Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-07-19
THE DEAD JOURNALIST.
KCcOlIectfOns of the Late James Gordon
Bennett. a Et..-s


Bennett. &E.a5s
From the New York Sun.
] made the acquaintance of James
Gordon Bennett something more than
third of century ago. [ had written
from an interior country town circum-
stantial account of adomestic difficulty,
in which the parties were of high So
cial consideration, and whose disagree
ments were the subject of much public
discussion, and which finally culmin-
ated in suit of divorce in the Courts and
in the Legislature of the State. The
Herald was then in comparatively
feeble condition, giving small promise
of its future prosperous career. 1t
struggled along during the first years
of its existence, encountering obstacles
and embarrassments that seemed insur-
mountable. But Mr.. Bennett was, far
seeing, sagacious, industrious, persever-
ing, and determined to succeed. My
communication was suited to the tone
of the Herald, and it was published with
characteristic comments anu illustra-
tions.
This led to an association between us,
which ran through several years, dur
ing which our relations were as intimate
as any he then had with persons whose
pens were engaged on the Herald. He
was an enigma, but studied his char
acter carefully. and came to know him
as thoroughly as such sphinx-like per-
son could be understood. He possessed
certain qualities that insured success in
the great enterprise to which he de-
voted his life. He had quick percep-
tions, and knew almost intuitively what
would chiefly engage the public atten-
ton on publication day. And his tact
and address in seizing in advance upon
the topic that was to become the sub
ject of conversation in the city, gave an
interest to the Herald enjoyed by none
of his coptempories. He wrote with
great facility, in pleasant, readable
style; but he lacked conference, com
pactness, and continuity OF purpose, as
well as logical force, and hence failed to
impress himself upon the popular
mind. So that the Herald, although
generally read, never controlled or di-
rected public opinion. The editorial
matter was written in taking, but loose,
inaccurate, and slap-dash style, without
regard to consistency or any settled
principles.
When | first became familiar with
the internal arrangements OF the Her
aid, the personnel of the establishment
consisted of Thomas 2. Kettell, who
wrote the money articles, for which
Bennett obtained all the credit; Will
liam FL. Attree, the police and city re-
porter; little jew named Lee, who
attended the Courts, and furnished the
legal intelligence and Frederick Hud-
son, who collected the ship news.
Kettcll was the best financial editor of
his day. He was careful in his facts,
had thorough knowledge of the sub
jects he was called upon to discuss, and
wrote in an accurate and precise style.
His financial articles constituted one of
the most important features of the pa
per. He was the originator of the
money column, which no paper of any
pretensions is now without.
Attree was an incorligible reprobate,
full of ability of certain kind, and an
admirable reporter. That is, he had
the faculty of turning everything into
ridicule that jumped exactly with Ben
Eett's humor. He would attend pub
lie gathering of any kind, and gave a
readable caricature of the proceedings,
intercpersed with ludicrous comments,
ard an amusing description of Incl
| dents and circumstances that never oc-
Cured. Bennett was always quarreling
with Attree, stigmatizing him with all
sorts of sopprobrious epithets, and
threatening to discharge him; but his
consummate audacity saved him.
When President Van Buren visited
the city in the summer of 1910 there
was great procession and parade. The
Democrats turned out in force, banners
flying, music filling the air, with every
appliance calculated to make an i'm
preston on the people. Here was an
opportunity for the display of Attree's
peculiar talent, and it got noised about
that the Herald of the following day
was to contain full account of the af-
fair, with ludicrous cuts and caricatures,
ana there was strong desire among
the Democrats to battle the scheme.
Aaron vanderpool, afterward Judge OF
the supreme Court, but then a member
of Congress, and known as the "Kin-
derhook Roarer," Interested himself ac
lively to prevent the success OF the un-
dertaking. He had the assistance oil
William B. Maclay, then growing pol
itician. As preliminary step, they
procured Attree to be piled with liquor
| of all sorts until he became totally OBJ.