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nge；　and　that　would　close　to　him　the　most　distinguished　avenue　of　his　prosperity　here　in　Philadelphia　for　some　time；　if　not　forever。　　At　present；　because　of　his　complications；　his　seat　had　been　attached　as　an　asset；　and　he　could　not　act。　　Edward　and　Joseph；　almost　the　only　employees　he　could　afford；　were　still　acting　for　him　in　a　small　way；　but　the　other　members　on　'change　naturally　suspected　his　brothers　as　his　agents；　and　any　talk　that　they　might　raise　of　going　into　business　for　themselves　merely　indicated　to　other　brokers　and　bankers　that　Cowperwood　was　contemplating　some　concealed　move　which　would　not　necessarily　be　advantageous　to　his　creditors；　and　against　the　law　anyhow。　　Yet　he　must　remain　on　'change；　whatever　happened；　potentially　if　not　actively；　and　so　in　his　quick　mental　searchings　he　hit　upon　the　idea　that　in　order　to　forfend　against　the　event　of　his　being　put　into　prison　or　thrown　into　bankruptcy；　or　both；　he　ought　to　form　a　subsidiary　silent　partnership　with　some　man　who　was　or　would　be　well　liked　on　'change；　and　whom　he　could　use　as　a　cat's…paw　and　a　dummy。

Finally　he　hit　upon　a　man　who　he　thought　would　do。　　He　did　not　amount　to　muchhad　a　small　business；　but　he　was　honest；　and　he　liked　Cowperwood。　　His　name　was　WingateStephen　Wingateand　he　was　eking　out　a　not　too　robust　existence　in　South　Third　Street　as　a　broker。　　He　was　forty…five　years　of　age；　of　medium　height；　fairly　thick…set；　not　at　all　unprepossessing；　and　rather　intelligent　and　active；　but　not　too　forceful　and　pushing　in　spirit。　　He　really　needed　a　man　like　Cowperwood　to　make　him　into　something；　if　ever　he　was　to　be　made。　　He　had　a　seat　on　'change；　and　was　well　thought　of；　respected；　but　not　so　very　prosperous。　　In　times　past　he　had　asked　small　favors　of　Cowperwoodthe　use　of　small　loans　at　a　moderate　rate　of　interest；　tips；　and　so　forth；　and　Cowperwood；　because　he　liked　him　and　felt　a　little　sorry　for　him；　had　granted　them。　　Now　Wingate　was　slowly　drifting　down　toward　a　none　too　successful　old　age；　and　was　as　tractable　as　such　a　man　would　naturally　be。　　No　one　for　the　time　being　would　suspect　him　of　being　a　hireling　of　Cowperwood's；　and　the　latter　could　depend　on　him　to　execute　his　orders　to　the　letter。　　He　sent　for　him　and　had　a　long　conversation　with　him。　　He　told　him　just　what　the　situation　was；　what　he　thought　he　could　do　for　him　as　a　partner；　how　much　of　his　business　he　would　want　for　himself；　and　so　on；　and　found　him　agreeable。

〃I'll　be　glad　to　do　anything　you　say；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　assured　the　latter。　　〃I　know　whatever　happens　that　you'll　protect　me；　and　there's　nobody　in　the　world　I　would　rather　work　with　or　have　greater　respect　for。　　This　storm　will　all　blow　over；　and　you'll　be　all　right。　We　can　try　it；　anyhow。　　If　it　don't　work　out　you　can　see　what　you　want　to　do　about　it　later。〃

And　so　this　relationship　was　tentatively　entered　into　and　Cowperwood　began　to　act　in　a　small　way　through　Wingate。





Chapter　XLVIII




By　the　time　the　State　Supreme　Court　came　to　pass　upon　Cowperwood's　plea　for　a　reversal　of　the　lower　court　and　the　granting　of　a　new　trial；　the　rumor　of　his　connection　with　Aileen　had　spread　far　and　wide。　　As　has　been　seen；　it　had　done　and　was　still　doing　him　much　damage。　　It　confirmed　the　impression；　which　the　politicians　had　originally　tried　to　create；　that　Cowperwood　was　the　true　criminal　and　Stener　the　victim。　　His　semi…legitimate　financial　subtlety；　backed　indeed　by　his　financial　genius；　but　certainly　on　this　account　not　worse　than　that　being　practiced　in　peace　and　quiet　and　with　much　applause　in　many　other　quarterswas　now　seen　to　be　Machiavellian　trickery　of　the　most　dangerous　type。　　He　had　a　wife　and　two　children；　and　without　knowing　what　his　real　thoughts　had　been　the　fruitfully　imaginative　public　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　he　had　been　on　the　verge　of　deserting　them；　divorcing　Lillian；　and　marrying　Aileen。　　This　was　criminal　enough　in　itself；　from　the　conservative　point　of　view；　but　when　taken　in　connection　with　his　financial　record；　his　trial；　conviction；　and　general　bankruptcy　situation；　the　public　was　inclined　to　believe　that　he　was　all　the　politicians　said　he　was。　　He　ought　to　be　convicted。　　The　Supreme　Court　ought　not　to　grant　his　prayer　for　a　new　trial。　　It　is　thus　that　our　inmost　thoughts　and　intentions　burst　at　times　via　no　known　material　agency　into　public　thoughts。　　People　know；　when　they　cannot　apparently　possibly　know　why　they　know。　　There　is　such　a　thing　as　thought…transference　and　transcendentalism　of　ideas。

It　reached；　for　one　thing；　the　ears　of　the　five　judges　of　the　State　Supreme　Court　and　of　the　Governor　of　the　State。

During　the　four　weeks　Cowperwood　had　been　free　on　a　certificate　of　reasonable　doubt　both　Harper　Steger　and　Dennis　Shannon　appeared　before　the　judges　of　the　State　Supreme　Court；　and　argued　pro　and　con　as　to　the　reasonableness　of　granting　a　new　trial。　　Through　his　lawyer；　Cowperwood　made　a　learned　appeal　to　the　Supreme　Court　judges；　showing　how　he　had　been　unfairly　indicted　in　the　first　place；　how　there　was　no　real　substantial　evidence　on　which　to　base　a　charge　of　larceny　or　anything　else。　　It　took　Steger　two　hours　and　ten　minutes　to　make　his　argument；　and　District…Attorney　Shannon　longer　to　make　his　reply；　during　which　the　five　judges　on　the　bench；　men　of　considerable　legal　experience　but　no　great　financial　understanding；　listened　with　rapt　attention。　　Three　of　them；　Judges　Smithson；　Rainey；　and　Beckwith；　men　most　amenable　to　the　political　feeling　of　the　time　and　the　wishes　of　the　bosses；　were　little　interested　in　this　story　of　Cowperwood's　transaction；　particularly　since　his　relations　with　Butler's　daughter　and　Butler's　consequent　opposition　to　him　had　come　to　them。　　They　fancied　that　in　a　way　they　were　considering　the　whole　matter　fairly　and　impartially；　but　the　manner　in　which　Cowperwood　had　treated　Butler　was　never　out　of　their　minds。　　Two　of　them；　Judges　Marvin　and　Rafalsky；　who　were　men　of　larger　sympathies　and　understanding；　but　of　no　greater　political　freedom；　did　feel　that　Cowperwood　had　been　badly　used　thus　far；　but　they　did　not　see　what　they　could　do　about　it。　　He　had　put　himself　in　a　most　unsatisfactory　position；　politically　and　socially。　　They　understood　and　took　into　consideration　his　great　financial　and　social　losses　which　Steger　described　accurately；　and　one　of　them；　Judge　Rafalsky；　because　of　a　similar　event　in　his　own　life　in　so　far　as　a　girl　was　concerned；　was　inclined　to　argue　strongly　against　the　conviction　of　Cowperwood；　but；　owing　to　his　political　connections　and　obligations；　he　realized　that　it　would　not　be　wise　politically　to　stand　out　against　what　was　wanted。　Still；　when　he　and　Marvin　learned　that　Judges　Smithson；　Rainey；　and　Beckwith　were　inclined　to　convict　Cowperwood　without　much　argument；　they　decided　to　hand　down　a　dissenting　opinion。　　The　point　involved　was　a　very　knotty　one。　　Cowperwood　might　carry　it　to　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States　on　some　fundamental　principle　of　liberty　of　action。　　Anyhow；　other　judges　in　other　courts　in　Pennsylvania　and　elsewhere　would　be　inclined　to　examine　the　decision　in　this　case；　it　was　so　important。　　The　minority　decided　that　it　would　not　do　them　any　harm　to　hand　down　a　dissenting　opinion。　　The　politicians　would　not　mind　as　long　as　Cowperwood　was　convictedwould　like　it　better；　in　fact。　　It　looked　fairer。　　Besides；　Marvin　and　Rafalsky　did　not　care　to　be　included；　if　they　could　help　it；　with　Smithson；　Rainey；　and　Beckwith　in　a　sweeping　condemnation　of　Cowperwood。　So　all　five　judges　fancied　they　were　considering　the　whole　matter　rather　fairly　and　impartially；　as　men　will　under　such　circumstances。　Smithson；　speaking　for　himself　and　Judges　Rainey　and　Beckwith　on　the　eleventh　of　February；　1872；　said：

　　〃The　defendant；　Frank　A。　Cowperwood；　asks　that　the　finding　of　　　the　jury　in　the　lower　court　（the　State　of　Pennsylvania　vs。　Frank　　　A。　Cowperwood）　be　reversed　and　a　new　trial　granted。　　This　court　　　cannot　see　that　any　substantial　injustice　has　been　done　the　　　defendant。　　＇Here　followed　a　rather　lengthy　resume　of　the　history　　　of　the　case；　in　which　it　was　pointed　out　that　the　custom　and　　　precedent　of　the　treasurer's　office；　to　say　nothing　of　　　Cowperwood's　easy　method　of　doing　business　with　the　city　　　treasury；　could　have　nothing　to　do　with　his　responsibility　for　　　failure　to　observe　both　the　spirit　and　the　letter　of　the　law。＇　　　The　obtaining　of　goods　under　color　of　legal　process　＇went　on　　　Judge　Smithson；　speaking　for　the　majority＇　may　amount　to　　　larceny。　　In　the　present　case　it　was　the　province　of　the　jury　　　to　ascertain　the　felonious　intent。　　They　have　settled　that　　　against　the　defendant　as　a　question　of　fact；　and　the　court　　　cannot　say　that　there　was　not　sufficient　evidence　to　sustain　　　the　verdict。　　For　what　purpose　did　the　defendant　get　the　check？　　　He　was　upon　the　eve　of　failure。　　　He　had　already　hypothecated　　　for　his　own　debts　the　loan　of　the　city　placed　in　his　hands　for　　　salehe　had　unlawfully　obtained　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　　　in　cash　as　loans；　and　it　is　reasonable　to　suppose　that　he　　　could　obtain　nothing　more　from　the　city　treasury　by　any　　　ordinary　means。　　Then　it　is　that　he　goes　there；　and；　by　means　　　of　a　falsehood　implied　if　not　actual；　obtains　sixty　thousand　　　dollars　more。　　The　jury　has　found　the　intent　with　which　this　　　was　done。〃

It　was　in　these　words　that　Cowperwood's　appeal　for　a　new　trial　was　denied　by　the　majority。

For　himself　and　Judge　Rafalsky；　Judge　Marvin；　dissenting；　wrote：

　　〃It　is　plain　from　the　evidence　in　the　case　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　　　did　not　receive　the　check　without　authority　as　agent　to　do　so；　　　and　it　has　not　been　clearly　demonstrated　that　within　his　　　capacity　as　agent　he　did　not　perform　or　intend　to　perform　the　　　full　measure　of　the　obligation　which　the　receipt　of　this　check　　　implied。　　It　was　shown　in　the　trial　that　as　a　matter　of　policy　　　it　was　understood　that　purchases　for　the　sinking…fund　should　　　not　be　known　or　understood　in　the　market　or　by　the　public　in　　　that　light；　and　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　as　agent　was　to　have　an　　　absolutely　free　hand　in　the　disposal　of　his　assets　and　　　liabilities　so　long　as　the　ultimate　result　was　satisfactory。　　　There　was　no　particular　time　when　the　loan　was　to　be　bought；　　　nor　was　there　any　particular　amount　mentioned　at　any　time