the outlet-第25章

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uld　be　remembered　that　this　was　in　'84；　but　had　a　similar　trouble　occurred　five　years　earlier；　it　is　likely　that　Judge　Colt　would　have　figured　in　the　preliminaries；　and　the　coroner　might　have　been　called　on　to　inpanel　a　jury。　But　the　rudiments　of　civilization　were　sweeping　westward；　and　Ogalalla　was　nerved　to　the　importance　of　the　occasion；　for　that　very　afternoon　a　hearing　was　to　be　given　for　the　possession　of　two　herds　of　cattle；　valued　at　over　a　quarter…million　dollars。

The　representatives　of　The　Western　Supply　Company　were　quartered　in　the　largest　hotel　in　town；　but　seldom　appeared　on　the　streets。　They　had　employed　a　firm　of　local　attorneys；　consisting　of　an　old　and　a　young　man；　both　of　whom　evidently　believed　in　the　justice　of　their　client's　cause。　All　the　cattle…hands　in　Lovell's　employ　were　anxious　to　get　a　glimpse　of　Tolleston；　many　of　them　patronizing　the　bar　and　table　of　the　same　hostelry；　but　their　efforts　were　futile　until　the　hour　arrived　for　the　hearing。　They　probably　have　a　new　court…house　in　Ogalalla　now；　but　at　the　date　of　this　chronicle　the　building　which　served　as　a　temple　of　justice　was　poorly　proportioned；　its　height　being　entirely　out　of　relation　to　its　width。　It　was　a　two…story　affair；　the　lower　floor　being　used　for　county　offices；　the　upper　one　as　the　court…room。　A　long　stairway　ran　up　the　outside　of　the　building；　landing　on　a　gallery　in　front；　from　which　the　sheriff　announced　the　sitting　of　the　honorable　court　of　Keith　County。　At　home　in　Texas；　lawsuits　were　so　rare　that　though　I　was　a　grown　man；　the　novelty　of　this　one　absorbed　me。　Quite　a　large　crowd　had　gathered　in　advance　of　the　hour；　and　while　awaiting　the　arrival　of　Judge　Mulqueen；　a　contingent　of　fifteen　men　from　the　two　herds　in　question　rode　up　and　halted　in　front　of　the　court…house。　Forrest　and　I　were　lying　low；　not　caring　to　be　seen；　when　the　three　plaintiffs；　the　two　local　attorneys；　and　Tolleston　put　in　an　appearance。　The　cavalcade　had　not　yet　dismounted；　and　when　Dorg　Seay　caught　sight　of　Tolleston；　he　stood　up　in　his　stirrups　and　sang　out；　〃Hello　there；　Archibald！　my　old　college　chum；　how　goes　it？〃

Judge　Mulqueen　had　evidently　dressed　for　the　occasion；　for　with　the　exception　of　the　plaintiffs；　he　was　the　only　man　in　the　court…room　who　wore　a　coat。　The　afternoon　was　a　sultry　one；　in　that　first　bottom　of　the　Platte　there　was　scarcely　a　breath　of　air；　and　collars　wilted　limp　as　rags。　Neither　map　nor　chart　graced　the　unplastered　walls；　the　unpainted　furniture　of　the　room　was　sadly　in　need　of　repair；　while　a　musty　odor　permeated　the　room。　Outside　the　railing　the　seating　capacity　of　the　court…room　was　rather　small；　rough；　bare　planks　serving　for　seats；　but　the　spectators　gladly　stood　along　the　sides　and　rear；　eager　to　catch　every　word；　as　they　silently　mopped　the　sweat　which　oozed　alike　from　citizen　and　cattleman。　Forrest　and　I　were　concealed　in　the　rear；　which　was　packed　with　Lovell's　boys；　when　the　judge　walked　in　and　court　opened　for　the　hearing。　Judge　Mulqueen　requested　counsel　on　either　side　to　be　as　brief　and　direct　as　possible；　both　in　their　pleadings　and　testimony；　adding：　〃If　they　reach　the　stock…yards　in　time；　I　may　have　to　load　out　a　train　of　feeders　this　evening。　We'll　bed　the　cars；　anyhow。〃　Turning　to　the　sheriff；　he　continued：　〃Frank；　if　you　happen　outside；　keep　an　eye　up　the　river；　those　Lincoln　feeders　made　a　deal　yesterday　for　five　hundred　three…year…olds。Read　your　complaint。〃

The　legal　document　was　read　with　great　fervor　and　energy　by　the　younger　of　the　two　local　lawyers。　In　the　main　it　reviewed　the　situation　correctly；　every　point；　however；　being　made　subservient　to　their　object；the　possession　of　the　cattle。　The　plaintiffs　contended　that　they　were　the　innocent　holders　of　the　original　contract　between　the　government　and　The　Western　Supply　Company；　properly　assigned；　that　they　had　purchased　these　two　herds　in　question；　had　paid　earnest…money　to　the　amount　of　sixty…five　thousand　dollars　on　the　same；　and　concluded　by　petitioning　the　court　for　possession。　Sutton　arose；　counseled　a　moment　with　Lovell；　and　borrowing　a　chew　of　tobacco　from　Sponsilier；　leisurely　addressed　the　court。

〃I　shall　not　trouble　your　honor　by　reading　our　reply　in　full；　but　briefly　state　its　contents；〃　said　he；　in　substance。　〃We　admit　that　the　herds　in　question；　which　have　been　correctly　described　by　road　brands　and　ages；　are　the　property　of　my　client。　We　further　admit　that　the　two　trail　foremen　here　under　arrest　as　accessories　were　acting　under　the　orders　of　their　employer；　who　assumes　all　responsibility　for　their　acts；　and　in　our　pleadings　we　ask　this　honorable　court　to　discharge　them　from　further　detention。　The　earnest…money；　said　to　have　been　paid　on　these　herds；　is　correct　to　a　cent；　and　we　admit　having　the　amount　in　our　possession。　But；〃　and　the　little　advocate's　voice　rose；　rich　in　its　Irish　brogue；　〃we　deny　any　assignment　of　the　original　contract。　The　Western　Supply　Company　is　a　corporation　name；　a　shield　and　fence　of　thieves。　The　plaintiffs　here　can　claim　no　assignment；　because　they　themselves　constitute　the　company。　It　has　been　decided　that　a　man　cannot　steal　his　own　money；　neither　can　he　assign　from　himself　to　himself。　We　shall　prove　by　a　credible　witness　that　The　Western　Supply　Company　is　but　another　name　for　John　C。　Fields；　Oliver　Radcliff；　and　the　portly　gentleman　who　was　known　a　year　ago　as　'Honest'　John　Griscom；　one　of　his　many　aliases。　If　to　these　names　you　add　a　few　moneyed　confederates；　you　have　The　Western　Supply　Company；　one　and　the　same。　We　shall　also　prove　that　for　years　past　these　same　gentlemen　have　belonged　to　a　ring；　all　brokers　in　government　contracts；　and　frequently　finding　it　necessary　to　use　assumed　names；　generally　that　of　a　corporation。〃

Scanning　the　document　in　his　hand；　Sutton　continued：　〃Our　motive　in　selling　and　accepting　money　on　these　herds　in　Dodge　demands　a　word　of　explanation。　The　original　contract　calls　for　five　million　pounds　of　beef　on　foot　to　be　delivered　at　Fort　Buford。　My　client　is　a　sub…contractor　under　that　award。　There　are　times；　your　honor；　when　it　becomes　necessary　to　resort　to　questionable　means　to　attain　an　end。　This　is　one　of　them。　Within　a　week　after　my　client　had　given　bonds　for　the　fulfillment　of　his　contract；　he　made　the　discovery　that　he　was　dealing　with　a　double…faced　set　of　scoundrels。　From　that　day　until　the　present　moment；　secret…service　men　have　shadowed　every　action　of　the　plaintiffs。　My　client　has　anticipated　their　every　move。　When　beeves　broke　in　price　from　five　to　seven　dollars　a　head；　Honest　John；　here；　made　his　boasts　in　Washington　City　over　a　champagne　supper　that　he　and　his　associates　would　clear　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　on　their　Buford　contract。　Let　us　reason　together　how　this　could　be　done。　The　Western　Supply　Company　refused；　even　when　offered　a　bonus；　to　assign　their　contract　to　my　client。　But　they　were　perfectly　willing　to　transfer　it；　from　themselves　as　contract　for　the　delivery　of　the　beeves。　The　original　corporation；　to　themselves　as　individuals；　even　though　they　had　previously　given　Don　Lovell　a　similar　award　was　made　seven　months　ago；　and　the　depreciation　in　cattle　since　is　the　secret　of　why　the　frog　eat　the　cabbage。　My　client　is　under　the　necessity　of　tendering　his　cattle　on　the　day　of　delivery；　and　proposes　to　hold　this　earnest…money　to　indemnify　himself　in　case　of　an　adverse　decision　at　Fort　Buford。　It　is　the　only　thing　he　can　do；　as　The　Western　Supply　Company　is　execution　proof；　its　assets　consisting　of　some　stud…horse　office　furniture　and　a　corporate　seal。　On　the　other　hand；　Don　Lovell　is　rated　at　half　a　million；　mostly　in　pasture　lands；　is　a　citizen　of　Medina　County；　Texas；　and　if　these　gentlemen　have　any　grievance；　let　them　go　there　and　sue　him。　A　judgment　against　my　client　is　good。　Now；　your　honor；　you　have　our　side　of　the　question。　To　be　brief；　shall　these　old　Wisinsteins　come　out　here　from　Washington　City　and　dispossess　any　man　of　his　property？　There　is　but　one　answer　not　in　the　Republic　of　Keith。〃

All　three　of　the　plaintiffs　took　the　stand；　their　testimony　supporting　the　complaint；　Lovell's　attorney　refusing　even　to　cross…examine　any　one　of　them。　When　they　rested　their　case　Sutton　arose；　and　scanning　the　audience　for　some　time；　inquired；　〃Is　Jim　Reed　there？〃　In　response；　a　tall；　one…armed　man　worked　his　way　from　the　outer　gallery　through　the　crowd　and　advanced　to　the　rail。　I　knew　Reed　by　sight　only；　my　middle　brother　having　made　several　trips　with　his　trail　cattle；　but　he　was　known　to　every　one　by　reputation。　He　had　lost　an　arm　in　the　Confederate　service；　and　was　recognized　by　the　gambling　fraternity　as　the　gamest　man　among　all　the　trail　drovers；　while　every　cowman　from　the　Rio　Grande　to　the　Yellowstone　knew　him　as　a　poker…player。　Reed　was　asked　to　take　the　stand；　and　when　questioned　if　he　knew　either　of　the　plaintiffs；　said：

〃Yes；　I　know　that　fat　gentleman；　and　I'm　powerful　glad　to　meet　up　with　him　again；〃　replied　the　witness；　designating　Honest　John。　〃That　man　is　so　crooked　that　he　can't　sleep　in　a　bed；　and　it's　one　of　the　wonders　of　this　country　that　he　hasn't　stretched　hemp　before　this。　I　made　his　acquaintance　as　manager　of　The　Federal　Supply　Company；　and　delivered　three　thousand　cows　to　him　at　the　Washita　Indian　Agency　last　fall。　In　the　final　settlement；　he　drew　on　three　different　banks；　and　one　draft　of　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars　came　back；　indorsed；　DRAWEE　UNKNOWN。　I　had　other　herds　on　the　trail　to　look　after；　and　it　was　a　month　before　I　found　out　that　the　check　was　bogus；　by　which　time　Honest　John　had　sailed　for　Europe。　There　was　nothing　could　be　done　hut　put　mny　claim　into　a　judgment　and　lay　for　him。　But　I've　got　a　grapevine　twist　on　him　now；　for　no　sooner　did　he　buy　a　herd　here　last　week　than　Mr。　Sutton　transferred　the　judgment　to　this　jurisdiction；　and　his　cattle　will　be　attached　this　afternoon。　I've　been　on　his　trail　for　nearly　a　year；　but　he'll　come　to　me　now；　and　before　he　can　move　his　beeves　out　of　this　county；　the　last　cent　must　come；　with　interest；　attorney's　fees；　detective　bills；　and　remuneration　for　my　own　time　and　trouble。　That's　the　reason　that　I'm　so　glad　to　meet　him。　Judge；　I've　gone　to　the　trouble　and　expense　to　get　his　record　for　the　last　ten　years。　He's　so　snaky　he　sheds　his　name　yearly；　shifting　for　a　nickname　from　Honest　John　to　The　Quaker。　In　'80　he　and　his　associates　did　business　under　the　name　of　The　Army　&　Sutler　Supply　Company；　and　I　know　of　two　judgments　that　can　be　bought　very　reasonable　against　that　corporation。　His　record　would　convince　any　one　that　he　despises　to　make　an　honest　dollar。〃

The　older　of　the　two　attorneys　for　the　plaintiffs　asked　a　few　questions；　but　the　replies　were　so　unsatisfactory　to　their　side；　that　they　soon　passed　the　witness。　During　the　cross…questioning；　however；　the　sheriff　had　approached　the　judge　and　whispered　something　to　his　honor。　As　there　were　no　further　witnesses　to　be　examined；　the　local　attorneys　insisted　on　arguing　the　case；　but　Judge　Mulqueen　frowned　them　down；　saying：

〃This　court　sees　no　occasion　for　any　argument　in　the　present　case。　You　might　spout　until　you　were　black　in　the　face　and　it　wouldn't　change　my　opinion　any；　besides　I've　got　twenty　cars　to　send　and　a　train　of　cattle　to　load　out　this　evening。　This　court　refuses　to　interfere　with　the　herds　in　question；　at　present　the　prope