A few clergymen who stuck to their churches began to volunteer pulpit opinions concerning the ethics of the battle.

A minister who was generally supposed to make an unmitigated nuisance of himself in politics dealt Plank an unexpected blow by saying that he was a "hero." Some papers called him "Hero" Plank for awhile, but soon tired of it or forgot it under the stress of the increasing heat.
Besides Plank scarcely noticed what the press said of him.

He was too busy; his days were full days, brimming over deep into the night.
Brokers, lawyers, sycophants, tipsters, treacherous ex-employes of Quarrier, detectives, up-State petty officials, lobbyists from Albany, newspaper men, men from Wall Street, Broad Street, Mulberry Street, Forty-second Street--all these he saw in units, relays, regiments--either at his offices or after dinner--and sometimes after midnight in his own house.

And these were only a few, picked from the interested or disinterested thousands who besieged him with advice, importunity, threats, and attempted blackmail.

And he handled them all in turn, stolidly but with decision.