The Washington critic., 1888-07-19
OLD NEWSPAPER ROW. !"
Among the Noted Correspondents of
a BygOne Era,
BRIGHT AND BRAINY MEN
A Messenger Boys Recollections
of Sc venteen Years Ago.

Seventeen years have produced many
changes in the personnel of Newspaper
Row.
Many of the correspondents who once
occupied those classic precincts-bright
and shining lights of journalism-have
gone to that better land where the last
good night" gives place to more glori-
Gus day and no tired and sleepy messen-
ger awaits the summons to rush the
last batch of copy to the telegraph office.
The following constitute the "Old
Guard' of the Row and largely represent
its bygone glories and triumphs: I
General II. v. Boynton.
General Boynton is now .the veteran of
the Row. In appearance h65 little be-
low the medium height, of spare build
and Weighing between 1870 and 140
pounds, his hair sprinkled with gray and
a gray beard surrounding his lace lie
is quiet in demeanor and pleasant in con-
versation; and no one would judge him
TO be the caustic writer that he Is and
brave soldier that he was. He was born
in Berkshire County, Mass. fifty-three
years ago and his parents moved to Ohio
when he was 1 years of age. He gradu-
ated from the Kentucky Military Insti-
tute IN 1858 and was a professor of me-
chnnics and astronomy in the years
1S59-G0.
On the Goth of July, 1861, he was chosen
VI Jlle OlllO v
and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel
July 10, 1868 He commanded the regi.
ment at Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and
Buzzard's Roost. At the stormng OF
Mission Ridge he received what was sup
posed to be mortal wound. He resigned
his commission at Chattanooga, Septem-
bef;S 1894, on account of.disabillty re
sulhng from his wounds, and returned
withithe first detachment OF his regiment
mustered out after the rapture of At
iarfta. He was brevetted brigadiergen-
eral March 13, 1865, for good conduct at
the battles of Chickamauga and Mission
Ridge.
Soon after, upon the resignation of
Whiteaw Reid, he was appointed to sue
ceed him as chief Washington corre-
spondent of the Cincinnati Gdzette and
Western Press Association. AS journ-
alist he is in the front ranks of the pro-
fession, and q forcible writer, ever ready
with his pen to engage in newspaper en-
counter with all comers,. and seldom
worsted. General Boynton is the son of
Rev. DIR. Boyntop, who was we'll
known minister in Washington, and for
two years Chaplain of the House of Rep.
Iesentatives.
Colonel w. W. Warden
Isiaretired veteran of the Row, and now
devotes his entire time to his law practice
before the courts and Congress- Mr.,
Warden is about FIVE feet five inches in
height and wears q gray beard that COW
familiar figure on the Avenue and is
widely known in newspaper circles. Col.
Warden represented the Boston Post at
the time of which write. 1871, and was
perhaps the best known Journalist at the
National Capital. He is also well known
inGincinnati, his home, rs lawyer and
newspaper publisher. 1t was there he
published the'Ddily Eyening Post and SUBJ
sequently.the Daily LdtU Bulletin, the
Weekly Latp Gayette'and the Sunday Ipde-
pendent. About the second year of the
war he disposed of his publications and
came to Washington as the representative
of the Cincinnati Enquirer. He went to
the front as its war correspondent, and
remained in that capacity until the close
of the conflict. He did excellent work
in this position, and his letters were
widely commented on fortheir accuracy
ton of President Lincoln, Mr.. Warden
was selected as the confidential secretary
of President Johnson.
The way in which this came about was
truly case of the "office seeking the
man." He was walking along
Pennsylvania avenue on the morning
following the assassination of the Presi-
dent, when Chief Justice Chase, who had
been his lifelong friend, drove by in his
carriage on Msway 10 the old Kirkwood
House, which stood at the corner OF
Twelfth street and Pennsylvania avenue,
johnson, Espying Colonel Warden, he
Immediately ordered his driver to stop
and dinvited Mr.sWarden' to get into the
carriage and accompany him as witness
to the ceremony. Mr.. Warden did So
and was introduced to Mr.. Johnson foI
the first time, and from this meeting
grew the intimacy that finally led to his
appointmentas the Presidents oonhden-
tial secretary.
In this capacity he held position ol
peculiar Importance, something more
than that OF the ordinary routine Secre
tary, and more in the nature of a ooun
selor and adviser, which his brilliant gift
asa lawyer and journalist so well fitted
him for, and at this trying time in the
Administration Mr.. Johnson was wont tC
refer many knotty problems to his Sec
retary to solve. Colonel Warden at one
time was the correspondent of seventeen
papers, chief among which were the Balti
more San, under the nom de plume o
Data" the New Orleans Times, tht
Boston Post and the Richmond Dispatch
George Alfred Townsend
at one time represented the Chicago
Tribune. "Gath," as he is better known
is about feet 10 in height, ant
was not quite so stout then as now
neither was he so well off in this worlds
goods. He lived in q modest house OF
Seventeenth street. To-day he IS wealthy
as newspaper men go, and is one of TIL,
most versatile correspondents in tn,
country. He IS prolific writer, ant
handles every subject with mastery skill
Heis also a good short t'story writer, ant
has written some very readable novels
His "Katy of Catoctin, or the Chain
Breakers" an historical novel of TIN
Rebellion, was most cordially received
IU fta f,t,lA A OF tal I,
MY memory is q piece of poetry, writer
somewhere about 1870 or III, upon TIN
escape of John Wilkes Booth, and afte
the style of the ride of "Paul Revere
1T was widely copied and commented on
u. IL. Painter
of the Philadelphia Inquirer is another o
the Old veterans. Below the middl
height, with round, fair face and littl
tufts of hair ON each cheek, he remind
one at the first glance of minister, AM
would only require q clerical garb /
make the semblance complete. lie
was that gave to the world the "Bigei
Than-O Old-Graut2 letter OF Sergaant.at
Arms lit2hugh Of the House Of Repre-
seutatiVes, who was selected for the pos
ton when the Democrats first gained COT
tlol otthat body after the war. 1t IS sal
that he wears the same benevolent an
bland smile behind "king fulr' that h
carries around with him in everyday lif,
W. B. shaw
represented the Boston Transcript, an
was called the "Nestor of NewspapC
Row." lie IS a tall man, with a sligl
stCop in his shoulders, horid con
pleXion and wears gray mOustaCnG, II
IS usually seen about the Riggs llOuF
II is said he made great deal of none
cut Of the Pacific mail lobby.
Clifford Warden
l. z l.