A BASE PLOT, AND WHAT IT LED TO.
"I say, Bill, I have a pretty good lay for you, and I think you
can work it without much risk."
The speaker was Chappell, and the person whom he addressed was
Lawrence.
We, in the preceding chapter, introduced these worthies into this
story, but as we wish our readers to become more thoroughly
acquainted with them, will now give them a more formal introduction.
Moses Chappell was the son of highly respectable parents, and had
the advantages that are ever associated with a home where there is
comparative wealth, culture, and purity. He had a fair education,
possessed a fine person and a gracious, polished manner.
When quite a young man he commenced the study of law with a firm
in the city, but he became so unsteady in his habits that it took
him a year or two longer to get through than the course required.
When he became an attorney,--it being immediately after the close
of the war,--he, through the influence of his friends, secured the
position of claim agent; and as there were a great many soldiers
who had claims for extra bounty and for pensions to prosecute, it
was not long before he secured a large share of this business.
It was just after he had entered into business on his own
responsibility that he became acquainted with Ashton. At that time
he was simply looked upon as a rather fast young man, who would
take a glass with a friend, and, as the boys would say, "just once
in a while get a little 'O be joyful!'" But among this class he
passed as a "Jolly good fellow!"
During the last year his degeneracy had been very rapid, and he
had become almost a confirmed drunkard, it being well known by the
initiated that he indulged in the passion of gambling, by which he
lost a great deal of money.
A short time before Ashton's return to Rochester, Chappell's
losses were, for him, very large indeed; and as his income failed
to meet his liabilities, he took the money which he had collected
from the Government for his clients, to meet his gambling debts,
and also to make new ventures, with the hope that he would win
back all his losses. But, as he expressed it, luck seemed to have
turned against him, and he lost in one night, by wild, reckless
play, hundreds of dollars that he had drawn for poor, wounded, and
disabled men, many of whom had expended quite a sum in instituting
their claim, and sadly needed it, because they had undermined
their constitutions in the campaigns through which they had
passed; some of them having wives and children depending upon them
for support. In fact, no one knows what disappointment and misery
was caused by the dishonest and reckless conduct of this now
abandoned young man.
He, however, though fallen, had not yet reached such a depth of
degradation as to be utterly careless of his reputation, or of the
suffering and shame he would entail upon his friends if his
wrong-doings were discovered, and he well knew that discovery was
inevitable if he did not in some manner recover the amount he had
lost. "Desperate diseases require desperate remedies;" and his
case was desperate indeed, and he was now in such a state of mind
that he was willing to resort to anything short of murder to
extricate himself.
He was in this state of mind when Ashton again appeared in
Rochester, and when he learned the nature of his business he
resolved, if possible, to get possession of his money. He had, in
the gambling dens of the city, formed the acquaintance of some
hard characters, and resolved to use them as his tools in carrying
out his purpose.
"Lawrence will do," he said, "and he can associate Dick Eagle with
him in the venture. Lawrence is acquainted with Ashton, as they
used to meet at old Tom's when on their drinking bouts. I will
sound him, and, if I find he is all serene on the matter, Ashton
must have become a more wary fly than he used to be if I do not
induce him to enter my spider's web."
It was to further this scheme that he hinted to some mutual
friends it would be a gracious thing to give Ashton a supper, and
as they immediately entered with fervor into the idea, it was
agreed upon. When Ashton stipulated, if he accepted, it must be
understood he would not be asked to drink anything but water, it
looked as if his well-concerted scheme would be entirely frustrated.
And then, after thinking the matter over, he hit upon the plan which
he adopted, and which, alas, as we have already made known
to our readers, he carried to a successful accomplishment.
Lawrence, the young ruffian whom he made his tool, had been
associated with him before, in some transactions that would not
bear the light of day, and when he unfolded the present scheme to
him he found him ready to be his pliant instrument--willing to
enter into any scheme, no matter how villainous its nature, if he
could be sure of making something by the venture.
"I am pretty certain," said Chappell, "he will have by that time
some four or five hundred dollars in his possession; and if you
would meet us and persuade him to accompany us into Tom's, I
think, old boy, we can induce him to take a glass. If he takes
one, you know he is such a fool that we will soon have him
gloriously drunk. But to make certain we will fix his liquor, and
then by the time he gets to the bridge he will be completely at
your mercy."
"Well, the question is, Chappell, what am I to get for the
venture? Of course, if there is any hard work to be done you will
expect me to do it, while you will play the role of gentleman."
"I am willing to deal fairly with you, Bill."
"But I want to have an understanding. I know you pretty
thoroughly, Mose, and I am not going to let you gull me as you
have on some former occasions. The question is what am I to get?
And if I can't get what's square, I will wash my hands of the
whole affair. 'Honor among thieves,' you know, Mose."
Chappell, who winced at the epithet "thieves," shrugged his
shoulders, and a look of supreme disgust gleamed for a moment from
his eyes, which did not pass unnoticed by Lawrence.
"Come now, Mose, no airs," he said; "if you don't like me just
keep away, and I'll not bother you with my company. When you force
yourself upon me you must be a little respectful, or, at least,
you must not be so open in your manifestations of disgust, as I am
somewhat sensitive and may resent it."
"Who was showing any signs of being disgusted? Now, what is the
use of making a fool of yourself, Bill, because you know how; and
if I were you I would not speak of "putting on airs." When Bill
Lawrence talks of being sensitive, he of course means all he says:
the idea of 'Billy the Kid' being sensitive is certainly a new
wrinkle."
"Well, Chappell, I know I am not as good as I might be; if I were
I would cut you dead, though you do wear kid gloves and move in
the so-called 'best society,' like many another scoundrel. But
this is neither here nor there; let's come to business. Before I
enter into this thing I want an understanding; you are not going
to come it over me as you have on former occasions."
"Why, Lawrence, I don't want to come it over you. It seems to me
you are deuced suspicious, all at once. I'll tell you what I'll
do. I'll give you one half, to be divided between you and Dick
Eagle. And when you remember that I put up the job, and run just
as much risk as you do, I think you will conclude that I am quite
moderate."
"Yes, 'quite moderate;' you are always 'moderate,' especially when
it comes to risks; but you don't come none of your moderate games
over me. If I get Dick Eagle to assist me in this job I will have
to go halves with him. I couldn't gull him if I were to try, and I
don't wish to try. I am not quite so mean as to cheat a comrade
who runs equal risks with myself, though some would-be gentlemen
of my acquaintance would. If we make anything by this venture it
must be equally divided, if it is not more than fifteen cents. If
you will not agree to this proposition I will wash my hands of the
whole affair."
Chappell--after putting in several demurrers, at last, when he saw
that he could make no better terms--consented.
It was arranged that Chappell should, if possible, induce Ashton
to drink at the supper; but if he could not accomplish that, he
was to accompany him up St. Paul street until he came in front of
Tom Conglin's, and then Lawrence was to meet them, and between
them they were to induce him to enter and, if possible, entice him
to drink. Chappell was, after this, to accompany him as far as the
bridge and leave him. And then Lawrence and Eagle were--to put it
in their classic language--"to go through him."
The scheme was carried to a successful issue, though not with the
ease that was anticipated. The drug was not as effective as they
supposed it would be; for though, when they started, Ashton was in
such a complete state of intoxication as not to be able to walk
without the assistance of Chappell, as they continued on their
homeward journey, the further they went the stronger he became.
The cold morning air seemed to revive him. Chappell accompanied
him to the spot agreed upon, and then left him, though not without
making a show of wishing to see him all the way home.
Ashton had not proceeded far on his uneven way before Lawrence,
who had gone by another route and got ahead of him and Chappell,
said to Eagle, who had waited for him near the appointed spot:
"Here he comes, and he don't seem to be very drunk either. We'll
have to make sure work, Dick. Now, go for him!"
Eagle, with whom Ashton was not acquainted, sprang forward as
Lawrence spoke and struck him a terrible blow in the stomach; at
the same time, Lawrence from behind swiftly passed his arm around
his neck, then drew him across his back, lifting him entirely from
the ground and choking him so that he could not cry out. But
before Lawrence had succeeded in doing this an alarm had been
given; for, though Eagle had struck him a terrible blow, Ashton
gave a startled sound, something between a cry and a moan, but
afterwards was perfectly helpless in their hands.
It was this sound which Constable Rogers heard, and, as we have
already informed our readers, he immediately hastened to the spot,
but arrived too late to rescue Ashton from his treacherous and
brutal assailants.
All the three worthies secured as the result of their base
treachery and inhuman villainy was about twenty dollars; for this
was all that Ashton had upon his person at the time.
As soon as the latter was able, he gave an account to a detective
of all that had transpired during the previous evening, which led
the latter strongly to suspect Chappell and Lawrence, as he was
well acquainted with them and knew their antecedents. He arrested
them both, but as nothing could be substantiated, though there
were strong grounds for believing they were the parties, they were
discharged.
The Police Magistrate, however, gave them to understand that it
was simply a case of "not proven." And he added, if they were the
guilty parties, they deserved to be execrated by every good
citizen for their treachery. He admonished them to be cautious, as
a strict watch would be kept on their movements, and they would
not be able always to escape the punishment they so richly
deserved.
It was not long after this before Chappell was called to give an
account of the money which he had collected for the soldiers who
had entrusted their cases to him. And as it was discovered he had
squandered it, the result was he was prosecuted and sent to jail
for defrauding his clients, and lay there for a considerable time.
Since that period he has been a moral leper, a disgrace to his
friends, and loathed and shunned by respectable society.
Lawrence and Eagle, his companions in the nefarious transaction,
were soon after captured as they were burglarizing a store, and
sent to States Prison for five years.
We will now let them pass from these pages, simply remarking if it
had not been for drink, which had made them its slaves and
corrupted their young lives, they might have had honorable careers
and been respectable and respected citizens; but rum was their
ruin, their curse, as it has been of millions of others, and
through it they are a disgrace to their friends and a curse to
society. Surely "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and
whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."