Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-20
BUILDISG A NEWSPAPER.
The Romance Of LOndOn's Great
Penny Paper, the Daily
Telegraph.

Dion Boueieault, in San Francisco Call.
"But perhaps this talk is not 50
palatable as that plate. Let us come
from the abstract to tie concrete.
Did you ever hear the history of the
London Daily Telegraph, the present
great penny paper Of LondonP MOI
Well, it is sort of trade romance.
| knew the paper when it was strug
Cling in the depths Of poverty. II
was originally owned by a man named
Sleigh, who could not make it pay.
He parted with it to Smith, and from
his hands it came to the present own
ers, the Lawsons, whose family name
some years ago was Levy. When
Smith was wrestling with the Tele.
graph, Lionel Brough, the actor, was
an attache Of the office, book.keeper,
salesman-a sort Of general man Of
all work-and they owed him few
hundred pounds Of back salary,
Smith, getting desperate at the re.
peated knock downs fortune gave him
told Brough he could take the whole
concern, if he would, in payment Of
the amount due him. This was de.
INJURED to, Brough saying be would
rather hold Smith, who was worth
something. than take a newspaper
worth nothing"
THAT was the time Lionel whistled
his fortune down the wind"
~ am not so sure Of that. The
paper was something, it is true; but
management and industry we're great
deal more, Brough was not blessed
largely with either quality. The
Levys were, and, besides, they knew
the business. Old man Levy, who
was q manufacturer of printing ink
and who hao a lien on the Office, took
it over for a mere song. He was
aiterward Joined by his brother,
who has since changed his name t.
Lawson, and his own son, Edward
who became famous subsequently as {
man about town and by his rencontrC
with Labouchere, and the legal trouble
growing out of it. But at the time
they took hold Of the Daily Telegraph
all the Levys we're sharp, shreWd meI
Of the world. There were no leak
about the establishment, and every
penny they made told. Edward, OF
Ted, as he was called, is practica
printer, and | have known him 10 re
turn TO the Office after the theater wa
out and set up long eritique Of th,
play directly from the case. The
raised the Telegraph from nothing L
position equal in importance anC
profit to that Of the Times. Dizzy wa
great friend; but a greater was theil
own we'll directed Ienergy. YoI
remember the Lawson Labouchert
lawsuit. Labby, who managed hi
own suit, made it unaccOuntably ho
Tor Ted when he had him on the wit
ness stand, especially when an answer
to one Of his questions being required
he demonstrated the fact that thu
Daily Telegraph proprietor, the repre-
sentative Of the third estate, so called
of the force that moves the world
did not know whether CoDstaHtino.
pie was 10 Asia, Africa or America
Old Levy. who died some years ago
was fast one, with all his years. liz
owned the Gaiety Theater, of which
Hollingshead is the manager. The
uncle and nephew now remain as man.
ayers of the Telegraph. have heard
that Sergeant Ballentine, the eminent
Queens counsel. had a small pecuni,
airy interest in the paper; but Of THU
| know nothing. l only know thu
proprietors have a princely fortune al
the result Of their labors."