Page:Upbuilders by Lincoln Steffens.djvu/258

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to the County Board for his job, was “hurting the party” to help Frank Bishop, the president of the County Board, who was a candidate for the nomination for Governor of Colorado. So now, when Ben “got after Frank Bishop’s Board,” he puzzled Frank Adams and all the other men in Denver who, to account for the conduct of others, read their own souls.

“What does Ben mean? Is he an ingrate? You go ask him what the hell he means.” This was said by Commissioner Watts to the Judge’s clerk, whom the Board had also “given his job.” Cass Harrington called; the attorney to the County Board, this man had resigned to be “of counsel” to the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company. Others called, many prominent men. “This stealing,” the Judge says, “had friends, political and business friends, and they were powerful men, all of them.” He saw that he would also need friends, so the Judge paid some visits. He called on some other judges; he told them the facts, and he asked them to move with him for an investigation. They wouldn t.

“Why, Judge,” said one of them, “you have your hands full now. You are doing more than two or three men can do. You oughtn t to want to know about this. I don t. That would make me responsible, and I don t want to have anything