St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-05-30
NEWSPAPER GOSSIP.
Several Cases Of interviewing
Under Difficulties.
How Arthur Fooled the Reporters The
Northwestern Press Association
A strange Case of Absent
Mindedness, Etc.

'sPeople think, " remarked an old
newspaper man day or two ago, ''that
because we are necessarily forced to APP
pear more or less before the public in
any one of dozen roles, we do not
know any such a quality as embarrass-
ment. But | tell you right here, that
very often the best newspaper man is
the most subdued and retiring. A man
may 60 through fire and water when
duty requires it, but it's no great pleas
ure for him. People who have been in
teryiewed on some topic or other-and
who mas not-wonder at the supreme
GOODNESS of the trained newspaper man,
and well they may. But if they had
seen, as did, tile boys try to interview
President Arthur, their wonder would
have suffered terrible stroke of paraly-
sis When Arthur returned from the
Yellowstone in the summer of 1888, he
stopped over day at the Grand Pacific,
Chicago. Each of its papers sent its
best man to interview the President,
giving each man carte blanche as to
topics to be discussed. When the first
man arrived and sent up his card, the
President was busy. One by one the
BOYS dropped in. Each eyed the other
askance but could do nothing. When
all were present, the President sent
down word that he would see the neWs-
paper men in a body. There was no
help for it, so up they all went Mr..
40 -
The boys filed into the parlor and
stood in row, hat in hand. Soon the
inner door opened and the PRESIDENT
well-known features hove in sight. He
bowed gracefully. The boys bowed
not quite so gracefully. The President
stood in the position of attention for .
few minutes The boys looked blank
and miserable. One nudged another,
and so it went down the line. The
President saw that they were embar-
raised, and gradually smile stole over
his countenance. He waited in vain.
Suddenly he said: Well gentlemen,
what is ftp Not word could any one
say-ideas seemed gone. First one
and then another tried to ask a ques-
ton but it was no good. The President
smiled and the boys turned red in the
face. This was kept up for what seemed
hours to them. Then they all turned
and walked out. They could hear Ar
thur laugh as the door closed. The re-
ports the next day were not very diff
fuse as regarded an interview with the
President Even to this day it is a
standing Joke as to how the five best
men in Chicago didn't interview the
President
Talking about cool nerve in the
newspaper man when duty calls for a
display of that quality = continued the
veteran, after he had taken a Whit or
two at his cigar, Billy Knox, one OF
the handsomest men on the Daily Neacs,
and one of the best allround men in the
West, took the prize some three years
AGO. Billy was on the Herald at the
time. John i. Ballantyne, now of the
Nevs, was city editor and general
supervisor of the Herald then. That
paper was making a fierce fight on the
Associated Press. The Northwestern
Press Associations branch Of the As
sociated Press-was in the habit OF
holding its annual meetings in Chicago
Ballantyne got on to the fact that there
was much dissatisfaction with the sery-
ice presided over by William Henry
Smith. How to get the full proceed
ings was the question. Billy Knox
dressed quietly, had big blonde mus
tache and wore a slouched hat. He
looked enough ike an editor of paper
in a town of medium size to pass
muster. One of the other boys on the
Herald was instructed to go to the room
where the Northwestern Press was
meeting. walk in just before the meet
ing began and sit down. He, of course,
would be fired as an interloper Then
Knox, who was to be on hand, was
ordered to walk in and sit down quiet
". The plan worked Ike charm. 1t
happened that one of the Northwestern
men was absent. He was not well
known and it was taken for granted
that Knox represented him. Knox, OF
course. could not take notes. but his
memory was excellent. After the meet
ing the young fellow who had been there
at first and been fired, returned and