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les of Dun & Company for that year。 Now you can see how rapidly our Caesar has grown in wealth since then。 You can see how profitable these few short years have been to him。 Was George W。 Stener worth any such sum up to the time he was removed from his office and indicted for embezzlement？ Was he？ I have here a schedule of his liabilities and assets made out at the time。 You can see it for yourselves； gentlemen。 Just two hundred and twenty thousand dollars measured the sum of all his property three weeks ago； and it is an accurate estimate； as I have reason to know。 Why was it； do you suppose； that Mr。 Cowperwood grew so fast in wealth and Mr。 Stener so slowly？ They were partners in crime。 Mr。 Stener was loaning Mr。 Cowperwood vast sums of the city's money at two per cent。 when call…rates for money in Third Street were sometimes as high as sixteen and seventeen per cent。 Don't you suppose that Mr。 Cowperwood sitting there knew how to use this very cheaply come…by money to the very best advantage？ Does he look to you as though he didn't？ You have seen him on the witness…stand。 You have heard him testify。 Very suave； very straightforward…seeming； very innocent； doing everything as a favor to Mr。 Stener and his friends； of course； and yet making a million in a little over six years and allowing Mr。 Stener to make one hundred and sixty thousand dollars or less； for Mr。 Stener had some little money at the time this partnership was entered intoa few thousand dollars。〃
Shannon now came to the vital transaction of October 9th； when Cowperwood called on Stener and secured the check for sixty thousand dollars from Albert Stires。 His scorn for this （as he appeared to think） subtle and criminal transaction was unbounded。 It was plain larceny； stealing； and Cowperwood knew it when he asked Stires for the check。
〃Think of it！ ＇Shannon exclaimed； turning and looking squarely at Cowperwood； who faced him quite calmly； undisturbed and unashamed。＇ Think of it！ Think of the colossal nerve of the manthe Machiavellian subtlety of his brain。 He knew he was going to fail。 He knew after two days of financial workafter two days of struggle to offset the providential disaster which upset his nefarious schemesthat he had exhausted every possible resource save one； the city treasury； and that unless he could compel aid there he was going to fail。 He already owed the city treasury five hundred thousand dollars。 He had already used the city treasurer as a cat's…paw so much； had involved him so deeply； that the latter； because of the staggering size of the debt； was becoming frightened。 Did that deter Mr。 Cowperwood？ Not at all。〃
He shook his finger ominously in Cowperwood's face； and the latter turned irritably away。 〃He is showing off for the benefit of his future；〃 he whispered to Steger。 〃I wish you could tell the jury that。〃
〃I wish I could；〃 replied Steger； smiling scornfully； 〃but my hour is over。〃
〃Why ＇continued Mr。 Shannon； turning once more to the jury＇； think of the colossal； wolfish nerve that would permit a man to say to Albert Stires that he had just purchased sixty thousand dollars' worth additional of city loan； and that he would then and there take the check for it！ Had he actually purchased this city loan as he said he had？ Who can tell？ Could any human being wind through all the mazes of the complicated bookkeeping system which he ran； and actually tell？ The best answer to that is that if he did purchase the certificates he intended that it should make no difference to the city； for he made no effort to put the certificates in the sinking…fund； where they belonged。 His counsel says； and he says； that he didn't have to until the first of the month； although the law says that he must do it at once； and he knew well enough that legally he was bound to do it。 His counsel says； and he says； that he didn't know he was going to fail。 Hence there was no need of worrying about it。 I wonder if any of you gentlemen really believed that？ Had he ever asked for a check like that so quick before in his life？ In all the history of these nefarious transactions was there another incident like that？ You know there wasn't。 He had never before； on any occasion； asked personally for a check for anything in this office； and yet on this occasion he did it。 Why？ Why should he ask for it this time？ A few hours more； according to his own statement； wouldn't have made any difference one way or the other； would it？ He could have sent a boy for it； as usual。 That was the way it had always been done before。 Why anything different now？ I'll tell you why！ ＇Shannon suddenly shouted； varying his voice tremendously。＇ I'll tell you why！ He knew that he was a ruined man！ He knew that his last semi…legitimate avenue of escapethe favor of George W。 Stenerhad been closed to him！ He knew that honestly； by open agreement； he could not extract another single dollar from the treasury of the city of Philadelphia。 He knew that if he left the office without this check and sent a boy for it； the aroused city treasurer would have time to inform his clerks； and that then no further money could be obtained。 That's why！ That's why； gentlemen； if you really want to know。
〃Now； gentlemen of the jury； I am about done with my arraignment of this fine； honorable； virtuous citizen whom the counsel for the defense； Mr。 Steger； tells you you cannot possibly convict without doing a great injustice。 All I have to say is that you look to me like sane； intelligent menjust the sort of men that I meet everywhere in the ordinary walks of life； doing an honorable American business in an honorable American way。 Now； gentlemen of the jury ＇he was very soft…spoken now＇； all I have to say is that if； after all you have heard and seen here to…day； you still think that Mr。 Frank A。 Cowperwood is an honest； honorable manthat he didn't steal； willfully and knowingly； sixty thousand dollars from the Philadelphia city treasury； that he had actually bought the certificates he said he had； and had intended to put them in the sinking…fund； as he said he did； then don't you dare to do anything except turn him loose； and that speedily； so that he can go on back to…day into Third Street； and start to straighten out his much…entangled financial affairs。 It is the only thing for honest； conscientious men to doto turn him instantly loose into the heart of this community； so that some of the rank injustice that my opponent； Mr。 Steger； alleges has been done him will be a little made up to him。 You owe him； if that is the way you feel； a prompt acknowledgment of his innocence。 Don't worry about George W。 Stener。 His guilt is established by his own confession。 He admits he is guilty。 He will be sentenced without trial later on。 But this manhe says he is an honest； honorable man。 He says he didn't think he was going to fail。 He says he used all that threatening； compelling； terrifying language； not because he was in danger of failing； but because he didn't want the bother of looking further for aid。 What do you think？ Do you really think that he had purchased sixty thousand dollars more of certificates for the sinking…fund； and that he was entitled to the money？ If so； why didn't he put them in the sinking…fund？ They're not there now； and the sixty thousand dollars is gone。 Who got it？ The Girard National Bank； where he was overdrawn to the extent of one hundred thousand dollars！ Did it get it and forty thousand dollars more in other checks and certificates？ Certainly。 Why？ Do you suppose the Girard National Bank might be in any way grateful for this last little favor before he closed his doors？ Do you think that President Davison； whom you saw here testifying so kindly in this case feels at all friendly； and that that may possiblyI don't say that it doesexplain his very kindly interpretation of Mr。 Cowperwood's condition？ It might be。 You can think as well along that line as I can。 Anyhow； gentlemen； President Davison says Mr。 Cowperwood is an honorable； honest man； and so does his counsel； Mr。 Steger。 You have heard the testimony。 Now you think it over。 If you want to turn him looseturn him loose。 ＇He waved his hand wearily。＇ You're the judges。 I wouldn't； but then I am merely a hard…working lawyerone person； one opinion。 You may think differently that's your business。 ＇He waved his hand suggestively； almost contemptuously。＇ However； I'm through； and I thank you for your courtesy。 Gentlemen； the decision rests with you。〃
He turned away grandly； and the jury stirredso did the idle spectators in the court。 Judge Payderson sighed a sigh of relief。 It was now quite dark； and the flaring gas forms in the court were all brightly lighted。 Outside one could see that it was snowing。 The judge stirred among his papers wearily； and turning to the jurors solemnly； began his customary explanation of the law； after which they filed out to the jury…room。
Cowperwood turned to his father who now came over across the fast…e