Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1880-11-18
ycs guseles Atrala.
KEN WARD PHILIP.
1 Sketch Of the Alleged Porser of the Mercy
Letter.
Philadelphia Press.l .

skstoh Of the Alleged Porger Of the Mcrey
Letter.
philadelphia Press.l.
Kenward Philip, the assistant
editor Of the Truth, who was ar
zested for completely in the forgery
ok the Chinese letter, Is q little fell
low with . high forehead and
reatless eye. His reputation as
practical joker is metropolitan If
not national, and he Is never per-
leotly happy unless when engaged
In the preparation of something
funny. II 1T be true that lie Is the
author Of the. Chinese letter, it
n then without doubt that he did
the thing for the purpose Of graft
flying his desire TO quietly enjoy
the discontinue its publication
would occasion. He has been a
politician In the local affairs of
Brooklyn for many years, although
he was never naturalized and
never attempted to vote. He is
the bosom friend of Thomas Kin
eeIla. the editor of the Brooklyn
Engie, = Democratic organ. and
Was ~ one time employed upon
that paper as general writer.
His bnsluess of late years has been
serial story-writing Of the blood
and-thunder character for Norman
l.. Monroe's Family Story Paper,
and when the Dramatic Ne,os was
'otsrtod his were the earliest and
moet readable contributions.
Rhitp Il about 38 years of age, an
8ngIlshman by birth, and is the
con OF the fouder and one time edi.
Cor Of the London Standard. He
a 3 descriptive aud humorous'wrl-
ter OF the very highest order Of
ability, and as companionable and
jolly . dog a. any one would care
80 know. As the editor Ut a re-
Gently deceased, but once. brilliant
Journal, the Brooklyn Sunday
6ss, he kept the staid Inhabitants
Of the City of Churches in condi-
fion OF the greatest excitement by
his exasperating personalities. He
seemed gifted with the power of
penetrstiDg.
THE WEAKNESSES OF PEOPLE,
And was so uniformly successful in
hitting the mark that there was
never = period during his editor
ship that he wasn't pursued by at
least . dozen irate citizens who
would have beensglad of the oppor.
tunlty 10 quarter him. A fellow of
Infinite jest, he never found HIM
self In position from which he
l.. Il
Tying, and his ability to get out of
= tight place without a scratch is
proverbiAl. He was once in New
York on q lark, and, as was usual
with him, spent all his money and
exhausted his resources for the re.
plenishment OF his purse before he
thought Of returning home to
Brooklyn. It WAS only penny to
cross the ferry, but Philip hadn't
even that. His credit was ex-
hausted with the ferry gate.keeper,
and to most men under similar cir
eumstances the case would have
appeared hopeless. Philip only
ehuckled as he cut button from
his coat and slowly approached
the ferry gate. Crowds were fling
through the narrow passageway at
the foot of Fulton street, so he
waited until the whistle blew and
the boat was about to start. Then
he rushed through the gate, and
throwing his button down, man.
aged to get inside the railing before
the ferry keeper detected tn fraud,
-sykhen the latter called to him to
come back, Philip, with u patroniz.
ing flourish OF his hand, told him
TO "never mind the change" and
sprang upon the boat just as 1t was
leaving the dock. After that he al
ways visited New York by the way
Of che Wall-street ferry. He would
stop on Broadway where the crowds
were thickest and peer down coal
grating In the sidewalk with a faci-
VI expression OF tho utmost horror,
aud when the street became impa
sible from the crowds that had
gathered to see what was the mat
ter, Philip would slip off and
chuckle at his little joke. When
IL IL known that he Is
LITTLE ABOVE FIVE FEET HIGH,
And built in proportion, the abb
surdity Of his published challenge
IN the Clipper, some years ago, to
hight any man in the world at
Catch.weights, will be appreciated.
People Of the p'cns sort have al
ways been the victims OF hi- jaeos.
ity. at 2 Methodist revival in
brooklyn, some years ago. he pre-
~ ntec himself at tbp mon iers'
p,snar, and after his supposed con-
version delivered prayer bich
WAS . mode. @. ea1AeslDesa and
simplicity. Having accused him.
self Of almost every conceivable
crime, entering into the details of
1t least fifteen horrible murders
which he had committed, he horri-
Ned the assembled worshIppers 10y
drawing q paint brush across his
throat and rushing out of the build.
Ing apparently bleeding to death.
As = writer, he was and still IL
brilliant. He wrote a series of
sketches for the Eagle some
time ago under the heading of
"Pickwick In America" which
were as captivating as anything
ever written by Dickens himself.
II was sourse of great pleasure
to him to write an article in one
paper and then tear it to pieces in
an opposition Journal, and moth
Ing gave him greater delight
than TO blackguard himself. The
Dramatic News used TO assail him
10 the most violent manner, attrib-
uttDg to him the most outrageous
of1enses known to the law. AT the
time these attacks appeared Philip
WAS practically editor of the paper,
and was himself the sole author OF
the abuse. He Is Is man of the
most prodigal liberality, a well
come guest wherever he presents
himself and is pretty fair sample
Of the once famous but now almost