The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-09-03


A New York Reporters Experience ON Mr.
De Yong's Newspaper.
Mr.. John A. Greene, a well-kpown New
York reporter, has written his experience as
reporter on the San Francisco Chronicle:
I'm 1875" said Mr.. Greene, "Charles De
Young telegraphed me to come to San Fran
cisco and take a place on the Chronicle. /
went there in the latter part of June. / had
previously known De Young IN this city. 1t
was the general impression among his East
ern acquaintance that he Was one of the
smartest most generous, and squarest man
on the Pacific coast. The first essgnmenent
given me on the Chronicle was by Mr..
Henderson, the city editor. He was tina
daring young fellow who had distinguished
himself as the New York Herald correspond
ent among the Swamp Angels in North
Carolina. l was sent to see an old shipping
merchant and shall never forget the hearty
reception that he gave me. The English lam
guage was not sufficient for his wrath when
informed that | was O reporter of the
Chronicle. When l had an opportunity to
tell HIM that l was stranger IN California
he was staggered. and kindly said:
81 beg your pardon, young man. l
thought you were an old employee of those
devils, the De Youpgs.'
Then he suggested that should seek
employment at once upon some respectable
newspaper, saying that it would be dis
grace to me to maintain a connection with
the Chronicle.
81 remained on the Chronicle for q year.
In that time learned that the De Youngs
were detested by representative persons OF
all classes tie California; yet it was undoubt-
edly true that the Chronicle was the leading
newspaper of the coast, and that it had the
largest circulation. This fact was, and is,
EN- olazoned on the rocks, trees, sage bush,
and jack rabbits from Ogden to San Francisco
on the roads to the Cliff House at Los Ange-
les, Oakland, Mercec, San Quentin, Mare
Island, and everywhere within radius OF
/ ZOO miles.
"Chares De Young has been, beyond
Question, the most arin g, INSCRIPTIONS
and most successful man financially in the
newspaper business in California. His
elder brother, Gustavus and his younger
brother, Michael, were associated in business
with him from the starting of the little
dramatic newspaper in San Francisco.
| Gus, as the elder brother was Familiarity
called, became insane through drink, and
long ago disappeared from San Francisco.
| Charles and Michael De Young were tenn
perate in the use of alcoholic drinks or
| wines. Gus, 1t is said, was married more
than once, but Charles and Michael are yet
bachelors. They were noted, however, in
Kearney and Montgomery streets, in San
Francisco, as 'mashers,' lady killers, or per-
SONS who imagine that they are adored by
| LQ6 1Sm6lG sex. OuaTl0S anu mlCQH6l ttn0
latter is known az Harry at his request) are
both under the medium height. They have
| very red faces, which are shaved every day,
| leaving small side whiskers. Although OF
| Jewish descent, they have an Irish cast of
| countenance. With all their faults they
| were kindly mentioned as men who had the
utmost veneration for their mother.
Charles De Young purchased house for
| his mother, sisters and himself and brother,
and had it fitted up with all the modern
| Improvements. While the furniture in the
parlors, dining rooms and the bedrooms fol
his mother and sisters, was elegant, ne and
his brother slept on two little iron bedstead:
in q room hardly big enough to sling a cal
| in. Mrs. De Young fairly worshlped
Charles, and when in an attack upon him in
a newspaper several years ago her private
reputation was assailed, he kept the fact
from her. At that time Charles and Michael
exchanged shots with Benjamin Naphthaly
| who he'd written q scurrilous article egains
them in a small paper. All were arrested
and indicted by the grand jury, but none
| were tried. The Chronicle, of course, con
| tanned accounts of the shooting affrays, ar
rests indictments, and causes for it all; but
Chronicle containing no account of these
affairs was regularly struck off ana delivered
by the carrier to Mrs. De Young every morn
ing She was old and feeble, and must nov
be over 80 years of age. She remained II
the house all the time, and knew nothing o.
the scandals in which she figured. Now, o
course, the whole affair will overwhelm her
and probably cause her death.
Charles De Young, while he professed tt
be the editor-in- chief OF the Chronicle, prob
ably never wrote much for It. He directed
writers, however, to express his opinion
about current things, and sharply upbraidet
them for having opinions of their own. HI
was one of the most tyrannical Of men, ant
seemed to have no respect for any one II
his employ. William G. Ralston, the de-
l IL D. - n-Ir E~~w -
who committed suicide at North Beach, nea
San Francisco, two days after the closing o
the bank, had been friend to Charles D.
Young. When the bank failed De YounI
was In favor of hanging Ralston. When tn
fact was known that Ralston had jumpet
into the bay and been drowned, De Youn
became his most vigorous champion, and
was through his exertions that the newsps
pers on the coast, and many others through
out the country, suppressed the facts tina
RAlston was q defaulter and that he ha'
committed suicide. The Sun wa
the only newspaper in New York tina
printed the truths concerning the Who'll
affair. The Chronicle was crowded wit
stories of Ralston's good deeds. On tn
morning of the funeral, when the under
takers men were mailing up the comr
Charles De Young met one of his reporters o
the sidewalk, and said:
'Get in there, you, and take
? the last cad scene"
TT was in this way that he conducted th
: leading journal of California A man d,
spised, and respected by no one outside OF b
family, he was ever ready to defsne tn
r character Of . neighbor, and always
o believer in shotgun law when he himse
: was assailed. Kailoch's history had. {
( COURSE preceded him, and upon his arriv'
. In San Francisco several years ago De Youn
= began to fill up . pigeon-hole In his des
with memoranda concerning the clergyma
}. and politician. De Young's desk has man
pigeon holes filed with facts and rumo
conosrning the private life Of some OF q