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partnership was entered into--a 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
man--the Machiavellian subtlety of his brain. He knew he was going to fail. He knew after two
days of financial work--after two days of struggle to offset the providential disaster which upset
his nefarious schemes--that 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 escape--the favor of George W. Stener--had 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,
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