The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-04-19


interfercd with public worship, and
who Gid not know anything about
writing for newspaper. l attempted
to pacify these mucicians by telling
them that [ had dealt with them ex-
aetly as they wanted me to deal with
the other singer; but my efforts proved
Intellectual.
Ttcn the chief of police sent for me-
A dastallly assault had been commit
ted in the street, in open daylight
The man was dead to feelings of shame,
and 81 far escaped punishment for SINH
lar oHensos, but the chief thought that
by ridiculing the offender, 1 could
make him feel bis shame, and that by
making the thing prominent I could Sc
cure hls punishment from the proper
authorities. I thought 50, too. l gave
the item display head, and lavished
the ksdst scalling sarcasm, and the
effect was highly satisfactory-until
the article appeared in print.
The next morning the man sat in my
chair. He had been bailed In his
hand he bore a persuasive bludgcon.
lie wanted to know why | put display
head on him, and acted as though he
intended to put display head on me.
His intentions were carried out soon
aftcr-and SO was I. He made several
objections to my method of making out
police reports. The most striking of
these objections was the bludgeon. I
calmly replied to his argument with
paste pot, and pair of shears, follow
ed up my temporary advantage with a
paper weight and an unabridged
dictionary. Before he recovered the
thread of his discourse an elderly man
stepped into the Office, and asked who
was conducting the local department..
| told him that was question in my
own mind just then ; but | had no. time
to pursue the conversation. | did not
attempt to report what followed in full;
indeed, believe | took no notes.
After the doctor had set my arm, and
his friends had taken my opponent
away, returned to the office. The
old man said that if / was at liberty he
would like a reply to his question. He
wanted to know who managed the local.
As he and were alone in the Office,
aud he looked feeble, told him l did
"Well,' said he, pointing to the item
[ had been discussing with him of the
club, "don't you think that way of
making crime thing to he laughed at
has bad influence on the young!' l
told him that that idea had not been
among the things that had struck me.
He added: 'sIt seems 50 to me. Make
crime matter of sport, and we
first endure, then pity, and then en-
brace" replied, humbly, ''You will
never get a better chance to embrace
than you had just before he struck ne
the last time" He suggested that I
was untitled for the duties of my po-
sition and went away. Then came
business man who abused me because
the incident narrated in the same un-
fortunate item, had occurred within
three doors of his store, and he got mad
when | told him that il [ had mention
ed any store it would naturally be the
nearest one. He had seyenty-fve
cent advertisement in the paper, which
he at once ordered discontinued, be-
cause he would not patronize paper
whose reporter knew 50 little about
their business. The hero of the item
was tried and acquitted, but the judge
on the bench rebuked reporters who so
far forgot their duty as to attempt to
create public sympathy against
prisoner.
Then | resigned and sought place
where | could find few individuals in
other callings who did not know, more
than did about running the local of
a newspaper.