West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1883-09-15
s."GATH."
A GRAPHIC PEN-PICTURE OF
THE wELLKNOwN POPU-. 1
LAR JOURNALIST.
His Systematic Methods of Work
"A Wonderful Memory and a
Carload ofSc. ZAP -Books-His
Personal Appearance.

Of course. He writes over the name
Of Gath, and he slings personalities
around him with free hand. In
consequence, he has made a great
many enemies. What 10 more, Gath
doesn's slway mind what he says.
OF course, he doesn't tell downright
whoppers, you know, but some of his
truths have an India rubber ttaoh-
ment, for the sake of convenience,
that is exceptionally aggravsting at
times. Not long ago Gath went
after Joe Howard with some state
ments about the lstter's private re-
lstions. which were not strictly gov
erned by the facts of the case. In
response to this. friend of Howsrd's
interviewed Gath according to the
rules OF the Boston prize ring. In
other words Gath was Knocked out
in one round. A sarcastic journalist
said to me that night. Townsend
won't fight. He belongs to the am
bulaDce corps Of journslism-goes
around with Geneva crors under
his arm. picking up the wounded
Nevertheless. Townsend is
AN ATTRACTIVE CUss
lie writes more matter than any one
man in America, and more of it is
probably called untrue. But his work
had the merit of uhA4gging interest
at all timea, and it helps the circul-
alton of the paper he writes for
I suppose no individual lournalist
in America is 30 much copied as
Townsend. and few if spy men get
such good prices for their work. AT
the time oi the. Chicago convention
for instance, be wrote page after
page for the Cincinnati Enquirer
and sold the same material TO the
Chicago Tribune. Each paper paid
him 500 column, and he used to
run as high ss nine or ten columns
Il day. OF course, he lid not do a !
the actual writing bimself. He had
three or four stenographers, and he
has learned The difficult task Of di-
tating with rspidity and at the same
time putting character into bis work
thus accomplished. Few newspaper
men who dictate give their produc-
tlons the same air oil individuality
which is possessed by the stuff they
turn out from the points Of their per-
sonal pens. 1t is only when man
is a better tslker than wri'er that
be lie able to carry his individuality
into ditstion. Townsend, however,
has got it down Gne. One other
thing about him is
HIS MEMORY.
whlob is Of most extraordinary de-
soription in regard to it's tenacity.
He is acquainted with pretty much
every body in the United States.and
| never knew him 10 forget either
a face or the name OF man ct all
prominen in politics or other branch.
es Of life, if be had once come in con-
tact with him, In Chicago Town
send ussd to drift around the hotel
lobbies and the outside edges OF the
Convention, stopping for moment
and chatting with everybody he met
who wac familiar TO him. or exchsng-
ing word here and there with
people he knew only oy reputation.
He lever took a note that | saw
duriUg the entire time, but he would
sit down eveery now and then with
his short hand man snd loap them
up one after the other with the ma
terial gathered during the day. He
wrote but little with his own hand,
bot The matter be turned out wss
certainly Of spicy and Interesting
character.
Beyond all this power Of memory
and facility Of expression Townsend
has very sympsthstic method Of
doing what he is about. Ia one
room in the house be has the walls
lined with sOarp booze. which are
iDdsKsd thoroughly. II man comes
suddenly into prominence, or any-
thing happens to draw hin before
! The public, TOwnssnd takes down