Will you agree to this in writing?” “Most certainly, it is the only wav we would agree to it.” The papers were drawn up and signed each party holding a copy of them. The detectives were to dvnamite the office of the “Buckley Truths” before 11:00 P. M that night and were to receive two thousand dollars as compensation for the deed. It was 8:00 P. If. now and the party left the hotel—Crawford and Dalbey in their limousine took to the Central Depot and the detectives on foot in an op- posite direction. The city was all aglow and alive with groups of excited people by this time, all awaiting for the return of Dick Buckley. A tine big platform had been erected during the day and several chairs and a table were placed in readiness to receive the speaker. Buckley’s friends kept things in preparation and held the platform as best they could, but the crowd was becoming terrific and mobs of people who had a tendency to lean to Mayor Crawford were hurling ridicule at the meeting thus far. It was now 8:10 and Buckley had not as yet appeared. Dick Carelton held the floor and he held it as best he could, discussing the campaign thus far and dealing principally with comment on the “city newspapers of today.” With Carelton were ten plain clothes men who seemed to he there for emergencies. The crowd yelled impatiently for Buckley, then for Crawford still no Buckley, hut if one had listened more intently he might have heard a shrill whistle in the distance,—three times it blew, then stopped, and then blew five times more. And on watching maneuvers more closely one could notice that on hearing the whistle blow Carelton made ready to say something, while the plainclothes men cleared a track ten feet wide-through the mob and demanded that it remain such as an automobile was coming through. With the assistance of the city police the track was held clear. Carelton then spoke to the breathless crowd of people: “Ladies and Gentlemen in less than two minutes Dick Bucklev will stand on this platform and address you. He will come with a volley of facts and truths and a mass of evidence, ample to convince the public mind of this cilv that the present Mayor Edward Crawford is a political deceiver and fakir and a grafter of the lowest type. You have awaited his appearance with doubtfulness and interest, you shall be starred with the undeniable and indefensible facts of the present administration. Crawford would 10