Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-20
woRCEs TER
FRIDAY, JANUARY go. 1871,
Intcrvicwina Outrngcs.

Some of the New York journals have remark
able reporters, and tolerate a very remarkable
style of dealing with delicate personal matters.
A short time since, "dashing," fashionable,
"much respected" seoundrel was married, in
New York city, to young lady described as
'1ovely and very estimable." Not long after
this marriage, ii was discovered that this fash
ionable villain had another wife in the city, to
whom he had been married five or six years, an
estimable woman with whom his relations were
very pleasant and peaceful. Both these women
were overwhelmed by the discovery of his
crime, and there was great sensation when it
was made public.
Immediately, one or two Of the city journals
sent abroad the most brazen and INSCRIPTIONS
of their interviewing reporters, to hunt every
where aud question everybody, to get "all the
particulars" Enterprise is a good thing while
it remains decent, observes the proprietieS, and
abstains from outrage; but, in this case, enter
prise that respects the decencies, would not
serve the purpose. The reporters were intent
on frightening the sensation and could not af-
ford TO be decent. They not only questioned
everybody in the boarding house and hotel,
where the bigamist had lived, but they thrust
themselves upon his relatives, and even had the
audacity to visit his broken hearted wife, and
insult her grief by requesting answers to great
number of impertinent questions relating to her
marriage, her married life, III habits of her
husband, and the like, and there was nobody
there to kick the fellows out doors, and horse
whip them in the street. They would have Gin
terviewed" the second wife, if they could have
found her; but, fortunately. she had left the
city.
The next morning, columns of reports of
those interviews were published 1t is very
likely that they were, TO large extent, invented.
Men capable of attempting to do what these re-
porters profess to have done, will not scruple at
lying. A New York evening paper, also, pub
fishes an extended report of these interviews,
including a very long account of its reporters
conversation with the bigamists wife, and con-
cludes the whole with these words But let us
draw a curtain over the sad picture" The
"curtain," if genuine, would have hidden out of
sight most of the report published. The reporter
Of this journal states that he intruded himself
upon the forsaken wife, and that he observed
Immediately that she seemed like "one utterly
crushed in spirit" aDd yet he had the shame
less audacity to intrude questions upon her and
request answers, for long time. His account
of his proceedings begins as follows:
'Reporter-Mrs. Cross, have called to ascer-
tain some facts concerning a recent affection in
your family?
'AIrs. Cross-What affection do you mean,
sir?
"Reporter-Are you not related by marriage
to a Mr.. Cross who was recently married?
"Mrs. Cross-I am, sir, but why do You ask?
"Reporter-To speak plainly, | have learned
that your husband was recently married to
another lady.
"Nlrs Cross-That is true, SIR But what is
your object in cross-questiOning me?
"Reporter-My only object is that of present.
ing TO the public the facts of one of the most
remarkable cases apparently that has occurred
in long time. Will you give me an outline of
it?
"Mrs. Cross-I cannot give detailed account
Of this distressing affair without the advice of
nv friends
"Reportcr-How long have you been married
to MIR. Crossp
The shameless fellow who processes to have
operated in this way as an interviewing reporter,
betrays no sense Of the outrage he perpetrated
He was incapable of perceiving the brutality OF
his conduct The unhappy woman shrunk from
him, and declined to be questioned; but he per-
sisted, and made lorg report of what he says
she replied to his innumerable questions. When
he asked the last of the questions in the extract
we have quoted, somebody should have been
there TO fling him out the window; but the
woman was alone and without friends in the
city; therefore, there was no one near no
strong armed broth r, to treat this brutal inter
viewer as he deserved. Such fellows dshonor
Journalism; and papers pretending to be decent
should be ashamed to publish their reports.