countenance that he was bent on ignoring me; but I was not to be discarded in this ruthless fashion, and resolved, before leaving, to plead with him still further, humiliating as it might be to my pride; so I proceeded to remind Mr. Mays of how he was associated with me in the 24-1 deal, wherein he received half of the six claims, knowing them to be fraudulent, and not one of which cost him a dollar.
"Mr. Mays, you claim, as I understand, to have paid Senator Mitchell the sum of $600 for his services in pulling out the patents to those six claims, but I never did believe that you paid him any such amount, nor do I believe it now, as Senator Mitchell, according to your own statement to me, was very much indebted and obligated to you for past political favors. However, I know this much, and you will not deny it, that you got those claims from me for absolutely nothing, and you also know, as I do too, that you disposed of them—the three that you got—within a few months' time, for the neat sum of $2,520. And furthermore, Mr. Mays, you have been mixed up with me in various land transactions for something over 12 years, and now, to think that the very man with whom I have dealt, and for whom I have worked, should throw me down—you don't mean this, Mays, I know you don't, for you know full well, and that, too, beyond a question of doubt, that I would have gotten up in the middle of the night to come to your rescue, had occasion demanded and would gladly have put up my last dollar had you needed it. Your name, Mays, has never been mentioned by me in connection with these cases. On the other hand, I have shielded you at every turn."
Mays had little to say after that, but the look he gave me spoke volumes. He was not to be moved; that was all apparent, so I decided that further entreaty would avail me nothing, and being given the opportunity, I looked him square in the eye, and said:
"Mr. Mays, I take it that you refuse to act in my behalf?"
"You have my answer," he replied; "I can do nothing for you!"
"You, sir, may be looking for a bondsman some day." I remarked, before leaving. "Remember, I say, you, too, may in time need a friend!"
It is worthy of note that Mr. Mays was indicted, tried and convicted within two years after this conversation took place, the indictment against him being returned in less than a month after my trial.
He is now under $4,000 bond, pending appeal of his case to the higher courts. Page 173
