"They'll Respect Me Down There, for Criminals Like 'Bad Men'"

"The Squealer."

By William Allen Ward (1893-1959).

First appearance: The Underworld, April 1928.

(No cover image available.)

Short short short story (2 pages).

Online at The Pulpgen Archive (HERE).

   "And did the dirty swine squeal on you?"

IN the criminal underworld it's advisable, when you're bragging, to know just what you're bragging about. Good advice for Ruben . . .

Principal characters:

~ Ruben Matthews and Shanghai Joe.

References:

- "the oak-clad sand hills of Arkansas up where the Ozarks raise their picturesque domes" (Wikipedia HERE and HERE).

- "Eureka Springs" (Wikipedia HERE).

- "you are a yegg" (Etymonline HERE) and (Wikipedia HERE).

- “moon-shinin’ or somethin’?” (Wikipedia HERE).

- "a pal who had turned state’s evidence on him" (Wikipedia HERE).

- "Crookdom’s phrases" (Wikipedia HERE; scroll down to "squeal").

Resources:

- Here's the FictionMags listing for William Allen Ward (ss = short story; vi = vignette; ts = true story):

  "The Gun Wizard," (ss) Ace-High Magazine, 1st July 1923

  "The Knob Knocker," (vi) Mystery Magazine #161, August 1, 1924

  "The Guilty Party," (ss) 10 Story Book, October 1924

  "A Front Page Story," (vi) 10 Story Book, June 1925

  "Kennedy from Boot Hill," (ss) Ace-High Magazine, 1st January 1926

  "The Fifth Ace," (ss) Lariat Story Magazine, July 1926

  "Black Jack Signs the Pledge," (ts) Lariat Story Magazine, November 1926

  "The Wisdom of Sam Lee," (ss) Complete Novel Magazine #34, February 1928

  "A Drink of Water," (ss) Complete Novel Magazine #35, March 1928

  "Coahuila Smiles," (vi) The Golden West Magazine, April 1928

  "The Squealer," (vi) The Underworld, April 1928 (above)

  "The Crime Doctor," (ss) Complete Detective Novel Magazine #1, June 1928

  "The Conquest of Jernigan," (vi) Wild West Stories and Complete Novel Magazine #40, August 1928

  "A Pair of Silk Stockings," (ss) The Underworld, August 1928

  “'Blackie' Oliver," (ss) The Golden West Magazine, March 1930

  "A Ghost in Murderer’s Row," (ss) 10 Story Book, October 1930

  "Indiana’s Departure," (ss) Overland Monthly, April 1932

  "Perfect Escape," (ss) Overland Monthly, July 1932

  "The Puma Woman," (ss) The Underworld Detective, July 1935 (online HERE; go to text page 44)

  "Anonymous," (ss) Breezy Stories, October 1940

  "Straight in the Eye," (ss) unknown date.

The bottom line:

Unless otherwise noted, all bibliographical data are derived from The FictionMags Index created by William G. Contento & edited by Phil Stephensen-Payne.

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