The results, as reported in the evening journals, would be disastrous for the racketeering that so long had cankered New York’s water front.
With Bart Hennesy and Hoke Larrigan dead; with neither Spunk Hogan nor Big Ben Hargins to gather up the reins that had been dropped, there was no one to fix matters with the authorities.
It was rumored that Hoke Larrigan had been backed by some big shot who had been using him to gain control of the docks; but with the chaos that now reigned, this hidden personage was afraid to reveal his hand.
The executives of steamship lines had long tolerated the presence of the public loaders on their piers, simply because they did not desire trouble with union laborers who might have an unofficial alliance with the dock wallopers.
Now, with the racket broken, announcements were being made that the most important lines would no longer allow the old condition to commence again. Union leaders denied any connection with the dead czars of the docks.
New York’s most notorious racket had been killed in a single night!
Cliff Marsland read the newspaper items with avid interest. He knew who had produced the fatal blow. The Shadow, prepared for the opportunity, had been on hand to bring confusion to the intended reign of Hoke Larrigan!
It was true that Nipper Brady had fired the shots that had caused the great fray; but it was through The Shadow’s planning that the little gangster had been present. Furthermore, Cliff was positive, The Shadow would have started things himself had not Nipper unwittingly anticipated him.
There was a mention of the trucks that took part in the battle; but no one could give the identity of the men who had manned them. They were accepted by the newspapers as part of the plan of battle. It was assumed that they had contained reinforcements of dock wallopers.
Hoke Larrigan was dead. His story could never be learned. Bart Hennesy was dead. He could not mention his secret feud with Killer Durgan.