The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-15
FOX. JONES OR COHEN.

THE VARIOUS PsEUDoNYMEs UNDER WHICH AN
SELF AS A HERALD REPORTER. swINDLEs
coNFIDING BUSINESS MEN.
Sometimes Fox, occasionally Jones, more fire.
quently Cohen, but under name or another
strange. eccentric being. has for months been pro-
jectng himself into the experience OF connding shop
keepers and credulous officials. He. was a HERALD
reporter. he ssid and 1t positively touching to
witness how eager his appetite for news and
how assiduous were his attentions to an obtrusive
notebook. That imposing scroll. bound in mystic
black aud scrawled with characters cabalistic in
aspect and occult in meaning, has. accord
ing to account been fourished before the
eyes OF wondering humanity time and again
and always with marvellous effect. At its APP
political speakers have paused to polish up
their rhetoric, storekeepers have mentally conten,-
plated columns Of advertisements In tho largest
kind OF type. and even knowing officials at police
station desks have pored blotters and unhesi-
tatngly given up the secrets Of their prison house
The great popularity Of the bearer of this mystic
note book was his lack Of affinity for the regularly
ordained HERALD reporter. On the mere suspicion
OF such a ones presence the htful apparition
vanished into thin air. There was no seeing him.
no confronting him. Time and again did the
authentic news gatherer reach some assembly Of
public moment to hear that the other had Just
withdrawn. Time and again did word reach
him Of n fellow representatives. propinquity at
the of some casualty only to discover that the
place knew him no more. And often. very often,
over an Official desk did the information come that
the intangible stranger had just departed So many
attempts get in this volatile creatures presence
failed that he became xed in the ordinary reporters
mind veritable Will-o the-wisp. Indeed, It
was suspected-and there were good grounds for it.
that he no other than the evanescent Tom Col
Inns himself who had resumed this mortal coil again
to set the community by the ears. But whether he
or not no one in incorporation deter
mined.
There was some slight hope left, however, that
the mystery would in time be unravelled. The APP
partition with the notebook always appeared in the
shape. HIS features were invariably the same,
and in his attire the revolving made hardly
any perceptble change. People to whom he had
vcaled himself described him In pretty much the
same way. He was lame, they all agreed; had dark
HAIR, scar on the cheek and deforined jaw-alto-
pose aud besides all this they said he had an abnor-
NAL development Of brass. On the last feature
opinion was unanimous. There was not dissenting
voice. or course the appartion had name. Cohen
assigned IL for u long tlme-some people preix-
ing the name of Morris-but latterly 1t has been
heard from varously Frank Fox, James
L. Fox, James l.. Jones and occasionally az the
original Morris Cohen. On November - Messrs.
Henry Levy Son; fancy goods dealers at No: AT
Broadway. reported its appearance In their establish
ment time before. On this occasion 1t WAS
'Frank Fox. .NEw York HERALD" tina. was inscribed
Mr.. Levy, the counterfeit reporter said he came to
write up the revival OF trade. and particularly
soicitous about the fluctuations of the fancy goods
market. He was furnished all the necessary infor-
nation. and gratefully responded by promise to
put Mr.. Levy's establishment in print both in the
HERALD and Telegram The latter expressed his
rgrathcstion. But tho pseudo reporter fingered He
bowed himself toward the door but he fingered STILL
and 1t was only when his loudly expressed adnlira-
ticn of four-dollar pocketbook had been rewarded
by present OF II that he took himself of.
MORE OF THE APPARIrioN.
Inc MANAGERS OF the Eighteenth Street Methodist
Church Fair were the to report u visitation. II
was in tho name of ..Maurice Cohen IL was made,
they say. and its bearer hoy also became quite
exercised over tho promise OF the enterprise. The
chairman OF tho Board Trustees disposed to
foster this religious enthusiasm had not his visitor
suddenly discovered that his pocket had been picked
and portuned him for loan to pay his home.
pears followed by the devotion of his attention
to the sanitary welfare OF the young His appreciation
OF hygiene intense. his solicude for the proper
application OF its laws quite affecting.
10 assure himself that the public schools were
habitubo places he assumed the duty OF investigxt
ing their venilating facilities. and N said to have
made regular tour OF inquiry through the Four
tecnth ward for that purpose. rintendent Har-
showed him through the Marion street school.
mankiuds welfare in ono laden with business OF
moment as his visitor said he was. From an inter
est in childhood's health to concern about its train
ing the transition Is easy, anu before the visitor de-
parted he devoted tew precious moments TO the
tentive listener. and seemed much edihed. till boy
ventured to say that Montpelier was ON tho Onion
River when no 1T once interposed An objection that
IL was q creek. with an Indian name. which he had
forgotten. Covered with consequent geog graphical
glory and rejoicing In the name Ut James l.. jones'
he then Withdrew. only to turn up In Primary
school No. ~. in the seventeenth ward. where.
james L. Fox or Jones. OF the NEw YORK HrRALD."
Of some pseGdo reporters decepsions, and played
the educational censor to his hearts content.
FAREWELL APPEARANCE.
John Matthews. the soda water man, had the lamo
caller in his establishments lately but in spite %
the latter's warm comments the excellence OF
everything he saw the proprietor remained ~ cool
ono OF his own fountains. At that time the APP
partition vaSshed for space, and was not heard Of
till November 70. Thon Jones Fox or Cohen In
Railroad stable fire. in the full glare conhama
ton and the enjoyment OF an cluenlosynary cock
tail.