Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1878-11-27
THE DAILY REPORTER.

Germ We're Wound Up-COllecting
Bills at the Muzzle ola Revolver
and the Point Of a Bowe Knife.
Dick Hicks, one of Harry j. Nor
toms partners in the defunct Daily
Reporter, Of this city, was in town
yesterday. He had not been here
since he severed his connection with
the Reporter. At that time the
TIMES and the Reporter were both
dailies, the population Of the town
was about four times as large as
now, all the mines round about were
being worked, and everybody
seemed to prosper. He therefore
found matters and things greatly
changed. His connection with the
Reporter did not prove very remu.
nerative. In this connection Mr..
Hicks said:
I was in partnership with Norton
for about three months. During all
that time never got cent out Of
him. He was the editor and bust
ness manager, and 1 was foreman
Of the office. Whenever asked
him for money, he would promise
some that day, and would not see
him again for week. He would 60
to Virginia, Gold Hill. Dayton or
Carson, and the first I'd know Of it
some copy would be brought in by
a boy on horseback. orr letter would
come by mail. l preferred this to
seeing himself, because when l did
he was generally dead drunk or half
seas over. Finally I concluded to
examine into affairs, and demanded
an accounting. Harry took out his
books and, although I hadn't drawn
a cent, he made us out in debt to
the tune of five or six hundred dol
lars. The cash account was short
between four and five hundred dol
lars; asked him what he had done
with the money? He said that he
had spent it in treating to drinks
and two-bit cigars, in the interest Of
the paper.
Sand why didn't you give me
some money to treat with in the In
terest of the paper, too? / can do
that as we'll as anybody" I asked.
"Oh," said Harry, "I'm the out
side man, you see, while you attend
to the inside. 1t wouldn't look well
for you to be seen drinking in pub
lie. 1t would hurt the paper"
thereupon concluded to dissolve
the partnership, and, borrowing a
dollar from one Of the TIMES en-
plcyes Jour own men hadn't had a
cent for nearly two months), I rode
back to Virginia on the bus.
Mr.. Hicks's reference to the Daily
Reporter and its editor brought to
mind the dying scenes of that insti-
tuition. Shortly after Mr.. Hicks's
retirement, H. B. Hanmore, q Boz
hamisn whom several mining sup.
erintendents have cause to remem-
Der, entered into partnership with
Norton. Neither had any money or
friends, and the paper was hopeless
ly in debt, as we'll as its owners.
For while the Reporter appeared
enthusiastically, according to the
condition Of Norton a. Hanmore.
One week there were only four
issues, another week only two, then
three, and, finally, only one. 1t
had become evident that the affairs
of the concern must be wound up.
A few bills remained to be collected,
but the debtors, who foresaw tho
downfall of the institution, refused
to pay them. Finally, one morning,
after all attempts to secure payment
had failed, Norton and Hanmore
started out on a joint collecting tour.
They walked up to the debtors, and,
while Hanmore, a bowie-knifs in
his left hand, presented bill and
demanded payment, Norton pointed
Colts navy revolver at the debtor
and threatened instant death unless
the bill were paid. They succeeded
in collecting a few dollars and
jumped the town. Since then Han
more has turned up in Oakland, and
Norton has been heard of in the
Black Hills.