Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-12-12
CHARLES A. DANA'S HOBBIES.
A Washington Correspondent who Prob
bly, Knew What They We're.

A tradition of Washington newspa-
per row in connection with prize-hg ghts
concerns no less distinguished an editor
than Charles A. Dana, of New York.
Two things in which Mr.. Dana is espec-
tally interested are pugilsm and
dueling. They amount almost to
mania with him. OF a hundred arti-
cles submitted to him on subjects
ranging from mushroom culture to
amending the constitution of the re-
public, the one whicl he would select
for his most attentive reading would
be an account of the latest 'scrapping
contest" between two middle-weights
out in Indiana. At one time, says the
Washington correspondent to the
Hartford Post, the Sun had we'll
known journalist as its Washington
correspondent, who made its news
columns noteworthy by admirable re-
ports of the Proceedings of congress
and serious work of the executive de-
partments. His letters and dispatches
were extensively copied, and adver-
tised the paper in very profitable
way. One day this correspondent APP
piled for leave of absence and was
granted it. man from the local force
of the home office being sent over to
take his place. The youngster was a
green hand at the class of work done
in Washington. He had seen almost
nothing of legislation in any of its
phases, and the routine and personnel
of the executive departments was
wholly unknown to him. Rather i'm
portant events were on the carpet at
that time, and he was painfully con-
scious of his incapacity to do them
justice. While he was thus blunder-
ing along, news reached him that a
duel was among the things of the near
future in Richmond, Va, where two
leading politicians had passed lately
from words to blows in one of their
disputes. A bright idea seized him,
and he dropped everything and bent
his steps toward Virginia's capital. A
fair supply of brass stood him in good
stead, and he found his way to the
principals in the affair, and managed
to get enough material from them for
a column of spicy interview in the
next dayss Sun. Next morning, soon
after daybreak, the parties met in a
wood short distince from the city
and exchanged shots. The cores
entertainment, but he was there all
the same, having dogged the footsteps
of everybody concerned and sat up all
night to be sure and miss nothing. He
perched on a fence at short distance,
noted every word and look, every mo-
tion of hand and eye of the duelists,
their seconds and their surgeon. That
afternoon he manged to get another
interview with each principal, and the
next mornings Sun contained not only
the exclusive account OF. the occurrence,
but one so admirably circumstantial
that, when Mr.. Dana read it in print,
he sent for his managing editor
"Who did this Richmond duelp"
''Mr Blank"
What is he doing down thereP"
l though he was Il local reporter"
HE was sent to Washington to take
the place of Mr.. Dash, who has gone
off for his vacation. l am sorry Blank
should have neglected his duties just
at this busy time and gone down to
Richmond without permission, but l
suppose"
"Nelect his dutiesP" roared Mr..
Dana. "Raise his salary $15 week
and tell him his place is permanent.
That's the kind of a man we want in
Washington. He did right in assum-
ing the responsibility. Ittakes born
journalist to make choice between a
stupid batch of government news and
tirst-class duel story like that"