The core of the hostile party consisted of those who followed the
banner of Comrade Roodhouse, the ralliers to the 'Tocsin.' For them
it was a great occasion. The previous evening had seen a clamorous
assembly in the room behind the Hoxton coffee-shop. Comrade
Roodhouse professed to have full details of the scandal which had
just come to light. According to him, there was no doubt whatever
that Mutimer had known from the first the character of the bogus
Company, and had wittingly used the money of the East-Enders to aid
in floating a concern which would benefit himself and a few others.
Roodhouse disclosed the identity of Mr. Robert Delancey, and
explained the relations existing between Rodman and Mutimer,
ignoring the fact that a lawsuit had of late turned their friendship
to mutual animosity. It was an opportunity not to be missed for
paying back the hard things Mutimer had constantly said of the
'Tocsin' party. Comrade Roodhouse was busy in the crowd, sowing
calumnies and fermenting wrath. In the crowd were our old
acquaintances Messrs. Cowes and Cullen, each haranguing as many as
could be got to form a circle and listen, indulging themselves in
measureless vituperation, crying shame on traitors to the noble
cause. Here, too, was Daniel Dabbs, mainly interested in the
occasion as an admirable provocative of thirst.
Pages:
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781