Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1888-06-13
SHANGHAI CHADlER,

The ''Casual Listeners" depart
ment in the Pioneer Press often con-
tains many interesting anecdotes and
miscellaneous items. Not long ago
III Ole Of the. Sunday issues, two
paragraphs appeared concerning our
remote predecessor in the newspaper
field, Shanghai Chandler. We re-
produce them here for the benefit Of
Shanghai's many friends IN Morris:
"a. G.. Clausen occasionally revives
story or two about Shanghai"
Chandler an odd character who was
we'll known throughout the state
and who once ran a newspaper at
Morris, distinguished for its red hot
attacks on politicians who happned
to be obnoxious to that redoubtaDle
editor. This man 10 dead now but he
is entitled to immortality from the
fact that he once In manner fOored
Ignatius Donneily. A political
meeting was held at Benson and
Donneliy was one of the speakers and
Shanghai was in the audience. The
Sage made his time worn assertion
that there were "in congress three
farmers, seven mechanics, seventy
seven lawyers and $50 bank presidents
or directors" Shanghai arose, pencil
and paper in hand, and requested Mr..
Donnelly to repeat the statement.
The speaker not knowing Shanghai,
said he would be only too glad to do
so, and that he was pleased to see
that there was one intelligent man in
the audience who appreciated the
Importance Of the fact stated. He
then went over the statement and, as
he named each number, Shanghai
made q pencil mark on his paper and
IN tragic tones exclaimed 3pheok!"
When Donnelly had gone through
the list he remarked, 81 doubt il there
| is.such representation of lawyers
and bankers even in HE'LL" There
upon, still standing, he struck an at
titude and fier0ely dRnaAded, HWho
in hell said there WASP" Chandler
| himself then got the floor and even
the great Ignatius was obliged to take
a back seat. His persuasive elo-
quence failed to have effect on the
crowd and before long Shanghai lad
the undivided attention Of the audi
enee, This is the fiFst case on record
where the Sage was ever downed with
his own weapon In cheek.
While Shanghai was at Morris an
amateur literary entertainment was
given, Fha programme being finished
sooner than expected, Shang was
called upon for defamation He
accepted the invitation, butremarked
that he must have a chain in order
to make his defamation effective.
A log chain, such as u used in lum-
her camps, was procured, This he
wound around his legs, and then he
gave the audience retaliation Of
1.-THE Maniac" His wierd appear
ance, with his black hair and CHASTITY
white face, his relastic stimulation of
madness wrought the audience up to
the highest pitch, which eliminated
when the declaimer at the close fell
all ofs AaaR qnqn the stage, the
clanking OF the great log chain adding
to the effectiveness Of the scene. A
/ moment OF brsathless suspense fol.
, lowed, when Shanghai raised him.
selfupon his elbow, and without Q
smile, exclaimed In deep-cllested
, tones, "Shanghai hath laln!n The
, effect on the audience was terrific
, and that remarkably realistic repre-
sentation OF 1.-THE Maniac with hi
cIanking log chain, 1t is said, is re
! called with awe and reveranoe by
citizens OF Morris to this day.