The Portland daily press., 1883-07-03

venom.
During conversation with one Of the
writers ON the National Republican, an old
New York journalist gives the following
breezy story of how Greeley was killed, and
Whitelaw Reid elected to the position of ed-
tor and almost sole proprietor of the New
York Tribune:
''Some time after the war Whitelaw Reid
was knocking around looking for good
opening. lie was one of those lucky war
correspondents who were required by the
war department or some other ruling mar
tial authority to attach nom de plume to
everything they sent TO their journals from
the front. This gave to their work person
atty and force that would not otherwise
have attached to it, and when tho war was
over Mack, Reid and few others were we'll
known. Horace Greeley had seen some of
Whitelaw Reld's work and liked it. He
gave the young man situation ON the Trib-
une. II was one of those unsettled posi-
tons one sometimes strikes on newspaper,
and Reid was discontinued. The salary was
only $50 week, and he saw no immediate
prospects of advancement. One day he
went TO see John Swinton, now chief Of
staff on the Sun, who was then managing
editor of the Times, and asked him for a
job, telling him he was not getting enough
to enable him to live as he wanted to live
There was no place open on the Times just
then, but Swinton promised to give him
show the first opportunity that was pre-
sented. Not long afterward he wrote Reid,
offering him work, but the latter called to
say that he had been promoted and his sala-
ry increased, and that he believed he would
not change. He had been promoted to do
scrub editorial, as the light paragraph work
was called.
cat this period John Russell Yonng was
managing editor of the Tribune and Amos
Cummings city editor. Young was conced-
ed to be one of the very best newspaper men
of America, and his prospects were brilliant.
Now comes the queer incident that upset
everything and caused a general shaking up.
John Russell Young sent message to
Amos Cummings one day with note giving
instructions about some assignment of work.
At the moment the boy gave the the note to
Cummings the latter was telling a tramp
printer who was importuning him for a dol
lar that he would not give him anything
Now, Amos, just gimme dollar this
time, won't yer?' pleaded the banner-car-
rier.
"'Fll be id if l will,' responded the
iraseible Cummings.
The messenger waited to hear no more
He flew back to Young and breathlessly told
him Cummings had taken his note and then
said he would be id if he would do it.
Without waiting to make inquiries,
Young wrote note to Cummings, discharg-
ing him peremptorily. The beheadeG city
editor tried to see the manager and get an
explanation, but Young would not give him a
hearing, and sent The curt message, You
are guilty of insubordnation and profanity
Years before this Cummings had saved
Robert Bonner from heavy loss by fire, and
the Ledge editor on that occasion had told
tfie young man to call on him if he ever
wanted favor. Cummings gave him call
and reminded him of the circumstance
What can do for you?' asked Bonner.
You can give me letter to Charles A.
Dana. want position on the Sum- Dana
was under the very greatest obligations to
Bonner, who had advanced his money to
pay for his stock in the Sun. Armed with
friendly note from Bonner, Cummings
called on Dana. 1t SO happned that they
were making some changes in the force at
that juncture, England, the managing
editor, having been put in charge of the
business office, and other men moved about.
What did you leave the Tribune for, Amos?'
asked Dana.
'''I was discharged for alleged insubor-
dination and profanity was the reply
for managing editor said Dana, and Amos
was forthwith installed in that position. A
few weeks afterward the Sun published a
full-paged sensation charging John Russell
Young with stealing associated press dis
patches and sending them to Philadelphia
paper. Young lost his place, lost caste and
lost prestige. Two or three years after
ward Cummings met him on the street and
greeted him with: We'll, - you, you dis
charged me for insubordination and pro-
family, and | discharged you for stealing.
Honors are easy. Good-day.'
"Jim Bennett, however, liked Young, and
gave him rowing commission on the herald
at 800 week and expenses. He reported
for the Herald from Paris for several years,
then went around the world with Grant for
year and wrote big book about it, then
settled down in the Herald as an editorial
writer at $4,000 a year, until, through
Grants influence, aided by his journalistic
brethren, he was made minister to the celes-
tial kingdom, where he now is.
"Whitelaw Reid was advanced to Young's :
chair, and when Horace Greeley temporarily
retired from the control of the paper to run
for president, Reid was put in charge at 800
per week. 1t is generally supposed that
Greeley died because he failed of election.
That is mistake. He died of broken
heart because he thought that while he had
been out he had been undermined by the
man whom be had elevated His editorials
would not De published, and when he would
protest he found he was without voice.
He also discovered that the circulation of
the weekly had dropped from 10000 10
10000, and the daily from $4,000 to next to
nothing. ALI these causes combined to
break the old mans mind and kill him. No
jury would say that he was murdered; but
have heard things said by those who were in
a position to know how he was treated
after that unfortunate campaign.
'sIf John Russell Young had not penned
that hasty note to Amos Cummings dis
charging him, it is altogether probable that
in the natural course of events he would
have succeeded Greeley, and been the owner
OF the Tribune to-day instead of Whiteaw
Reid, and that the latter would still be hold
ing subordinate, no-account sort of a place
on one of the New York dailies, or perhaps
Greeley might never have been pursuaded
against his better judgement to become a
candidate for president That rattle pated,
messenger boy did more mis-