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Claude’s move back to Houston had been a good one. Through the telephone service with his people in Beaumont, he was able to be close to the action at the same time. The new century was opening like a box of candy – one happy surprise after another. In 1901, Mckinley was assassinated. The Stock Market took a dive, as did oil stock, but with Teddy Roosevelt came a calming. Things were looking up for the country as a whole. But life will always throw you a curveball when you least expect it.
Claude had asked Cornell to drive out to the wells in Corsicana and make sure everything was okay. Upon his return, Cornell knocked on Claude’s door. “I think we have a problem at the wells.”
“What could go wrong at the wells? They’re capped off?”
“I was told that somebody has been stealing oil. I checked around at all our wells and found fresh oil on the ground at each one of them. Somebody has been removing the caps and pumping oil out of them.”
Claude’s first thought was that he had to go out to the wells himself. But then he remembered, times had changed. He now had money and people to do things like that for him – the sort of lesson his father should have learned. “Cornell, I want you to hire three men to join you in watching those wells, unseen. Make sure the three men are armed too. When the thieves come back, capture them if you can, but, if you can’t, kill them. I want an end to this.”
“Boss, do you care what color these hired men are?”
The question brought to Claude’s mind all kinds of images. The strongest image was a picture of four black men standing over the dead bodies of three or four white men. Thieves or not, Claude knew what would happen to Cornell.
“I have re-thought this, Cornell, and I need you here. It will be better to hired outside help to take care of this business. We don’t need it that close to our doorsteps. Do you know a white man that I can trust with this job?”
Cornell didn’t know whether hearing that made him mad or just hurt him. “You don’t trust me with this job?”
“This has nothing to do with my trusting you. My God, you’re my bodyguard. I trust you with my life. Why would you doubt my trust in you?”
“Then let me take care of this for you.”
“That is not your job. My safety is your job. It was foolish of me to even suggest that you go up to Corsicana. I have two derricks due to arrive in Humble, Texas, tomorrow. They’ve hit a pocket of oil there – it could be another Spindletop – and in case I have to go to Humble I want you by my side. I’ve contacted Mr. Black, who is sending half our crew from Spindletop to Humble, but we’ll need more men than that, and if Jeffrey can’t handle it, we’ll be going there too. Now, do you know someone or not?”
“I know a man.”
“Then bring him in as soon as you can and let me meet him.”
Cornell left and Claude walked to the slanted drawing table in the corner and spread out the surveyor’s map of the Humble oilfield. Jeffrey Wright was already on the site buying leases. It was Tuesday and by the next Monday, he wanted to be drilling. The sooner he hit oil the easier it would be to hire and keep good men.
Claude went back to his desk and called Joe Black in Beaumont. “Joe, this is Claude.”
“What can I do for you, boss?”
“I wanted to make sure our crew would be in Humble when the rigs arrived.”
Claude pulled a pen and paper toward him. “What hotel are they staying in, and who’s in charge of the crews?”
Claude could hear paper being moved around. “Sorry, I had to find where I had the information written down. They’re at the Hampton House, and Jerry Dunlap is the foreman of the job.”
Claude wrote the information on his pad. “Thank you, Joe. How are things going where you’re at?”
“Spindletop is chugging along. Goose Lake – we need to hit oil within the next 500 feet or close it down and move the rig.”
“Keep me advised about Goose Lake. It really looked good. I can’t imagine there’s no oil there.”
“I agree with you. If you are going to Humble, let me know how to get in touch with you; we’ll know something within the next couple days.”
“I don’t know if I’ll have to go or not, but if I do I’ll let you know.” Claude rung off.
He was still thinking about Goose Lake when Cornell knocked on the door. Claude had a half-window in his door and he could see a tall man in a suit behind Cornell. The man didn’t look like what Claude had pictured as the person Cornell would bring. He waved them in.
Cornell stepped aside and said, “This is Mister Tompson.”
Claude stood and put out his hand. “Mr. Tompson, I’m Claude Jaudon. Have a seat and tell me something about yourself.”
Mr. Tompson took the chair in front of Claude’s desk and thought a moment before answering. “I was with the Texas Rangers for a while, then a sheriff in El Paso. My last job was as an enforcer in Galveston.”
Claude was struck by the fact that the man didn’t look the type. He was tall but not thick of body. He could be called skinny, but a look in his eyes and Claude knew he had found his man. “You seem to have moved around a lot. Is there a reason for that?”
“People want and like hard justice – until they don’t want it anymore. Then I move on.”
“What does an ‘enforcer’ do?”
“I made sure those who owed money paid and those that caused damage regretted it.”
Claude thought about what he had just heard and he was sure he understood what the man was speaking of. “My father must have gone to the same school as you did. I have a problem that I believe you may be the person to solve it for me. Most of the oil companies also have this same problem, and I want to hire you to start an oil security unit. You will guard my wells and any others that want to pay you. I’ll set you up in an office in town. What you do to protect my oil is something I don’t want to know about. Would be interested in doing what I’m proposing?”
Mr. Tompson rubbed his chin and ran over in his mind what was being offered. “You’re saying I have a free hand to deal with this in any way I see fit?”
“It will be your company. I’ll only be a customer. You hire, fire, pay your men however you want. I’m giving you startup money to get the business going, and in return I expect my wells to be first on your priority list. I need my problem taken care of right now. If you are agreed on this, Cornell will work out the details with you. Remember, though, that I need my problem taken care of right away.”
“What if I get crossways of the law?”
Claude stood and put out his hand. “It has been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Tompson. Don’t worry about the law; oil is the law in Houston. Just make sure you don’t kill anyone that doesn’t deserve it.”
Mr.Tompson shook Claude’s hand. “I believe this is going to be an interesting adventure for us both.”
Claude watched Cornell and Tompson walk out of his office and, as the door closed behind them, he let out his breath and quietly said, “I may live to regret this day.”
| Copyright © 2020 by Ed Rogers |
Claude says: “It has been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Tompson. Don’t worry about the law; oil is the law in Houston. Just make sure you don’t kill anyone that doesn’t deserve it.”
ReplyDeleteWell, Ed, it was a pleasure for me too! Great story!