Construction industry -- Fiction; Labor unions -- Fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Strikes and lockouts -- Fiction
Every man was listening intently. Tom went on: "About three weeks ago,
just when negotiations were opened again, Foley arranged with the bosses
to sell out the strike. Fifty thousand dollars was the price. The bosses
were to make a million or more out of the deal, Foley was to make fifty
thousand, and we boys were to pay for it all! Foley's work was to fool
the committee, make them lose confidence in the strike, and they of
course would make the union lose confidence and we'd give up. That was
his job, and for it he was to have fifty thousand dollars.
"Well, he was the man for the job. He worked the committee, and worked
it so slick it never knew it was being worked. He even made the
committee think it was urging him to give up the strike. How he did it,
it's beyond me or any other honest man even to guess. No one could have
done it but Foley. He's the smoothest crook that ever happened. I give
you that credit, Buck Foley. You're the smoothest crook that ever
happened!"
Foley had come to his feet with a look that was more of a glaring scowl
than anything else: eyebrows drawn down shaggily, a gully between
them--nose drawn up and nostrils flaring--jaws clenched--the whole face
clenched. "Mr. President, are youse goin' to let that man go on with his
lies?" he broke in fiercely.
The crowd roused from its tension. "Go on, Keating! Go on!"
"If he goes on with them lies, I for one ain't goin' to stay to listen
to 'em!" Foley grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and started
to edge through to the aisle.
"If you leave, Buck Foley, it's the same as a confession of guilt!"
shouted Tom. "Stay here and defend yourself like a man, if you can!"
"Against youse?" He laughed a dry cackling laugh, and his returning
self-mastery smoothed out his face. And then his inherent bravado showed
itself. On reaching the aisle, instead of turning toward the door, he
turned toward the platform and seated himself on its edge, directing a
look of insouciant calm upon the men.
"Whatever lies there are, are all yours, Buck Foley," Tom went on. He
looked again at the crowd, bending toward him in attention. "The trick
worked. How well is shown by our being on the point of voting to give up
the strike. Little by little our confidence was destroyed by doubt, and
little by little Foley got nearer to his money--till to-day came. I'm
speaking facts now, boys. I've got evidence for everything I'm going to
tell you. I know every move Foley's made in the last thirty-six hours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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