Summary

Back in 1922 when Jack was working as a newspaper reporter in Mason City, he was sent to investigate a story about many county politicians who had turned on each other. Willie, the county treasurer, had discovered his county-government peers had sold a building contract in exchange for bribes. Willie was trying to combat the situation, but he eventually lost his public office. After he went back to his family farm, though, the building collapsed and killed a handful of people. The county hailed Willie as a hero and he was persuaded to run for public office.

The first time he ran for office was nothing other than a ploy to split up the party vote. Willie always gave impersonal speeches, and the political figures decided to use this to their advantage. During this campaign, Willie picked up Tiny Duffy and Sadie Burke who both worked for...