The Honorable Peter Stirling and What People Thought of Him
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CHAPTER XIV.
NEW YORK JUSTICE.
Peter saw the District Attorney the next morning for a few moments, andhanded over to him certain memoranda of details that had not appeared inthe committing court's record.
"It shall go before the grand jury day after to-morrow," that officialtold him, without much apparent interest in the matter.
"How soon can it be tried, if they find a true bill? asked Peter.
"Can't say," replied the official.
"I merely wished to know," said Peter, "because three of the witnessesare away, and I want to have them back in time."
"Probably a couple of weeks," yawned the man, and Peter, taking thehint, departed.
The rest of the morning was spent in drawing up the papers in threecivil suits against the rich brewer. Peter filed them as soon ascompleted, and took the necessary steps for their prompt service.
These produced an almost immediate result, in the shape of a call thenext morning from the same lawyer who had defended the milkmen in thepreliminary examination. Peter, as he returned from his midday meal, metthe lawyer on the stairs.
"Ah, Mr. Stirling. Good-morning," said the man, whose name was Dummer."I've just left your office, finding it closed."
"Come in," said Peter.
The lawyer glanced around the plain room, and a quiet look ofsatisfaction came over his face. The two sat down.
"About those cases, Mr. Stirling?"
"Well?"
"For reasons you can easily understand, we don't wish them to come totrial."
"Well?"
"And we take it for granted that your clients will be quite willing tosettle them."
"We will talk about that, after the criminal trial is over"
"Why not now?"
"Because we hope to make Coldman speak the truth in the trial, and thusbe able to reach Bohlmann."
"You're wasting your time."
"Not if there's the smallest chance of sending the brewer to prison."
"There isn't. Coldman will stick to what he said if the thing is evertried, which it won't be."
Peter eyed Dummer without changing a muscle. "The District Attorneytold me that it ought to be in the courts in a couple of weeks."
Dummer smiled blandly, and slowly closed one eye. "The District Attorneytries to tell the truth," he said, "and I have no doubt he thought thatwas what he was telling you. Now, name your figure?"
"The civil suits will not be compromised till the criminal one isfinished."
"But I tell you the criminal one is dead. Squashed. Bohlmann and I haveseen the right people, and they've seen the District Attorney. That casewon't even go to the grand jury. So now, drop it, and say what you'llsettle the civil suits for?"
"James Coldman shall go to prison for killing those children," saidPeter, "and till he does, it is waste time to talk of dropping orsettling anything."
"Humph," half laughed the lawyer, though with obvious disgust at themulishness in Peter's face and voice. "You think you know it all. Butyou don't. You can work for ten years, and that case will be no nearertrial than it is to-day. I tell you, young man, you don't know NewYork."
"I don't know New York," said Peter, "but--"
"Exactly," interrupted Dummer. "And I do."
"Probably," replied Peter quietly, "You may know New York, Mr. Dummer,but you don't know me. That case shall be tried."
"Well," laughed Dummer, "if you'll agree not to press the civil suits,till that's out of the way, we shall have no need to compromise.Good-day."
The next morning Peter went to the District Attorney's office, andinquired for him.
"He's gone to Bar Harbor for a couple of weeks' vacation," he was told.
"Whom must I see in his stead?" And after some time Peter was broughtface to face with the acting official.
"Mr. Nelson told me he should present the Coldman case to the grand juryto-day, and finding he has left the city, I wish to know who has it incharge?" asked Peter.
"He left all the presentments with me," the deputy replied, "but therewas no such case as that."
"Could he have left it with some one else to attend to?"
"No."
Peter went back to his office, took down the Code and went over certainsections. His eyes had rather a sad look as they gazed at his wall,after his study, as if what he had read had not pleased him. But if theeyes were sad, the heavy jaw had a rigidness and setness which gave noindication of weakness or yielding.
For two weeks Peter waited, and then once more invaded officialdom.
"The District Attorney's engaged, and can't see you," he was told. Petercame again in the afternoon, with the same result. The next morning,brought only a like answer, and this was duplicated in the afternoon.The third day he said he would wait, and sat for hours in the ante-room,hoping to be called, or to intercept the officer. But it was only to seeman after man ushered into the private office, and finally to be toldthat the District Attorney had gone to lunch, and would not return thatday. The man who told him this grinned, and evidently considered it agood joke, nor had Peter been unconscious that all the morning theclerks and underlings had been laughing, and guying him as he waited.Yet his jaw was only set the more rigidly, as he left the office.
He looked up the private address of the officer in the directory, andwent to see him that evening. He was wise enough not to send in hisname, and Mr. Nelson actually came into the hall to see him.
The moment he saw Peter, however, he said: "Oh, it's you. Well, I nevertalk business except in business hours."
"I have tried to see you--" began Peter.
"Try some more," interrupted the man, smiling, and going toward theparlor.
Peter followed him, calmly. "Mr. Nelson," he said, "do you intend topush that case?"
"Of course," smiled Nelson. "After I've finished four hundredindictments that precede it."
"Not till then?"
"No."
"Mr. Nelson, can't you overlook politics for a moment, and think of--"
"Who said anything of politics?" interrupted Nelson, "I merely tell youthere are indictments which have been in my office for five years andare yet to be tried, and that your case is going to take its turn."Nelson passed into the back room, leaving his caller alone.
Peter left the room, and passed out of the front door, just as a man wasabout to ring the bell.
"Is Mr. Nelson in?" asked the man.
"I have just left him, Mr. Dummer," said Peter.
"Ah! Good-evening, Mr. Stirling. I think I can guess your business.Well. How do you come on?" Dummer was obviously laughing internally.
Peter started down the steps without answering.
"Perhaps I can help you?" said Dummer. "I know Mr. Nelson very well inpolitics, and so does Mr. Bohlmann. If you'll tell me what you areafter, I'll try to say a good word for you?"
"I don't need your help, thank you," said Peter calmly.
"Good," said Dummer. "You think a briefless lawyer of thirty can go italone, do you, even against the whole city government?"
"I know I have not influence enough to get that case pushed, Mr. Dummer,but the law is on my side, and I'm not going to give up yet."
"Well, what are you going to do about it?" said Dummer, sneeringly.
"Fight," said Peter, walking away.
He went back to his office, and sitting at his desk, wrote a formalletter to the District Attorney, calling his attention to the case, andasking information as to when it would be brought to trial. Then hecopied this, and mailed the original. Then he read the Code again. Afterthat he went over the New York reports, making notes. For a second timethe morning sun found Peter still at his desk. But this time his headwas not bowed upon his blotter, as if he were beaten or dead. His wholefigure was stiff with purpose, and his jaw was as rigid as a mastiff's.