The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-27
CANCER IN THE STOMACH.
How a Bogus Newspaper Report
Caused Judge Davis Much Inconven-
fence.

fence.
From the NeiC York Herald
WASHINGTON, July 24,-Speaking Of
affecting men in public life with that dread
complaint, cancer in the stomach, Il re-
call - said an old senator to-day, two reck-
less statements Of this kind which related to
members Of the senate, and which gave
them endless trouble when each was in per
feet health. One was David Davis. e
was very fond of soft she'll crabs and daily
at lunch during the crab season had some
served III the senate restaurant.
"A paragraph was published in a local
paper saving that Senator Davis favorite
dish was soft shell crabs. Another paper,
quoting the paragraph and referring to the
zodlacal sign, said Senator Davis is fond
of having cancer in his stomach A third
paragrapher cut il down SO that it read:
Senator Davis, it is currently reported, has
cancer in the stomach The senate ad-
Journed shortly after. and Dir. Davis re
turned to his home in Bloomington, III.
Tire cancer paragraph went tho rounds
was revived in a Baltimore paper, wuere
| the public was informed that Senator Davis
was hopelessly afflicted with cancer in the
stomach and was at his home in Illinois.
The paragraph was teegraphed from Wash
ington in every direction, and went uncon-
tradicted for two days. Meanwhile tee-
grams from personal friends poured into
Bloomington from all parts Of the country
To hear Of his illness, hoping tine report
was exaggerated, trusting the ailment was
not beyond medical skill, and 50 on.
BUSY ANSWERING MESSAGES.
ut was in the very midst of the heated
term in 1878 when this happened. All day
long messengers went to his house with
anxious inquiries from abroad. The old
gentleman with his $50 pounds of solid flesh
was thrown into a reeking perspiration
writing messages assuring all he was never
in better health. The annoyance did not
end there. The mail for week BROUGHT
him letters from friends, all OF which he
was obliged to personally attend to, until
the labor became so great he sent for a
stenographer at Springfield.
Mr.. Davis told me that reckless joke and
nnwarranted statement cost him days of
labor when he needed rest, besides cOnsid-
cradle sum of money for postage stamps,
clerk hire and i'll paying for kilograms.
When months after it was explained how
the story originated, he told me it was true
he was fond of crabs and SO was his father
The judge actually turned pale when he
heard how the report about him originated.
Said he: My father died of that kind of
cancer in the stomach; that is. he one day
ate heartily of crabs, which caused 50 severe
a spell of collie that he died before medical
aid reached him
The other senator, and the last victim of
newspaper cancer in the stomach before
Mr.. Randalfs case, was Senator Black burn
Of Kentucky. He explained tn t in his case
it was not crabs, but he believed the work
OF a Grabbed physician, who for some cause
had become displeased with him. He told a
lady who was a good gossip the story con
fidontially that he had cancer in the stom-
ach; and she told it to her friends con
fidentially, and finally the public had this
little confidence game successfully played
upon it by the simultaneous appearance of
the story in different parts of the country"
Mr.. Randalrs cancer in the stomach, -
added the senator, lit now appears, came
solely from crab style of Journalism, the
kind which only makes progress backward. "