Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-14
A NEWS SUIT,
How an EnterPrisins Reporter Gets News
Of Yacht Raes-A Telescope and a
Cannon-e5,oOO Damages Wanted.

Storer against the Fall River Globs is like
ly, incidentally, to give the public consider.
able OF an inside view Of the methods
adopted by the press associations to obtain
almost simultaneously with its occurrence
the news of the hour and furnish 1t to the
readers of the daily journals Mr.. Storer
Is telegraph operator In the employ of the
United Press, at Fall river and last Sep
tember, when the races were sailed
between the Mayiower and the
Galate8, he copied, as part
of the news budget of the day, reports of
that great international event. The offices
of the Herald and the Globe are in ad-
Joining buildings, and Mr.. StOrer did his
work in the editorial room of the former
On that occasion the GIobe also had a wire
and an operator on its premises, and there
being a similarity between some of the
brief dispatches received by the Globe,
through the Western Union Telegraph
Company. and some that were printed,
among many, in the Herald, the Globe
jumped to the conclusion that Mr.. StOrer
had overheard the Western Union instru-
ment through the open window, and one
of its writers charged him, in a
singing editorial, with the theft of the
Globes dispatches. The gravity of the
charge and the high standing of Mr.. Storer
served to make the publication the talk of
the town for several days, and he promptly
brought suit for libel. laying the damages
al So 900. The case soon comes I'D for ar
gument on demurrer, and Mr.. Storers
counsel will introduce affidavits made by
various persons connected with The United
Press showing that part of the reports
printed in the Herald were furnished by
the associations special repreSentaye at
the Highlands of Nayesink. and that part
were condensed from vOluminOus data
which the United Press purchased in New
York City from the Western Union Tele-
graph CO., but which it used only in part,
because when received from time to time,
considerable of the data SO obtained had
been anticipated several minutes by its own
reporter.
The reporter in question, who describes
himself as ''Chas. II. Davis, a resident of
Planfeld, in the state of New Jersey, a
newspaper writer, artist and ex-telegraph-
er, pleasantly relates i'll his affidavit his
mOduS OperGRdi of reporting yacht races.
Referring TO the inside race the affidavit
reads: The deponent further says that OH
the eth day of September, 1856, he was
especially engaged by Walter p. Phillips.
secretary and general manager of the United
Press, news association, organized and
existing under the laws of the state
of New York, having its principal
office at No. 1s7 Broadway, in the city
fot New York, to go to WadswOrth in
New York harbOr, for the purpose of re-
porting for the said association the inter
national race sailed on said day betN cen
the British Yacht Galatea and the American
yatcht Mayfiower; that pursuant to an ar
rangement which he is informed and be-
lieves had been duly made between said
Phillips and the Baltimore and Ohio Tele-
graph Company, for the use of one of the
wires OF said company, running in the vi
cinity of Fort Wad>worth, he caused it to
be connected at the base of the bluff over
looking the fortilicatiOn. with about two
thousand feet of insulated wire which he
caused TO be stretched along the ground
and up the bluff; the said in /
sulated wires becoming in fact part of the
Baltimore Ohio lines; and further, that
he conducted the end of said insulated wire |
to the top of cannon planted in a COM
manding position upon the summit of the
bluff, where he attached instruments and
had direct and instantaneous .teiegraphic
communication with the said principal Off 9
of the United Press at 1877 Broadway, New
ok; that by means OF a powerful tele- 4
scope he made observations of the progress /
of said race, every part of the course being
distinctly visible 10 him: and that being a
telegraph operator he transmitted a report
of his observations by telegraph with his
own hand. without writing them out on pa
per, TO the said principal office of the Unit
ed Press"
All of which is instructive. as showing
the perfection to which the art of news
gathering is being carried in this serious age
OF competition. Nor is the comedy element
lacking in this curious case, for the well
kept records of the United Press show that
in ten seconds after the yachts had crossed
the line its entire system of day wires,
which had been kept open later than usual
TO report the result Of the race. haH been
closed. and every paper reached by its lines
knew that the Americas cup was
safe. Remembering this and divining
how it must have been accomplished
the reader can scarcely keep out of his
mind the mirth-provoking spectacle of the
versatile reporter lOftily mounted with
watch in hand, his eye glued to his tele-
scope, and with the fretful little instrument
pinched between his knees, where he could
seize it readily and tell the world that the
MayfOwer had come home a gallant win
ner. 1t is to be regretted that Mr.. DaAis,
whose chief business it is to make pictures
for the newspapers, has not accompanied
his affidavit with free hand sketch Of his
own appearance on an occasion when the
gunner discarded powder, and made the
lightning his ready servant
Before tackling the clearinghouse steak,