America 1929: John F. Kennedy, the Great Writer

The next morning, Albany, New York State Capitol.

Built in 1899, this building is one of the most magnificent state capitol buildings in the United States.

Its exterior is in the French Renaissance style, and its interior is extremely luxurious, with marble staircases, stained glass windows, and exquisite murals.

But today, the significance of this building lies not in its beauty, but in the historical moment it is about to witness.

Arthur and Isabella arrived from New York on an early morning train. They met several other special advisors at the building's entrance.

William Allen White was an elderly man in his sixties, wearing round-framed glasses and sporting a thick white beard.

When he saw Arthur, he extended his hand, praised Arthur's book "Yes, Mayor," and warmly invited Arthur to visit Kansas.

John Dewey was a tall, thin old man, seventy years old, but in good spirits.

He held Arthur's hand and said, "Young man, you remind me of myself when I was young. Back then, I also believed that words could change the world."

Arthur asked, "Don't you believe me now?"

Dewey laughed: "I'm even more convinced now because I've seen your generation."

Francis Perkins, dressed in a simple black suit, clearly in the style of a government official, also came over and exchanged a few pleasantries with Arthur.

Ralph Pritzker and Arthur had met several times before, and this time they simply nodded to each other.

The appointment ceremony began at 10:00 AM sharp.

The state legislature's meeting room was packed with people: legislators, journalists, and invited members of the public.

With the help of his aides, Roosevelt walked to the front of the stage, his voice loud and clear.

Ladies and gentlemen, today we are here to witness an important moment.

"Two months ago, the stock market crashed, and the economic crisis began. At this difficult time, what we need is not only economic policies, but also the integrity and efficiency of the government."

"But unfortunately, what we see is corruption and incompetence. We see public officials abusing their power, we see the bureaucratic system hindering reform, and we see the interests of the people being sacrificed."

"This is intolerable."

Roosevelt's voice became stern.

"Therefore, I proposed to the state legislature to expand the scope of the Westbury Commission's investigation and appoint five special advisors to help us uncover corruption and restore public trust in the government."

"These five advisors are all people with outstanding achievements in their respective fields. They are not politicians or bureaucrats, but citizens who truly care about the public interest."

"Their mission is not only to investigate corruption, but also to help the public understand how corruption occurs, how it is covered up, and how it can be eradicated."

"Because only when the public understands the problem can they monitor the government and demand change."

Roosevelt paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the five special advisors.

"Now, I announce that, in accordance with the resolution of the State Legislature, the following five citizens are appointed as special advisors to the Inquiry Committee."

He read out the names of five people, and each time he read one, that person stood up and received applause.

When Arthur's name was called, the applause in the meeting room was particularly enthusiastic.

Arthur stood up and nodded to those around him.

He saw reporters snapping photos frantically, some members of parliament whispering among themselves, and a few supporters of the Tammany Association sitting there with grim faces.

After the ceremony, Roosevelt summoned his five special advisors for a private meeting.

They met at the governor's office.

It was a spacious room with portraits of past governors hanging on the walls and bookshelves filled with legal documents and history books.

Roosevelt sat behind his desk, looking at the five people.

"I know that you are taking a great risk by accepting this appointment."

"But I assure you, the state government will do everything in its power to protect you. I have instructed the state police department to provide you with the necessary security."

"At the same time, I must remind you that the significance of this investigation extends far beyond New York State. The entire nation is watching us, watching how we respond to the economic crisis, how we deal with corruption."

Roosevelt gave Arthur a special look, and Arthur, understanding the situation, joined the other four in expressing their opinions.

……

The next day, Isabella, accompanied by lawyer Winston, went to the Manhattan County Courthouse.

They went to the archives and presented the authorization documents from the investigation committee.

The archivist carefully examined the documents, then reluctantly began to peruse the case files.

Ten minutes later, he brought over a thick folder.

Isabella took the folder, sat down in the reading room, and began to look through it.

Winston sat down next to her and looked at it together.

The folder contains a lot of information. First is the indictment.

Then came the court's response: a brief notice stating that the case was "not accepted."

The reason given is: "The plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that the defendant engaged in malicious defamation."

Winston scoffed at this reason:

"This is complete nonsense. We have provided all the necessary evidence, including the original newspaper article, witness testimonies, and expert opinions."

Isabella turned to the next page and saw an internal memo.

This memorandum was written by the court clerk to the presiding judge the day after they filed the complaint.

The memo states:

Regarding the case of Kennedy v. New York Daily News, it is recommended that the case not be accepted.

Reasoning: The plaintiff is a public figure and should be subject to a higher level of criticism. The defendant's report was based on reasonable suspicion and does not constitute malicious defamation.

Accepting this case may attract unnecessary public attention and damage the court's reputation. Recommendation: Dismiss the case due to "insufficient evidence."

Isabella frowned after reading it: "The logic in this memorandum is completely flawed."

Winston said, "Of course it doesn't hold water. Look who wrote this memorandum; here's the signature of the clerk, Thomas Cronin."

Isabella repeated the name, unable to recall who it was for a moment.

Winston explained, "He's a member of the Tammany Association. His brother is a city councilor, and his brother-in-law is the deputy mayor of the city hall."

Isabella realized that the judge and the defendant were in cahoots.

If Arthur were present, he would also have to learn the phrase, "Who here accuses this official?"

Winston continued flipping through the documents: "Not only that, look at this one."

He produced another document, which was the presiding judge's instructions.

The instruction was brief, consisting of only one sentence: "The clerk's recommendation is approved; the case is not accepted." The signature was: Judge John McLaughlin.

Winston said, "McLaughlin. He was also a member of the Tammany Society. His appointment in 1927 was pushed by Jimmy Walker."

Suddenly, Isabella froze, pointed to a sheet in the file, and exclaimed:

"Mr. Winston, look at this call log and special allowance payment slip. How did they manage to include this slip?"