In addition to this he had hired a large force of negroes
at high wages, on which he drew a secret commission, opened a store,
selling so called canned peaches,--which really contained much whiskey
and few peaches--to his workmen, and thus getting all their wages.
I at once discharged all the superfluous negroes, built a fine hotel
which was soon filled with a superior class of people from the north,
set out orange groves for non-resident stockholders, and all would
have been well, had it not been for the extraordinary action at the
annual meeting of the stockholders.
While I was engrossed with my many duties, the superintendent
cunningly went north and secured proxies in his name, and returning,
beat me by two votes, secured for himself my position as general
manager, and then proceeded to wreck the whole enterprise, much to
his own pecuniary benefit, while my friends who had invested on my
representations, blamed me for their losses though I was entirely
innocent of any wrong whatever.
To cap the climax, this superintendent refused to make an accounting
for several thousand dollars with which I had entrusted him to make
purchases of lands on my personal account. I secured a warrant for his
arrest, chased him half over the county with a sheriff, and brought
him to the city for trial. On our way to the hotel, I was set upon by
a crowd of roughs who had been dined and wined by said W----, and who
threatened to lynch me.
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