The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-07-01
REpoRroR1AL RESOURCES.

HOW TWO NIGHT REPORTERS PLAYED IT Or
EACH oTHER-A DOUBLE sELIr-A SECRET
MEETING WITH A REPORTER IN THE SIDE
BoARD-THE USES OF A sTovEPIPE HOLT
TWEEN DECKS.
The Chicago Times took the occasion OF
appearing in a new typographical dress
Saturday morning to give complete history
of the paper and as minute description of
the work on great metropolitan daily. In
the course of the article some amusing rem
,iniscencss OF journalistic scoops" were
given: The thirst for scoops" has led TO
some mad prauks among the night hawks,
and many startling devices, which are ex-
-cellent 10 the light of "reminiscences, but sell
dom enjoyed by the victim when perpetra,
ted. Ooe could fill volume with the good
stories current among the brethren, but
only a lew can here be related. Some time
ago a night reporter received hint through
q private source that there had been serious
shooting affray in a remote part OF the city.
Although the hour was past midnight, he
determined to secure particulars Tor the
paper OF that morning. Accordingly he flew
to,the hack stand, jumped into one OF the
.cOnveyances always ready 10 hand ana gave
orders 90 proceed with all dispatch to the To-
cality indicated. On the way thlther his
spirits were pitched in the highest KEY, for
he felt morally certain that he should have
"a scoop" on mis- brethren. When he ar
rived al the scene he jumped D1mblY.put OF
the carriage, but was completely DUMB
founded at seeing rival reporter Jump as
nimbly from the drivers seat. For mo-
ment he felt like kicking somebody, ouS
knowing that any such exhibition OF 1ll-will
would lead to serious results, and being out
of favor with the profession, he determined
TO grin and bear the joke-for such IL would
be considered--and abide his time. IL ap-
pears that No. had observed No. L rushing
wildly for a hack, and, surmisipg that some
thing was in tine wind, he had jumped upon
the drivers seat the moment his rival was
snugly ensconsed within, the driver,
presuming the two to be friends, offered
no objections. They found an item of con-
siderable impOrtance,-in fact, murder had
been committed-and the more No. 1 turned
the "joke" over in his mind, the less he
found therein to relish, and he determined to
get ''even," without regard to conse
quences. 1t was o'clock-wanting but
little more than an hour b9fore press time
and while pair of fast horses could make
the distance TO the Office in thirty minutes, a
person Flooding along on foot would be un-
able to reach downtown" in time to make
any use OF the information. 1t was mo-
ment for action, and turning to the driver
he spoke with decision: Al engaged you;
expect you to serve me until am done with
you. If you play me any tricks I'll report
you to the authorities. You had no right
to allow this gentleman to ride on the out
side. L will not allow him to return with
y
2 saw in a moment that the JOKE had re-
bounded on himself. He knew put too well,
unless he could have the benefit OF car
rage; his cake would be all dough. His APP
peal, being in vais, he threatened the driver
with al manner of dire consequences, and
finally offered the driver
WEEKS SALARY FOR A SEAT
on the hox. Nothing, however, would avail.
The driver knew but too we'll that he must
mind No. or accept the consequences, and
accordingly he slammed the door shut,
jumped on his seat, put the whip to the
horses, and away went tine csrrisge at ire
mendous rate of spsed. Again was No.
elated with the vision oil SCOOP" again
were his spirits pitched TO the highest key,
and as the earrisge Whirled rapidly along
the street, he drew upon his imagination for
all manner OF pictures representative OF the
misery of his rival plodding YEARLY and
dolefully IN his rear. He felt some pity for
him, too, but had it not been game of dis-
helped. A scoop" was SCOOP" and there
was an end ont. In due time be reached
the Office, dashsd away at his account, and
reached the conclusion just in time for the
press. Then he sought blissful repose,
dreaming of glorious scoops" all night long.
On rising, he glanced at the morning papers,
a. usual, and wac thunderstruck, amazed
yea, petrifiei. Was he yet dreaming, or
had his senses forsaken him7 There, topped
with bold headlines, was an account OF the
affair in his rivals paper, fully as detailed as
his own. What magic art had accomplished
this wonderful journalistic legerdemain?
Could the man fly? No, but nc could ride,
and that too, ct anotber's expense. The
moment the carriage started, No. 2 darted 10
the rear, clutehed the broad bands that
usually ornament that portion, and getting
a footnold on the springs, had effected sats
til rf nkF aor h M n
the Office. The eagerness with which oul
heroes clutch at the slightest clue to an item
of news has often made them the victims o
rare ''sells," and in one trying to overreact
the other, both have often bocome
victims. An incident in point. One evening
the night reporter OF a certain paper entered
the local room of anothsr-there is general j
the best OF feeling among individual repor
ters-aDd seeing his "riyel' hard at work al
his desk, he approached in nonchalsn'
manner, remarked in the most casual way
THAT was terrible affair, wasn't iL?" Now
the "rivap had heard of nothing that day IL
the least way deserving of SO expressive an
adjective, but determined not to be sold
a sell were the obi 9ct-or else TO gather al
Information that wo1ld be extra-ted, be an
swered. "Yes. 1t Is certainly
ONE OF THE BLooDIEsT TRAGEDIES
that ever came under my notice." Now tn
first speaker was somewhat nonplussed
"Has really something terrible happened,
thought he; and as a sort of feeler h
launched out with, How many were killed.
II scarcely know" returned the other; g
have not been to the scene myself, but SOM
say two, and others, three" 'The deuce,
thought the first speaker, ''there must b
really something in this matter. I am glaC
spoke as 1 did" Meanwhile, he had APP
preached closely to the table at which the
other was working, and, CHANGING at tn
notes lying among the scraps before him
discerned the words "depot," two killed,
sparrow escapes" etc., which had references
to the falling OF derrick, by which tw
horses were killed. "There Is murder il
the wind" thought ne, "and had better b,
on the lookout" With that he left the offic
In apparent unconcern, but had no soone
reached the outside than he set out for tn
nearest depot, and, finding nothing