A March to Remember (20 page)

“Do you have anything to add to what Mr. McBain said?”

“Have you had any further contact with Coxey, Browne, or the other Coxeyites?”

“I saw you talking to Lieutenant Whittmeyer; are you helping in the investigations?”

“No, no, and no!” I said, before they could ask me another question. Heaven forbid the reporters insinuate that I was in any way aiding Lieutenant Whittmeyer in his investigation. One word of such an accusation in the newspaper, whether true or not, and the detective would probably arrest me.

“Leave Miss Davish alone.” Walter, having finally pushed through the mob around me, put his arm around my shoulder. “Isn't Coxey's story enough?”

“No,” one of the reporters said. “That's old news.”

“Just ignore them,” Walter whispered to me.

As he steered me away from the reporters, one shouted, “But surely, Miss Davish, you know something you can tell us about Jasper Neely's murder or Annie Wilcox's drowning?”

If only I did,
I thought, keeping my head down and my back to them.
If only I did.

C
HAPTER
26

“S
o how was the trial?” Daniel Clayworth took a sip of his red wine, as the footman placed a tray of fillet of beef with mushrooms in front of me. Having little appetite, I waved him away.

Why would you need to ask?
I wondered.
You were there.

To escape the press of the reporters after General Coxey and Marshal Browne were convicted at police court, Sarah had invited us to ride in her Victoria and join her for dinner. I'd wanted nothing more than to go back to my room at the Smith home and type the notes I'd taken this morning at the Treasury. But she'd insisted. She and Walter had chatted about the trial while I'd watched the city go by, yet again ruminating on the same unanswered questions. Who killed Jasper Neely? Who left Annie Wilcox to drown? Was Billy McBain sincere in his belief that no one in Coxey's Army had been involved? If only I could . . . I'd stopped the thought right there. Lieutenant Whittmeyer had been abundantly clear that I was not to question anyone, look for anything, or to appear in any way to be seeking out Jasper Neely's killer.

And he's right,
I'd thought.
It has nothing to do with me.

After almost a half hour drive, we'd arrived at one of the fashionable four-story redbrick row houses a few blocks from Dupont Circle, a wide circular thoroughfare transected by four avenues and encircling a park lavishly ornamented with flowering trees, exotic flowers, and a statue of Rear Admiral Samuel Du Pont at its center. Dinner was waiting.

“The trial was very exciting,” Sarah said. “I'm disappointed that they found the men guilty, but of course it was expected. A little ridiculous but expected.”

“The men violated the law and were found guilty.”

“Of what, treading on the grass?” She rolled her eyes before she too took a drink from her wineglass.

“They didn't have to come to Washington and break the law.”

“How else would they be heard? What about their cause?”

“As John Sherman put it the other day from the Senate floor, ‘Nobody is denied the right to petition.' Whatever they might think, whatever causes they stand for, whatever hardships they may have suffered, any member of the Senate would offer the petition. It's their right and Coxey knew that.” She rolled her eyes again.

“Yes, Daniel dear, but—”

“What I found ridiculous,” Walter said, interrupting his sister in an attempt to defuse the argument brewing between husband and wife, “was how the judge refused to consider the police's misconduct. Jones and Browne were both in custody when they started clubbing innocent people.” Walter gazed at me sympathetically.

“The judge was only doing his job,” Daniel said. “Coxey, Browne, and Jones were on trial, not the Washington Metropolitan Police.”

That's exactly what the judge had said. How would Daniel know that? How would he know that Lottie Fox hadn't been on trial as well? Unless he was there. Or did he know of the police superintendent's proclivity for Lottie Fox's charms?

“But Hattie was seriously hurt, Daniel,” Sarah said. “It's not right that the police can do such a thing and not suffer consequences. It makes one feel in danger from the very people who are supposed to enforce the law, not break it.”

“I'm truly sorry for what happened to you, Hattie,” Daniel said. “I do hope you are feeling well again.”

“I'm fine.”

Stifling a laugh, Walter nearly spit out the bite of beef he had put in his mouth and then began choking from the attempt. How many times had he heard me say those words when we both knew them to be untrue? So many it had become a jest between us.

“Walter, are you all right?” Sarah said.

He held up his hand to ease her concern. “I'm fine,” he finally said. If he hadn't had me worried as well that he was choking, I would have laughed. Instead I gave him a shake of my head.

“And to answer you, Daniel, Hattie's arm is healing nicely, if she doesn't do anything foolish, like take her sling off to type.” He mockingly wagged his finger at me. We both smiled.

“I'm glad you are both well,” Daniel said, unaware of any humor in the situation. “And I want to assure you both that justice will be done. Even now, in the House, we are debating resolutions calling for a congressional investigation into whether the police used excessive force.”

“Well, I for one am glad to hear it,” Sarah said. “As justice was certainly not done today.”

“They broke the law, Sarah,” Daniel said, annoyed.

“A woman drowned and a man was murdered. That's horrible. That's breaking the law. General Coxey walked on the grass, Daniel. The grass!”

“Have you ever heard of the National Bank of the Potomac, Daniel?” I asked, hoping to change the subject again. My arm was beginning to ache, and I was losing patience with Daniel's heavy-handed opinions about Coxey.

“Yes, in fact, I have. Why do you ask?”

“Simeon Harper, the journalist Sir Arthur knows, is investigating the bank. Do you know why that would be?”

“Not particularly.” Daniel took another sip of his wine. “What was he investigating?”

“Mr. Harper mentioned the bank may have redeemed their federal notes for gold before the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed.”

Daniel set down his wine. “You know of the Sherman Purchase Act?” He sounded more astonished than I cared for.

“Miss Davish is full of surprises,” Walter said, smiling at me. “Though I'm not surprised she knows about the Sherman Purchase Act. She enjoys reading the newspapers, don't you, Hattie?”

“Of course. How else does one know what is going on in the world?” I said. Sarah laughed nervously. “Why do you laugh, Sarah?”

“Because to quote a man I met at a dinner party not too long ago, ‘Women don't need to know what is going on in the world. That is what men are for.' ”

Walter chuckled, assuming his sister was joking, but Daniel Clayworth wasn't smiling.

“I would agree with that,” Daniel said. “News, politics, and business affairs all needlessly confuse women. Why distract them from what they really need to know?”

Walter's mouth gaped open in astonishment. I was glad he disagreed. And then I noticed Sarah's cheeks burning red. She had either drunk too much wine or wholeheartedly disagreed too. She opened her mouth to speak.

To defuse the moment and change the subject yet again, I said, “Could you explain to me then, Congressman, why Mr. Harper would find fault in what the National Bank of the Potomac did?”

“What? Oh, yes, of course, Hattie. If you are as well read as you seem, then you know that the U.S. Treasury was almost depleted of its gold reserves because banks and individuals, having purchased federal notes, redeemed them for gold instead of silver before Congress could stop them and repeal the Sherman Purchase Act.”

“Yes, but if hundreds, if not thousands, were doing this, why would one bank be suspect?”

“If I'm correct, it would be in the timing.”

“Timing?” Walter asked, finding interest in the subject. Sarah tried to stifle a yawn.

“Few banks, let alone individuals, knew the dire straits the Treasury was in. But there were a few, with what some would call ‘inside' knowledge of the fact, which should have stopped their demand for gold. But since they continued to demand gold for their notes, some considered it traitorous.”

“Could that be what the National Bank of the Potomac did?”

“Absolutely, as the president of the bank was the son of a senator who was on the Senate Finance Committee.”

“But you're not going to say who?” Sarah asked, suddenly interested.

“No, it is not my place to name the alleged traitor. There was a call for an investigation at the time, but the senator in question was . . . is powerful enough to persuade his colleagues to stop any debate, let alone an investigation.”

“But why would Simeon Harper investigate this now?” Walter asked. “They repealed the Sherman Purchase Act last year.”

“Last October, to be exact,” Daniel said. “I have no idea why he would want to drag this all up again. This country has enough problems.”

“Yes, isn't that what Mr. Coxey and his army were marching for in the first place? To shine light on so many of the problems workingmen are facing?” Sarah said. She wouldn't leave it alone.

Having warmed to his subject, Daniel frowned again. He obviously didn't approve of Coxey's Army or Sarah's obvious sympathy for them.

I'm grateful Walter doesn't mind me stating my opinions,
I thought.

“At least that's what they say,” Daniel said. “I personally think, by them coming here, they merely distracted us from getting any real work done.”

“Could Harper's investigation into the National Bank of the Potomac be connected to Coxey's appearance in town?” Walter said, still wanting an answer or at least a consensus on his question.

“I don't see how. As far as I know, neither Coxey nor any of his compatriots have any connection with the National Bank of the Potomac. It must be a coincidence.”

“You don't believe it's a coincidence, do you, Hattie?” Walter said, who was studying my expression. How well he knew me.

“No, I don't.”

“Why? Do you know something, Hattie?” Sarah said, nearly rising from her chair in excitement.

“I know the names of the senator and his son who escaped investigation.”

“You do? How?” Daniel said, nearly demanding with the force of his question.

I suppressed the reflex to answer him. He sounded very much like Sir Arthur, but I wasn't his employee, and I didn't have to tell him anything. So I ignored his question.

“And I think I know why Mr. Harper is investigating the bank now after all this time.”

“Why?” Daniel demanded again. Walter's eyes lit up as realization came to him.

“Chester,” Walter said. I nodded.

“Chester Smith?” Sarah said. “It couldn't be. Senator Smith wouldn't abide traitorous behavior from his son, even if he was acting unknowingly.”

“But he would send him away while at the same time squelching any possible investigation into his son's business affairs,” I said. Sarah's eyes widened. “And now the son has returned to witness Coxey's arrival. Why else would Harper be interested after all this time?”

“Oh my God, Daniel, is this true? Did Meriwether Smith use his political power to subvert an investigation into his son's bank dealings? Isn't that illegal? Immoral? Could he even do that? How could such a secret have been kept in this town?”

Daniel wiped his mouth before slowly putting his napkin on the table. He frowned at me.

“I cannot comment and will not have any more of this discussed at my dinner table.” It was as much of an admission as we were going to get. “Now, if you ladies will leave Walter and me, we will join you later in the parlor.”

Sarah, still shaking her head in disbelief, stood automatically and strode toward the door without another word. I couldn't be so complaisant.

“You asked us how the trial was.” I rose from the table.

“Yes?” His displeasure that I wasn't following his wife's example of obedient silence was obvious in his tone.

“Why?”

“What is it, Hattie? Why do you ask?” Walter, sensing the rising annoyance of his brother-in-law, hoped to quickly put an end to yet another quarrel.

“Why would you ask when you were there?” I looked straight at Daniel, trying to ignore the startled expressions on both brother and sister.

“I was not.”

“I saw you. You were trying to go unseen, but I saw you. Why?”

“I was not there. And how dare you interrogate me at my own table? Walter, if you would please escort your—”

“I apologize, Congressman Clayworth. It was not at all my intention to anger you. I was mistaken in my informality, seeing as we are to be family. I was curious, and as Walter can tell you, it has been my undoing more than once.”

I lied as Daniel had lied to me. I wasn't simply curious. I knew exactly what I was doing. Daniel Clayworth was hiding something, and after being beaten and questioned by the police for a man's murder, I was willing to incur the man's outrage to find out if his secret had anything to do with it.

My words seemed to defuse the tension; behind me, Sarah sighed out loud. Daniel took several deep breaths before reaching for his glass. He took a sip of wine before answering.

“Your apology is accepted.”

“Thank you.”

“We will see you ladies in the parlor, then?” Walter said. Daniel nodded as did Sarah when I joined her by the door.

“I'm afraid I must say good night,” I said. Walter's eyebrow arched in surprise. I waited a moment, but no one voiced an objection. Was that even a look of relief on the congressman's face? “Walter, will you escort me to the door?”

“Of course.” Walter rose from the table, offered me his arm with questions in his eyes, and we headed to the door. Sarah left the room ahead of us. Before we could follow, I stopped, forcing Walter to stop as well, and turned back to the politician at the head of the table already preparing his cigar.

“I forgot, Mr. Clayworth,” I said, having made up my mind the moment he'd lied to me. “When I was at the police station being interrogated for my role in Jasper Neely's death, I met a man who had a message for you. I've been debating whether to relay it to you or not. It may cause you some alarm.”