Table of Contents

to the Reader page vii- xii

Chapter I London page 1

Facing Trial for an Age - Forebears - The Student - Finding a Faith - Rebellion - Self-help - Finding a Hero - Connection with Edison - Off to America - Insull and Edison - Edison's Financial Factotum

Chapter II Insull on the Mohawk page 25

An Audacious Venture - Insull's Role - Shaking Off the leaden Collar - Despondency - Personal Matters - Springing to Life - Enter Henry Villard - Edison General Electric - Two Weaknesses - Competition: Fair and Foul - Secret Negotiations - Morgan and Coffin - Outmanuvered and Defeated - Finding a Job -

Chapter III Chicago page 55

"Electricity is for Everybody" - Fashioning a Monopoly - Exploiting G.E.'s Myopia - Elusive Economics - Impatient for Results - Mr. Wright Solves the Riddle - Sucess and New Problems - the Reluctanct Financier - A Moment of Applause

Chapter IV Intimates page 74

A Deceptive Lady - Conquered by Gladys - The Choice - Dombey's Son - Politics: Roger Sullivan - The Gray Wolves - Yerkes Makes a Move - Insull and the Wolves - The Lawyer - Open End - The Banker - A Would-Be Raider - Revolution: The Turbine - Insull's Right Arm

Chapter V the Big Shot page 102

Winning Customers - Bazing Trails - A Compulsion to Order - Labor: John L. Lewis - Labor: "Umbrella Mike" - Rates and Public Relations - Politics is a Business - Municipal Ownership - Regulation Materializes - A Trump Card - Bookkeeping - Depreciation - the Pursuit of Success - How to Make a Million

Chapter VI The Success; or, The Short, Happy Life of Samuel Insull page 133

"A Good, Kindly Gentleman" - Hawthorn Farm - Discovery: Systemization - Discovery: Rural Electrification - Invading the Surburbs - The Moment of Corruption - A Door Closes - Power's Safest Repository - Creation of Middle West Utilities - CIPSCo - Expansion - Traction Baron - Gas Baron - A Dangerous Mistake

Chapter VII The War page 162

Insull Goes to War - Convincing Lord Grey - Persuading Mr. Wilson - Creating a MountainTop - War Fever - Profiteers - Race Riot - Kudos - Utilities under Attack - "Gold Plated Anarchist" - Propaganda Machinery - Customer Ownership - President-Making

Chapter VIII The Crisis:1917-23 page 188

Labor Problems - A Well-Staged Crisis - Employes Are Human - The Insull Man - A Primitive Business - "Don'T Fight Them, Fix Them" - Money Disappears - New Financial Devices - A New Managerial Class - Going Broke - To the Rescue - A Stroke of Genius - The Wake of the Storm

Chapter IX The Empire and Its Marshalls page 214

The War's Toll - "I Haven't Got the Men" - Outside Advisers - Inside Experts - Viceroys - "Is Anyone Worth That Much?" - Built-In Checks - Insull and Son - Junior's First Command - Mrs. Somebody - A Glorious Moment

Chapter X The Enemies page 237

The Babe Ruth of Business - The Gold Coast - Opera - The Club - "Look to New York" - The Invasion - Declaration of War - Elevateds and Politics - Big Bill forms a Coalition - A Circuitous Maneuver - Blank Check - Machine Vote - A Major Blunder - Senatorial Inquisistion - Power Trust - Hearst - More Blunders - Undefeated -

Chapter X The Fall of the House of Insull page 274

Contemplating Retirement - Founding a Dynasty - The Raiders Appear - Pyramiding - The Big Bull Market - Three Mistakes - Insull v. Eaton - Buy-But How? - Market Battle - "That Would Be Immoral" - The Walls Tumble Down - Planning the Kill - Receivership - The First Axe Falls - "Keep My Memory Green" -

Chapter X The Trial page 305

Quietly Vanishing - The Investigation - F.D.R. - The Flight to Athens - Battle for Extradition - Kidnapped - Prosecution v. Persecution - For the Defense: Floyd Thompson - For the Prosecution: Leslie Salter - Opening Attack - Do Crooks Keep Books? - Expert Witnesses - Insull Takes the Stand - Acquittal

Aftermath page 334

The British Grid System - Consolations - The End

Index page 341