New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-22
ERCKMANN-CHA1RIARS FIRST NOVEL

THE CLEVER RUsE WHICH AN OLD FOREMAN
EMPLOYED TO GET 1T PUBLISHED.
TO TIE gdUor or Ths rrfsume
Sir: read In Tho Tribune Of this morning a vs-v
interesting Paris letter about the deporabe ouarre,
between Erckmann and Charian, the literary partner,
who, under the united name Of Erckmann .Chatrtan
have written so many patriotic novels most OF which
translated into English and much read in America
The particulars furnished by your Paris correspondent,
respecting the feud now dividing the two are com.
pleed by the following details, which get from Z.
Rcpublque Franchise" OF the 1st inst. They A..
highly interesting, picturesque and true since they
bear the signature OF VI. Edouard Siebecker a well
known French patriot and a literary friend Of Rrk
mann and Chatlan
Erckmann and Chatrians first novel. "The uh,s.
trious Doctor Matthews" had been offered hr p,h
lcation as feuilleton7 to the Paris paper ia
COnsiutonnelo The feuileton Is standing tahrs
Of all French journals; It Is a novel pub!isAsa
daily, in slices, at the lower end OF the pages a
the papers. The novel had been rusng for lon,
while in tho drawers of the paper when they found
friend inside the place. And now, to cut thu
story short, will merely translate the narrative
published by Sebecker.
Old Nathan Schel was the foreman Of (" lie Con.
stitutionners' composing room. He Interested him.
self in these two young writer's who came eyery
month, each in his turn, to inquire about the f,t,re
or their copy, ana he resolved 10 help them along
The occasion to do so came at last. II vas an :,
Sunday. On the preceding day the word ends had
been printed at the bottom of the feuIleton or
novel then in Of publication and the readers
expected another to begin the day after. sichel in
ved TO breakfast the compositOr who had the kew
OF the bureau I'm which kept the manuscripts OF
the novels already approved by the management and
which was nicknamcd the "bear's cage' He managed
TO get his friend thoroughly drunk. Then he repaired
to tho paper, and affecting 10 be quite ignorant OF
everything, he raised terrible stir about tia,
animal and Ounce ", who did not turn up 10
open the manuscript chest, and thus prevented him
from distributing the copy' of the novel to bs
published.
"Well,' said he at last, al have Just hshed out In
another drawer novelette,. III distribute enough OF
It to fill up the place Of this numbers feuleton'
It was the manuscript OF his young friends. On the
arrival at the Office of the managing editor, old SChe
told him all about IT,
"Well, sir, queer name. +. Krian, or Chairman.
No, no. See, Elckmann-Chatrfan."
Don't know! But perhaps just on this account
the novel may prove better than others. How many
feuetons!" CIow many days will it take to publish
Five Or SIX, by rough guesslng'
That's very much. The director may be down on
us. But after all, you do not have the key Of the
bears chest nor either and We have TO fill up
the bottom space reserved for the feuileon We can.
nor print I'm its place Ground floor 10 rent Against
force resistance IS possible. Let II Coz
And It did go, "1he Husrious Doctor Matthews
not for five or six days only, as had sad the cunning
s'che but it lasted some fifteen feuilleons, or DAYS
and had tremendous success. The door leading TO
fame and fortune had been opened TO Erckmann and
Chatrlan. Let add that they were rot migrate
ful toward old Siche whose eyesight soon failed him,
and who kept I'm ahiuence until his death by the
two Young writer's whom he had smarly protected,
and who are unfortunately, no longer the same friends
they for thirty years. T. a.
New-YOrk, sept. 10, 1850.