To Edwards he
went with an exaggerated report of the support he had already got for his
project, and having frightened him offered him the presidency of the new
company and promised that it should be incorporated under the name of The
Edwards Consolidated Firearms Company of America.
The eastern companies fell quickly. With Webster Sam tried on them the old
dodge of telling each that the other two had agreed to come in, and it
worked.
With the coming in of Edwards and the options given by the eastern
companies Sam began to get also the support of the LaSalle Street bankers.
The firearms trust was one of the few big consolidations managed wholly in
the west, and after two or three of the bankers had agreed to help finance
Sam's plan the others began asking to be taken into the underwriting
syndicate he and Webster had formed. Within thirty days after the closing
of the deal with Tom Edwards Sam felt that he was ready to act.
For several months Colonel Tom had known something of the plans Sam had on
foot, and had made no protest. He had in fact given Sam to understand that
his stock would be voted with Sue's, controlled by Sam, and with the stock
of the other directors who knew of and hoped to share in the profits of
Sam's deal.
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