The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-27
hours and rules, was concerned in this forgery,
we think cannot be doubted,

hours and rules, was concerned in this forgery,
we think cannot be doubted.
We close our form regularly at about half
past three o'clock. Associated Press and other
dispatches are received frequently OF the last
moment, and sometimes after the form has
gone down to the press room. The Associa-
TED fress dispatches are always written in
peculiar style, being manifolded on tissue pa
per- and having certain peculiarities of paging.
&C., which mark them. At about half.past
three on Wednesday morning our form was so
nearly closed that the foreman discharged the
compositors, the entire force of night editors
and proof readers having already left At this
moment despatch arrived, brought by boy
| to the foreman, which was the proclamation in
question. 1t was in all respects perfect imi-
tatlon OF Associated Press dispatches, in the
| minutest details of paper, paging &C., and the
foreman, thoroughly deceived, stopped few
OF the men who had not yet gone out, and hav-
ing set it up, inserted it in the form, 80 that it
appeared in the later portion of the morning
edltion-t the early part of the edition not con-
tanning it. We may remark here that the
1rand was SO perfect that we venture to affirm
! mat nlnety-nlnc out of q hundred placed i'm the
situation OF the foreman, would have been de-
ceived and acted as he did. The moment
when editors have gone and the foreman is the
responsible man, is well known to newspaper
men as one OF the most critical moments in the
Gays history OF a newspaper. If any one sue-
! gests thatl it is better to reject everything az
such time, let him reflect that we frequently
receive as late as three and half O'Clock, A. NJ
urgent dispatches from the War Department
and other departments, the value Of which to
government and people demands their imme-
date publication, and let him also ask
what verdict he would pass on any morniner
paper which refused to publish q dispatch.
proclamation, or order from the President.
which all the other papers published. The
precise responsibility the author of the forgery
understood, and timed his work accordingly.
There must have been more than one man con
cerned. There was thorough knowledge of
tclegraphic and Associated Press rules and Gus
tens, clear acquaintance with newspaper
Offices, and an ingenious care in the procuring
OF manifold paper, and preparing the copy.
There ere numerous details of the mannerin
which the deception was perpetratcd which.
Tor obvious reasons relating to the detection OF
the CRIMINAL, we tor the present withhold We
may mention. however, that manifold COPIES.
almost iac-Slhliles Of each other. being the usr.
al form OF dispatches to the press, were semitic
all the morning papers connected with the As.
sociated Press eyn.nt ono. and the nroclomo-
ton was published in three other papers be-
sides our own, the deception being so perfect
as to succeed in each instance 1t excited
some surprise in one Office but it was
put in type, and messenger sent to
neighboring office to make inquiries. In
all, and this circumstance created the first
doubt as to its being an Associated Press dis
patch. and it was not put into the first named
paper Another it reached too late. and vet
another printed an edition of twenty thousand
containing it, and suppressed most if not all
OF it on learning that other papers doubted
the authenticity. Our own remoteness from
the offices of other papers forbade any such
comparison Of notes among the men en-
ployed.
We have dwelt with such particularly on
this fraud because it is important that our rea-
ders and the public at large should know that
ingenious scoundrels are at work devisine
every possible method of deceiving the people.
either for purposes of stock speculation or
with intent to aid the enemies of the country.
1t is no pleasant duty to acknowledge our
selves, and our associates in the press, the vic
tins OF a forgery like this; but we trust that
the exertions we are making personally, as
well as all the members of the Associated
Press, and the Government authorities, will
result in the arrest of the forger and his con-
signment to fitting punishment.
The Associated Press offer reward of 81 900
for his detection, and no expense will be spar
ed to lead to the fullest exposure of the guilty
individual