The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-04-18
Every Morning Except Sundays.
sCssC RIPTIONs
A SMART REPORTER.
How He Learned the Secrets of q LegIs-
Iative Caucus.

Iative Caucus.
louisville Courier-JournalI
Eakins was only 10 years old then, but
he attra, ted the attention of Col. Kelley,
of The Louisville Commercial. When the
session of the legislature began in October
the colonel resolved to send him to Frank
fort as that papers correspondent He
went to Frankfort with the determine
ton to unearth sensations, and he sue
ceeded. Many were the devices to which
he had to resort to obtain the news in
spite of the hostility of the members. One
of the cleverest and most amusing was
the way in which he obtained the pro-
Ceedings of the Democratic caucus For
the purpose of excluding him, it was re
solved to admit no newspaper men. A re-
porter is not easily daunted however, and
Eakins considered that all things were
fair in the enemy's camp The first even
ing thereafter he went into the upper
gallery of the house and hid under a row
of back seats. When the caucus was as
sembled, however, a search was ordered,
and Joe's feet were discovered sticking
out from under the bench by sergeant
alarms The official with laugh, or
dered him to come out, and when he
emerged, covered with dust and humilia-
ton, he was greeted with an enthusiastic
chorus of derisive yells.
He walked out but he did not give up
L.
house passed back into the cloak-rOom.
Securing stepladder he mounted, and
placing his ear to the pipe, heard every
word that was uttered. The voices of the
members were perfectly familiar to him
by this time, and his dispatch was
unusually full and complete. There was
great wonder the next day, and this was
Intensified when that evenings caucus pro
ceedings were also reported in detail It
a that q m
f1dence of some member, but the next day
the secret leaked out The door in the
cloak room was locked and the step-ladder
removed. Still, this did no good. Eakins
found means to be introduced into the
house early the next afternoon, and secret
ing himself behind book case, where, at
the cost of some personal discomfort, he
gemained during the caucus session. He
was able to do so only that time, as the
person by whose connivance he had
effected it was afraid to longer assist him.
Another resource was discovered, and
for two more nights the faithful reports
of the proceeding were kept up. The
third. evening after the roll had been
called the Hon. Laban T. Moore arose
and stated that the secretary had omitted
the name of one who had always taken
deep interest in their deliberations He
desired TO suggest that the secretary call
the name of Joseph Eakins, member from
the state-at large. His words were
greeted with cheers, and when the secre
faTy called out the name a voice said
Here" from one of the windows. Look
ing ont they found the indefatigable
correspondent seated on the limb of
a hugh tree which grew at a distance
of forty or fifty feet from the window.
He had climbed the tree nd crawled
out On huge branch, whose extremity
almost touched the shutters 1t was not
comfortable position up there. but the
reporter had piece of soft paper and
was writing up the proceedings as they
went on As fast as a sheet was finished
he dropped it to the ground, when it was
picked up by messenger and taken to
the telegraph office.
The spirit of opposition had not quite
died out the next evening, and guard
Syas placed over the tree The day fol
loEing, however, 1t was resolved to hold
the session with open doors and, when
Eakins came in a little after s o'clock he
was greeted with a perfect ovation of
shouts. yells and cheers. His plucky
fight had Won the hearts of all present,
and he had much smoother sailing the
remainder of the term.