Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-06-05
per,ls of Journalism.


in the State to witness an execution
The victim had committed heinous OF
fence, and the particulars of his execu'
ton would be eagerly devoured by every
reader. One of the men represented an
afternoon paper. and, as the execution
was fixed for noon, he had been ordered
to telegraph full report, so that his pa
per would have a long start OF all 9TH
ers.
Ii was of course, an object with the
other reporters to prevent this, and they
laid their heads together. The after
noon man did not drink, the telegraph
operator was strictly temperate, and the
Quill drivers we're ON the verge of des-
pair, when one of them got happy
thought. He went TO the police magis'
trate and swore out warrant against
the operator for bigamy, and had the
pleasure of seeing the man walked OIL
to Jail and his office closed. The excite
ment over the execution was 80 great
that the operator could find no friend to
go bail until it was too late for the after
noon paper to receive line and the OBJ
ject of the conspirators was accomplished.
Knowing the thirst of the public after
slater news" aud that the paper will
suffer in character through negligence
on their part, reporters often risk their
lives while seeking Information. A story
is told of how vessel in attempting to
enter lake port, struck on bar and
was at the mercy of the waves. The
storm was raging with great fury, and
the crowd congregated on the pier had
little hope that the craft would hold to-
gether above a few hours. She was a
new vessel unknown in port, and her po-
sition was such that her name could not
be seen. There was no life boat at the
port, and no crew could be made up to
take an ordinary row boat and row out
to the rescue of the unfortunates. While
all were talking and none doing, a re-
porter on an afternoon paper was seen
pulling light skiff out of the river and
over the tremulous waves. He is lost
Come back come back" shouted the
crowd; but the man bent to his oars,
and despite all the predictions, reached
the neighborhood of the vessel without
mishap. Holding the boats head to sea
he shouted -
"What schooner is that !"
"The Princess replied the amazed
captain.
Where from ? what's your cargo
and how large is your crew." were tn
next inquiries from the reporter, anC
being replied to, he continued HOLD
on for an hour, and | III take you all off,
He then set about the return voyage
and performed it safely, landing on TIL,
pier. Dispatching this information tt
the Office, he was about to row back t.
the vessel, when she suddenly broke u
and the crew hoated ashore ON spar.
There is in Kansas, or was up to tire
years ago, society Of newspaper me
called "The Bob Ellis Friends"
The society was formed to perpetual
the name and doings of areporter name,
Ellis, who made his name famous ON til
Pacific coast by his startling adventures
and whose career finally closed with
balloon ascension. 1t seemed that
gentleman who had made one or two a
tensions had advertised to 60 up tro
the fair ground on certain day, an
that large crowd assembled to witne
the exhibition. Ellis was sent to maxi
report of the affair, and be took it il
to his head to have a ride with the pr
fessor and write up his experience. III
company was accepted, and-as the hot
approached, he took his seat in the ca
The balloon was inflated, and Just as
was ready to rise the professor had son
excuse to leap out.
Eased of his weight so suddenly, Il
balloon jerked away from the men al
Ellis went skyward alone. The mi
knew all about the newspaper busine
but he was ignorant as to aerial navig
ton. He however, took things cool
as if nothing unusual had happene
There was no wind below, and, while t
balloon hung over the ground half
mile above the heads of the excit
crowd, the following message came fo'
ing down 81 am sll right and int
TO see the thing through. Tell the |
per to look out for dispatch from
tonight"
1t was about FIVE o'clock in the aft
noon of June day, and the balloon a
its freight finally foated away to /
northwest and at last were lost to vie
No one in the crowd ever saw E.
again. 'In fact it was months before
was heard of. Days passed and lett
w~e written and dispatches sent,
there was no news of the balloon 70
week. Then hunter found this n