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Ninety Days Inside The Empire: A Novel by William Appleman Williams

A Visit with The Judge

Page 34

"No, but I know who did. You don't need to hear that."

"Leave it, but how well do you know the corner she's in?"

"Pretty much. You playin' collection agent today?"

"Only if you think it's worth it."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. Her man run that place naked to sport around playin' at bein' a politician down at the Capitol. But once it was a good farm. I care about that. What's the dues?"

"She's not much of a farmer and has troubles getting Negroes to work steady, and from what she says the white labor mostly chase her."

"I hear the same thing, so what's the dues?"

"Well, if I can get some Negroes to keep their sons on the job, maybe you and John and Richard would take a look at what kind of crop might pay the bank this year. Then she'd be on the way. She sure wants to keep that land."

Henry tipped the jar for both of them. "You a sly one, Marsh. Guess that's why we trust you. You got a date for this ride-round?"

"Hell, she may not even take to it. But if she does how 'bout you and some others goin' out next Thursday?"

"Who's the rest of us?"

"Not sure yet, but I'm tryin."

"Unless I get troubles here I'll be there by ten."

"Thanks, Henry."

"Ain't done yet friend. You got another stop?"

"Now you the sly one."

"I'm sneakin' you going up to talk to that Frankel man you got that money for and all the hospital bills paid. He knows the land and he's honest, Marsh, but he ain't too much on neighborin'. You better ease him."

"Yeah, but I got to try."

"You sure a tryer, Marsh. Want me to come give you a leg up?"

"I'll walk a bit to get your corn spread around before I get up there."

The Frankel place was about three miles across a creek and up and down some soft rolls. Marsh walked to the creek, let his horse drink, went on a bit and pissed some of the corn, and had a foot in the stirrup when he changed his mind.

-- Better walk more to think on this.

The Frankel case had been long, wearing and difficult. But Marsh's angry determination and strategic daring, along with crucial help from a very shrewd country doctor, had won a major victory. That earned him the clout to secure favorable out-of-court settlements for many subsequent clients.

The jist of it was that the Frankels had immigrated from Germany in 1913 bringing the money (and experience) to establish themselves on some very good land. Most people respected them despite their religion and keeping largely to themselves. Some years later he bought a piece of fancy farm machinery through the Huntsville agent of a northern corporation. The agent delivered the impressive rig one afternoon and stayed on into the third day to make sure that Frankel understood it and could operate it properly. When he left, Frankel paid out in full with a certified check from the local bank.

Four days later, about mid-afternoon, the beautiful monster, with hardly a scratch on its paint, threw a four-foot connecting rod. It ripped into Frankel and caused compound fractures in both thighs. He almost died, lost most of that year's crop, and it was months before he learned to walk again.