“Go ahead, go ahead,” said a burly, grizzly-haired man who lounged back in his chair smoking a huge and powerful cigar. “What’s on your mind?”
“As a stockholder in this company I charge the president with more than one act prejudicial to the interest of the company and with more than one act reflecting on the honor and business integrity of the concern.”
Moran leaped to his feet.
“This is the man who hired a gang of toughs to raid our camps and steal our railroad. He’s stolen our timber; he’s on the verge of bankruptcy—owing us money—and last night he went on to our property and set fire to Crab Creek Trestle. He’ll see the inside of jail for that.”
“Now, now, Moran, one at a time,” said the big man. “You’ll get your chance. Go ahead, young fellow. You’ve made your statements; now back them up—or git.”
“First,” said Jim, “this company needs the Le Bar tract. Is that not so?”
“You bet we do,” said the big man.
“Moran has had a chance to buy—at a reasonable figure—and has refused even to deal. I have an option on that timber. Because I have it, because he is after my scalp, he won’t deal. You’ve tried to buy of Le Bar for half a dozen years. That’s charge number one.”
“His price was exorbitant. It was a hold-up,” Moran shouted.
“You have never asked a price. I have never put a price on the land—to you or to anybody else. Next, he has done all in his power to cripple the Ashe Clothespin Company, which is your most valuable single asset. He’s been bought up by the Clothespin Club. First he hired a man to cripple our machinery; another of his men filled our logs with spikes for us to saw into. His railroad has withheld cars for our shipments. These acts he has done as president of this concern. Is it pleasant to you gentlemen that your president, in your own woods, should spike your own logs and ship them to a valuable customer? These things I am in position to prove. He refused to carry out the terms of this company’s contract, would not give us logs, so I had to avail myself of the permission of the contract to seize and operate your logging machinery. And, finally, last night, by his orders, property of this company was destroyed by fire. Michael Moran burned Crab Creek Trestle. This I can prove.”