New-York tribune., 1884-11-03
An INSIDE TIEW or TIE PCCK OFFICE.
now PUCK BECAME A CLEVELAND oRGAN-iiIs-
TORY OF IT'S RISE AID FALL.


nov prcK nrcAyE A CLEVELAND oRGAN-HIs-
TORY OF IT'S RISE AID FALL.
In one of the suits brought in the supreme
Court by b. b. Valentine. former editor OF
.Pnek." against his co-pnbh-hcr and the pres
,nt editor of that paper, answer has been
fled aud the case placed the calendar for trial at an
early dav While the difficulty Is a business one, 1t -
also to great extent. the outgrowth of disagree
men as TO the policy of the paper during the present
political campaign. "Puck was established III -"
by Joseph Kepper. formerly an artist in the employ oi
Frank Leslie Adolph Schwarzmann, aGcrn an printer
j. b. Valentine, an American newspaper man. ana H.
C. Bhnner, his literary associate. IL was dehgned 10
be partisan comic Journal. and was printed III
two editions English and one German. FROM
small BEGINNINGS it grew gradually to have large
weekly circulation but the cxgences Of such an ul-
dcrakinq in the face of repeated failures Of comic
papers and in the absence of any capital in starting
made its orginators partners in the success OF the
enterprise.
Mr. Valentine, who, along with others, had an
interest in the contingent profits Bwas desirous in the
present canvass of maintaining the attitude which
had formerly marked the course of the paper. Mr.
Schwarzmaun, it seems inclined to affiliate with
the Independent Republicans, and was anxious to turn
over puck to the support OF Cleveland MI Naileh
tine. sncaking ON this subject, sald To IiiEUNE
representative yesterday: ,.
In 1917 atmonth or two after thc English edition
started, it looked as if tue paper would soon nave
to close publication. In fact, on several occasions
Schwarzman left orders in the composing room th3t
copy should moi be set up Ieopc dd not take kihIy
to it, Few copies sold. The Puck OF thai day
was widely different from what il was few years
later The publishers not being journalists, and with
the drawback of being foreigners. had pecular d's
to What paper OF the kind ought to oc. bad very
distinct ideas the subject kepplcr aud HchWar1-
man, sshould say, Schwarznann who, while toialiy
untitled tor the task. has always assumed to be editor
| Tho. nj
timed stories from British magaz nes ana inserting
picture serious subjects, and others OF an unsuitable
and offensive character. 1t required much argument
for "A long period to convince him that these Things
were not adapted the American taste, but ulrl-
| ately succeeded to certain extent.
"Ihe paper slowly improved and when II began 10
pay better there less disposition on the part oi
Schwarzmann to encourage the production oi
| pictures or cartoons of a prIercnt character.
| In 1850 " Puck " became established financial
success, although the prejudice against II was great
and many people would not allow IT IN their housJS
| The paper made great deal of money. enough to
enable the pJoprietors to buy handson honsc1 ana
| fine horses and carriages. Kepplcr and schwaZ,
were lavish III their promises TO me that should
participate in their good fortune but up 10 the present
| moment have not done 50 to the smallest extent
1T j. for thi. reason that | have commenced SUIT
| They were poor struggling men when joined them
and now that they are rich they have become more
penurou-, and have shown less disposition to carry
out their agreements have said that SchWarlinann
assumed TO be the editor of the paper. This j. abso
lutely true lie intcrieFes unnt.l'gehhlN anu ha
blunderingy with every department, whether he
knows anything about II or not. let III -pltt Ol ihl-
meddling with matters which he does not undcrStaud
Puck" has been good paper When anything
objectionable has appeared il has always been against
my wish The paper would be still better if It's jun
ior proprietor would stick hi, in the conposing
room. and the editorial artistic depart
ments
If any one feels uncomfortable account of any
cartoon that has appeared Puck il Is well that be
shoud know who thc man j. who cla ns to do these
things or give the ideas Tor them. IL il not Mr. Gillian
or Mr.. kcppcr Mr.. Opper or myself. II Is Mr..
Schwarzmann and he will continue to assume 10 sli III
Judgment everybody, suppose 20 long az ne hnd.
II pays What illness he possesses for the position
have endeavored to explain Puck. regret 10 say
is neither a moral honest paper although have
done my bs make it both. II took the Democratic
side in thi, campaign because it telicvcd would sell
more papers by 80 doing There no high principle
about it al all IA The result has ahowr. the abandon
mcnf Of the former partisan character of the paper
was "A gricyous mistake. Many readers have been
lost i'm consequences An opening has lcen aorcd to
rival papers in the field and the defeat OF tlevc
land would quite destroy the influence hitherto eXcricd
by the uticranccs of the paper This loss, a. VIII be
seen falls not SchwarzmInn alone but on 1ll OF s
II depr,ciacs the value of the paper and decreases
whnt ought 10 be large profits. go
"Ihc nrcc-RaTy developments from these suits viii
scarcely he OF n nature 10 sustain the exalted prors
snns of superior purity and upiightne-8 which have
characterized the paper since 1t became Cleveland
organ aud will be shown that the application oi Oh"
same lofty principles which " Puck has been a'vo-
eating for the Washington Government would not be at
all aluiss in its own Warren 4. office.