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About Vernonia eagle. (Vernonia, Or.) 1922-1974 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 1931)
VERNONIA EAGLE, VERNONIA, OREGON FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1931. MONEY TO BURN t Cò parigli V 11. K u M W. N.U. SERVICE. "You can’t. You can't prove anything, and I’ve got those hooks hidden where nobody can find them, Better accept my proposl- tlon. You'll get out with some thing, then. If you won’t play the game I'll see to It that you get out with exactly what I get—nothing!" “You forget that you are an ac cessory before the fuct. In the eyes of the law you have commit- ted a felony by aiding and abetting my uncle to defraud the govern ment.” “I know. But when 1 turn state's evidence they won't do anything to me.” Bunker laughed mirthlessly. “That's what Immunity baths are for. They pay me for my informa tion.” “Bunker, you're loathsome, Get out of my room. Quick. I don’t like to rough-house a little old man like you. blit If you’re still stand- Ing there leering triumphantly nt me thirty seconds from now I'll manhandle you. Scat, you pole- cat 1" Following Bunker’s unceremonious departure, Elmer Clarke sat down to do some solid thinking. He had need to, for if Bunker’s threat should not prove to he an Idle one, he was liable to find himself in a most unenviable position. “Well, one thing is certain," he decided. “If the collector of Inter nal revenue, egged on by Bunker, should levy on the total residue of the estate, I'll be back, financially, where I was before Uncle Hiram died, but with this exception—I'll be out of a job. Well, I'll soon find another. My health Is A-one again, so what the devil do I care for the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, provided I do not have to wait too long to marry Nellie? “Why, I almost forgot that I am mayor. I have got a job, after all, and It pays tne one hundred dol lars a month. Well, I’ve existed on less. Elmer, old settler, you're not licked at all, but oh. boy, when you get hack to Pilarcltos your sense of humor Is certainly going to be tested 1 They’re going to tell till« joke on you while anybody lives to remember it. lood you’re right! piii'rcltos Isn't going to be a pleasant place for you to live In hereafter, but—you're go ing to live there because Nellie Ilves there, because you're the mayor and also a high school trustee, and yon can’t resign from either job Just because you're a public joke. That would be haul Ing down your flag, which Is alien to your nature—besides which. It would he the very finest way of los Ing Nellie. Guess I'll sing the na tlonal anthem of Slam I" lie decided to await develop ments. It occurred to 1dm that if Itunker really had such a club to swing he would have swung It most profitably on Uncle Hiram before the latter departed for that myste rious land whore Income taxes are not. He certainly would not swing It until he had collected Ills own legacy from the estate, for Bunker was too cunning to make such a maladroit move. Perhaps Ids threat had been a monumental bluff. “I think this Is a matter I should take up with McPeake," he decld ed, and forthwith called upon the lawyer. McPeake listened to the incredible tale with a growing dis gust manifesting Itself on his fea tures. “You're a shrewd judge of hu man nature. Mr. Clarke,” he de dared when Elmer had finished his recital. “Bunker is a rat. I am positive, however, that he is bluff ing you. If he had had such a weapon to use on your uncle, he would have used It. Consequently. I think that the best thing to do is to ignore him and proceed with »ho distribution of the estate.” “Well, I'll not accept any money that doesn't belong to me, Mr. Me- Pea ke." “That's all very fine, Imt wait until you know for a certainty that it doesn't belong to you. A black mailing charge Is not sufficient grounds upon which to base an ac tion of this kind; you cannot pos sibly be charged with being an ac cessory after the fact. I think this whole aff.Mr is a mare’s nest and I advise you to run along to New York, enjoy yourself and return here in about six weeks. I’m cer tain that nothing will liuppen until the decree of Anal distribution Is signed; If It doesn’t happen then, It will never happen, I have no ap- prehensions on the matter, Mr. Clarke. Remember, Bunker is an arrant coward.” “Well, perhaps you’re right, but I do not think lie Is bluffing. 1 don’t think he has the courage to bluff. I confess I’m afraid of him.” “Well. I’m not, and the first day he comes in here I’ll have him on the carpet and shake him down. I'll write you the result« of my inquisition.” So Elmer went on to New York. Five weeks later McPeake wrote i him that the real estate had been sold, that all of the debts of the estate had been paid and that a final decree of distribution had been signed by the judge of the probate court, Mcl’eake added that Elmer's share of the estate would amount to approximately $218,000. Immediately upon receipt of this Information Elmer came on to Mus catine and the day after bls arrival he was to meet McPeake in the latter's office. “Not a peep out of our friend Bunker.” he announced, coming at once to the subject closest to Elmer’s heart. "I had him In my office and gave him a bad half hour, but could not get any admission from 1dm. He talked vaguely of things he could do, but seemed disinclined to do them. I think he was bluffing." "Has he received his legacy, Mr. McPeake?" “I handed him his check ten minutes ago. Thought I might as well get rid of him before you ar rived." McPeake readied Into his desk and drew out a formal type written receipt with a check for $218,784.22 attached - - to - - It. “Sign here,” he ordered—and Elmer and pouched the check. signed You will now doubtless desire to look over my accounts," the law- .ver continued, and spread before Elmer the final accounting he had prepared for the probate judge. “Here Is the statement of the ap praised valuation of the estate, with an inventory, nnd here are all of the vouchers that go with the final accounting. However, I have a client calling in ten minutes, so I suggest that you take all of these papers back to your hotel and study them nt your leisure. You might drop In nt the hank on your way and have that check certi fied.” Elmer gathered up all of the papers and took his departure. The check he had received was on the First National bank, downstairs, so Elmer went Into the bank first and approached the paying teller’s win dow. “I wish you'd have this check certified,” In said nnd handed It through the grill work. The paying teller took It and de parted. Five minutes later he re turned nnd handed the check hack to Elmer uncertified. "Sorry,” he said, “but n distraint warrant has been Berved on the bank by the local collector of internal revenue, and we are debarred from honor ing any further checks on this ac- count." “I thank you," said Elmer po- litely and walked out. Up to Mc- Peake’s office he went, The client the latter had been expecting had not yet arrived and Elmer went nt once into the lawyer’s private office. “Well, Bunker has made good." he announced. “I told you I though he wasn’t bluffing. He planned his coup so cleverly that he got his own check, rushed down stairs and cashed it just before the collector of Internal revenue served warrant on the bank. The funds of the estate are all tied up until the government experts have gone over the books." “Holy jumped-up Jehosaphat 1" yelled Absolam McPeake. “No!” “But yes!" "I don’t believe It!” “Go downstairs and ask the pay Ing teller of the First National bank. He’ll enlighten you. I went down there and he enlightened nie." “The dirty dog!” McPeake raved. “The dirty little snake In the grass to do a thing like this!" Elmer shrugged. “All I’m hoping Is that the collector of Internal rev enue leaves me enough to pay my few debts. I owe the Pilarcltos Commercial Trust and Savings bank twenty thousand. If I get that much out of the wreck I’ll be back where I started and In a month or two I’ll he just as happy as If I had never been a million alre.” lie smiled wanly. “You see I haven’t got terribly accus- tomed to being a millionaire,” he added, “Spending money is a fine art and 1 have never learned it. Cheer up. Mac. If I’d collected all of this Inheritance nnd had got ac customed to living on a million dollar scale. Bunker’s action would have broken my heart." “You are game,” McPeake de dared admiringly, and called for his secretary. “Get the collector of Internal revenue on the line for me," he ordered. Thereafter for five minutes he listened on the line while the col lector of Internal revenue talked. Silently McPeake hung up. “Licked!” he croaked. "Licked to a frazzle!" "All right. I’m licked," Elmer re torted calmly. "Wliat interests me Is to know how I was licked.” “Bunker went to the collector of Internal revenue directly after you gave him your ultimatum and turned the real set of books and vouchers over to them, and for live weeks a corps of expert account ants has been expelling them. The statute of limitations has run against the income tax returns for 1«13, 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1917, but they ‘ have you nailed on the re- turns from then on. They have made up the tax returns for those years as they should have been made up _ had ___ ____________ your uncle made an honest return, and the collector In forms me that the estate owes the Birkenfeld Mrs. Walter Huntington, daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh M. Jones, and husband of Vancouver, Washington, were visitors June 22 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh M. Jones. Howard and Lonn Jones returned home with them to spend vacation with their Portland sisters and brother in ~ and Vancouver. June 22 Mrs. Hugh M. Jones entertained Mrs. George Carl and Mrs. Hedlund. R. G. Cook of Birkenfeld went to Vader, Washington, Friday and returned Sunday. Mr. Cook’s mother living at Vader is quite ill. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Daggett of Vesper spent Saturday and Sun- lay with Mr. and Mrs. Turner. government two hundred and thirty-one thousand, ulne hundred and four dollars and eight cents." They looked at each other, and presently the slow, amused smile crept around Elmer’s mouth. “Mae," he asked, “did you get your fee out of the estate before the crash?" McPeake shook bls head wearily. “Then the joke's on you,” Elmer declared, and stood up. “Tell you what you do," he continued. “You get hold of that collector, run down his accounting and, when you are convinced he is right and we haven’t a leg to stand on, you settle with him on the best basis you can. "As for me, I’m out. I have neither the time nor the Inclination to tight for anything except a liv ing, and the longer I delay that assault the worse off I’ll be. I’m about eight months behind the pro cession now and I’ll have to hurry to catch up.” He held out his hand. “Good-by, Mac, I’m on my way.” “Elmer, I’m terribly sorry,” Mc- Peake, friendliest of men, was call ing him by his first name. “Don't waste your sympathy, Mac. I’m one bird In tills world who hates sympathy. I’ve never been able to use any. Uncle Hiram's money would have meant a great deal to the happiness of that girl I told you about, and for her sake I wish Bunker had never been born. But why repine? When the collector of Internal revenue proves his cose, hand him this with my compliments,” and Elmer laid on McPeak’s desk the check the latter had so recently handed him. He held out his hand. “Good-by, Mac. Hope you get yours. You’ve worked for it—which is more than I did. You might write to me from time to time and tell me how you’re coming along.” J£e slwM>k Junuls nnd dmmrt£d^ (Continued Next Week) PAGE THREE ANIMAL KILLER IS of this type will not occur. —St. Helens Mist. SENTENCED TO JAIL Joe Trendem was found guilty and sentenced to six months in the county jail Tuesday by Jus- tice of the Peace W. J. Fuller- ton on a charge of larceny, The complaining witness, Hen- ry Hergenreder, accused Trend em and two other men of larceny of a pig on June 16. Trendem was caught and placed under ar rest but the other men escaped. There have been a number of cases of theft of animals, in most cases the animals being immedi ately killed by the culprit and the carcass carried away. It has been assumed by officers of the county that the thief or thieves had used the meat for food as no trace has been had of at- tempts to sell. In the apprehension of Trend em, the authorities are in the hopes that they may have the ring leader and that further cases Occasional crimes of this kind have been reported from the vi cinity of Vernonia, one of the most recent being the slaughter of a cow in a field near Sunset camp about three weeks ago. Eagle classifieds will pay you. Square Deal Service Station U. S. Royal Cord Tires Shell Products Dependable Mechanics Shop Work Guaranteed iKDIDG ES Order of Eastern Star A. F. & A. M. Vernonia Lodge No. 184 Nehalom Chapter 153, O. E. S. A. F. & A. M. meets Regular commu nication first at Masonic Temple, and third Wed Stated Communication nesdays of each First Thursday of each month, at Ma month. Special called sonic Temple. All visiting sis meetmgs on all other Thur»- ters and broth day nights 7:30 p.m. Visitors ers welcome. most cordially welcome. Mrs. Leona McGraw, W. M. E. G. Anderson, W. M. Mrs. Alma Bell, Secretary. W. E. Bell, Secretary. Mountain Heart Rebekah Lodge No. 243 I. O. O. F. No. 243, I.O.O.F., meets every second and fourth Thursdays in I. O. O. F. hall, Vernonia. Visit I. O.O.F.—Vernonia Lodge No. ors always welcome. 246 meets every Tuesday night at 8 o’clock, in I.O.O.F. hall. Vis Grace, Sunell, Noble Grand. itors always welcome. Helen Fogel, Secretary N. G. J. F. Jones, ' — Chas. Holt, V. G. John Glassner. Sec’y. Pythian Sisters Mike Miller, Treasurer. Vernonia Temple 61 meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays in R. C. Stanton, Fin. Sec’y. W.O.W. hall. Isabel Culbertson, M. E. C. American Legion Clara Kerns, M. or R. & C. Vornonia Post KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 119, American HARDING LODGE 118 Legion. Meets Meets every Monday 2nd and 4th night in the W.O.W. Tuesdays each hall. Visiting broth month, 8. p. m. ers welcome. Dan Nelson, Ad H. Mayfield, C. C. II. Culbertson, K.R.S. jutant; P. Hughes, Commander.
