The Portland daily press., 1884-01-21
journalism in Deadwood.
Difficulties Under Which the Black Kills
Editor LabOrs.

(Deadwood Letter to st. Paul Pioneer PressJ
journalism in the Black Hills is not al
ways the most pleasant occupation to be
followed remember, several years ago,
when Deadwood, ''camp" and not q city
in any sense, was wild and often lawless,
and all nights were hideous, that an elec-
tion was held, the first, l believe, following
the organizion of counties. Two tickets
were in the field-a ''people's'' and the reg
ular Democratic. The Times championed
the former and the Miner the latter. The
editor of the Times had graduated from one
of the metropolitan offices in the east, was
young, energetic and possessed "sand." He
dished it up for the boys at lively rate,
and as as a result much bad blood was
speedily manifested. AS the campaign pro-
gressed proceedings became more and more
interesting, as ''shot" after "shot'' daily
passed between the rival organs, until the
climax was reached a day or two before
election, when the Times came out with a
double-leaded article alleging that the oppo-
sition ticket included government default
er, an escaped convict and one other, whose
particular depravity as alleged l cannot now
recall. The paper declared its statement
absolutely true, as 1t was prepared to de-
monstrate if necessary. No names vera
mentioned, and therein rested the aggrava-
tions or particular offense of the article,
inasmuch as each one of the IS individuals
composing the ticket arrogated the rehec-
tions to himself and felt called upon to re-
sent it. Scenting war, the editor, immedi-
ately upon the appearance of the sheet,
passed down the rear stairway and proceed
ed to his hotel, but was there only q minute
or two when he was summoned by messen-
ger to the Office. He complied with fear
and trembling, and found the sanctum in
the possession of set of the widest, most
boisteroHs and demonstrative set of men he
had ever met They were mad clear
through, and no sooner espied the shivering
scribe than they proceeded with their COM
pliments. They had called, they SAID, to
clean out the office-to teach the miserable
quill-driver that he could notinsult them with
impunl:y, or anything else; and they were
proceeding with their work, when the ap-
pointed sheriff, Bullock, the peoples nomi-
nee, and posse crowded into the room,
firearms in hand, and after much parleyiDg,
but no violence, dispersed the mob. All
night long, and for several days, the Office
was barricaded with bundles of print paper,
while compositors worked with shotguns
and rifles conveniently near their cases in
| expectation of an attack. Such was never
| made, and in time the whole affair blew
| over.
was reminded of this incident a day or
| two ago by an occurrence that is now tho
| talk of the town, and has given rise to
| controversy and pickering that many days
will not heal. The editor of q Deadwood
| daily took brief vacation--for the benefit
| of his health, 1 presume-supplying the
1 . ~ ..-st1 fIxy frAF -.
east, who, although good journalist,
scarcely understood the customs Of the
| country or the proprieties of the Office, as
| evidenced by the appearance in the very
| first issue of the paper under the temporary
regime of a strong article against gamblers
and gamblng-one of the not least import
| ant "indastries" of the city. 1t was neither
vindicIiye nor personal article, nor one Of
| particularly local application, but 1t was
sufficient to raise the ire Of the sporting
fraternity, or at least of a certain few, who
promptly declared an intention of boycot-
ting the Office and of never forgiving the
parties responsible for the distasteful publi-
cation. On the following day a column
communication appeared in a rival sheet,
over the signatures of prominent gamblers,
anathematZing the paper and proprietors
that had given offense, and attempting to
justify their business by comparing Its
character now with what it was in early
days, when ''the camp was infested with
sharpers, and where all games were crook
ed;'' and declaring that card-playing was no
worse than church fair lotteries and kindred
enterprises. This short-sighted allusion
aroused the ill-wil of numerous old-time
sporting men. still residents of the city, and
the clergy. The former are more indignant
than he class first offended. In fact, there
is breach in the ranks that will not sIeed-
| iIy c ose, and rich developments are expect
ed. A number of communications from the
clergy have appeared, with more to follow.