The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-01-04
GREELEY'S DISCOVERY.
HOW THE TRIBUNE PHILOSOPHER
FOUND AMOS ]. CUMMINGS.
Tho Typesetter.s First Interview with
the Famous EDITOR Something Tho
Tribune Had to Take Back--Reading
pana,s Choice Obituaries.

AO AyPesoteES Ese Aneersie" WIN
the Famous EdttOr - Something Tho
Tribune Had 70 Take Racls-Read,nc
r..,. c,.,.. o,.,..-..
The cleverest newspaper men, when pushed
into the walks Of craftsmanship, have rarely
fulfilled the promises of their journalistic ca
reers. But 1 look for a different result in
Amos ]. Cummings case. He has an abund-
ance OF that rare mental commodity known
as horse sense. There is nothing of the the
orist about him. he is eminently practical,
earnest, energetc, courageous and honest
know OF no young man who ever entered
congress with brighter prospects. He was
offered $4,000 year-as much as his con-
gressionai salary--to write over his own sig
nature one letter a week for a newspaper
about the doings OF the house.
Cummings name brings to my mind his inf
airect connecUon with tne newspaper killing
OF number OF American statesmen for
whom the last trump had not been blown---or
played, whichever You prefer. When Horace
greeley, one OF the best and profanest OF
men, was editor OF The Tribune, Amos Cum
mings entered the employ OF that newspaper
as typesetter. lie then lived in Newark.
One afternoon The Evening Telegram pub
shshed report OF the death of William
wright United states senator from New
Jersey IL was an event in the political
world, ana ereeiey wrote an editorial upon
II. 1t fell to Cummings lot to place por-
ton OF the article III type. Having just come
from his New Jersey home, he knew that the
report OF senator Wr1ghts death was I'M
true, and so informed the foreman of the
composing room, VINO told him that he should
go down stairs and tell the old man."
INTERVIEWING HIS CHIEF.
Cummings, with his sleeves rolled up, and
still wearing his ink smeared apron. walked
into the sanctum of the Sage of Chappa-
qua, and in his blunt way said: "Senator
Billy Wright is not dead.
LOOKING up, ureeiey, IN his peculiar fall
setoo voice, exclaimed; Who in - are
your
II work xpstairs in the composing room,"
was the quiet answer
Young man., squeaked out Greeley,
you're - fool 60 read The Telegram"
The young printer said not another word,
Duo walked upstairs and finished putting IN
type the editorial sermon over the living SEN
ators body. Two days afterward The Trib-
une was Obliged TO correct its false state
ment OF Wrights death.
1t did not take Greeley long to find that
Cummings was not fool, and it was not
very long before the typesetter was city
editor OF the great journal. At that time
there were two New York congressman bear
ing the name Of James M. Humphreys. One
was from Buffalo, and a Democrat; the other
was from Brooklyn, and Republican, and
was at one time postmaster of that city. The
news editor, Otterson, IN recording in the
columns OF The Tribune their votes on inn
portant public measures almost invariably
mixed them up In one way or another and
led Mr. Greeley into mistaken criticism that
filed him with agony.
GLAD TO HEAR 1T.
One night the dear old man walked into
the editorial room and asked is there any
news on which he could make editorial conn
ment congressman Humphreys is dead y
answered Cummings.
SIS her sqneaked Greeley, "Tm - glad
TO hear it. Now The Tribune can be right
about his vote. What have YOU got about
himsn he continued, turning to Otterson.
The news editor promptly reeled off what
he had before him about the Brooklyn Re-
publican. Greeley went down stairs and wrote