THE city election resulted in a complete triumph for the anti-law enforcement, anti-prohibition, anti-Ku Klux crowd. The Klan not being fully organized took no active part, as an organization, in the election. The enemies of the Klan who were supporting the Clark ticket, used the Klan as a scarecrow to line up the Catholics, Jews, negroes and bootleggers for Clark. This influence, together with the personal following of Clark, easily elected him. Springer boasted in many issues of the Journal of "The victory the respectable law-abiding citizens gained over the lawless Klan and its sympathizers." He told the people through the columns of the Journal that the election had sounded the death knell of the Klan in Wilford Springs; that the law-abiding citizens had emphatically protested through their votes, and that no self-respecting citizen would think of joining this organization after the community had shown its disapproval.
In spite of this propaganda fiery crosses and white robed figures were more frequently seen in the vicinity of Wilford Springs than before the city election. During the entire summer the frequency of these reports increased.
Soon after Clark took the oath of office as mayor he appointed Roberts as chief of police. Roberts was inexperienced in politics and knew but little of the methods and less of the principles of the men who had been elected. Roberts was not a strong character, but, generally speaking, he desired to do what was right. No sooner had he become the head of the police department than he made his police force a talk and told them that he expected the law to be enforced without fear or favor.
Sixty days after he had been acting as chief he was passing the Wilford Springs Central State Bank. Stover stepped to the door and asked him to come in.
"Come into my private office." The banker led the way.
"Have a seat, Roberts."
"Thank you. This electric fan feels good this kind of a day."
"We're having some very warm weather."
"We can expect it this time of the year. It's a little unpleasant but mighty good for the corn."
"Roberts," said the banker, "you have a note here that is thirty days past due."
"Yes, I know I have. I have been intending to take care of that out of my salary, but one thing after another has happened to prevent my doing so. First, one of the children had to have his tonsils removed; then my wife was called back to Illinois, on account of the illness of her mother."
"Too bad that you have had so much bad luck."
"Can't you renew this note for me?"
"Yes, we can take care of that for you. You will always find the Central ready and willing to accommodate its customers. There is another little matter I want to talk to you about. The other day Hennesy was in here paying his rent and told me that he wouldn't be wanting my building after the first of next month. I asked him what was wrong, and he said that there is a policeman hanging around there a great deal of the time and his niggers, who are employed to put out his stuff, are scared and are not doing any business. I wouldn't want to lose Hennesy as a tenant. (I couldn't get half the amount of rent he pays me for the use of the building for the use of ordinary lines of business.) Hennesy can't afford to pay me one hundred seventy-five dollars a month for that building to use for a pool hall alone."
Roberts chewed hard and nervously on the end of a cigar. When Stover ceased speaking Roberts said, "I didn't know that building belonged to you."
"And that isn't all. Hennesy was one of your best supporters. He worked faithfully for Clark and recommended you for chief. If I were you I would tell my police to lay off of Hennesy's place and of every other place where the proprietor is a well established tax-payer and has some influence."
"I told the people that if I were appointed chief I would see that the laws were enforced."
"That's all right, Roberts; but you can't afford to endanger your political future and damage your friends to enforce a law that was placed on the statute books through the influence of cranks and some old ladies."
"I will tell the boys to stay away from Hennesy's place. I really don't know anything against it anyway."
During the entire conversation the lean banker had been rubbing his hands nervously together. Now he smiled. Scarcely ever did he laugh. "Roberts," he said, speaking in a very confidential tone, "there are plenty of law violators who are transients or who have no influence in the community whom you can prosecute and make an enforcement record for yourself without interfering with the business of your friends and supporters."
"I thank you for your suggestions," said Roberts as he rose to go.
"That's all right, Roberts, I am always glad to help my friends. Let that note run as long as you like." Stover smiled blandly as the chief left the office.
Af............