Omaha daily bee., 1883-12-13
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Chilled from Our Exchanges.
\ lucky Newspaper Man.

l saw young John McLeans, who owns
The Cincinnati Enquirer and bosses one
half of the Ohio democracy in Wizards
hotel the other night. II was Just be.
fore the election of speaker, and Mclean
and Joe Hickey, a sporting gentleman of
st. Louis, were talking about the pros
poets. Hickey wanted Mclean to bet.
Mclean refused, saying he knew nothing
about the contest and was not interested
in it. Hickey reported that Mclean was
afraid, and made the assertion that The
Cincinnati Enquirer was easily bluffed.
Mclean replied that he was never afraid
to bet on an even thing, and if Hickey
was really bound to bet he would give
him a chance. With that he pulled out
a silver dollar, laid 1t on the counter and
covered it with his hand. Now Joe
hickey" said he, "ln match you for
1900. If you are so anxious to bet,
there is your chance" Hickey locked a
little funny at this, but finally replied
"all right, tishod a quarter out of his
pocket and laid it on the counter beside
the hand of John Mclean. Mclean
then asked, els the money to be paid in
cash or draftsl" Drafts on New York"
cNiN MUMMY. liz VIC Nplltlllitu, bllll
keeping his hand over his coin, "Woll,
are you matching me, or am l matching
you2" 81 am matching you, replied
Hickey. "All right" said Mclean,
and he removed his hand. The
tail of Rickey's quarter lay side
by side with the head of Mclcan's
dollar, and Mclean won his bet. Hickey
took a draft from his pocket, handed it
over to Mclean, and the two went off
together.
This is a good instance of McLean's
luck. He is one of the most fortunate
fellows living, and everything he touches
seems to turn into cash. Less than ten
years ago he took charge of The Cinoin-
natl Enquirer, when it was but little
known outside of Cincinnati, and had
about six thousand circulation. Now it
goes over the whole country, has nearly
eighty thousand circulation, and could not
be bought for less than n million and a
half. John Mclean owns every dollar of
it, and he has besides a lot of real estate
in Cincinnati and other property, which
puts him high up in the rank of million
aires. He runs The Enquirer on business
principles, pays cash for everything, and
every Saturday night is out of debt. He
was in Europe studying German when his
father wrote him to come home and 60
into the office. He did so, commencing
at directing envelopes, and he has since
then served in everyposition on the paper.
Even now he watches everything about
the Office closely. He reads every line
in the paper, and usually goes over il
with an amanuensis at his side, to whom
he issues instructions as he goes along,
He watches the local columns closely.
and when he sees a g%oodlocal item writes
it out himself, as he also often does the
introduction to any prominent local fea'
: ture in the paper. He is we'll liked b!
his employees, and they look OH hin
rather as a friend than as task master
John Mclean is now 30 years old. I'll
weighs $50 pounds and is the picture q
health. He has a big, round head
slightly bald, a bright, black eye, ant
fat, rosy cheeks. His hair is black ant
his mustache of a reddish brown. He
well educated, talks French and German
and converses well. He is unmarried
and if he says in Washington this sea
son, as | understand he will, he will b
one of the best of matrimonial catches