The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-17
EDITORIAL TRAGEDIES.
VARIOUS ATTEMPTS TO A5SAssI-
NATE NEWSPAPER MEN.

son and Other Fiery Editors Re-
called by the Murder of Capt. Daw-
soma Duel Between Two Noted
Journalists - The Shooting of De
Young and the Mysterious End of
Henry ]. Raymond.
New YORK, March 16.-The murder Of
Capt Dawson, the editor Of the Charleston
NelCs and Courier, suggests the fact that
since the daily paper became an active and
aggressive force in society there has been
remarkable list of tragedies affecting those
engaged in this business.
Capt Dawson's murder was caused by no
antagonisms created by his journalistic
policy. But there have been great many
highly dramatic tragedies arising out Of
criticism and editorial opinion.
Among the earliest of these was the as
sault upon the abolitionist Lovejoy. He
was OF intense conviction, and possessed Of
great moral courage, and he advocated in
mis- paper, which was published in Alton,
Ill.,, the abolition doctrines of Wendell
Phillips and William Lloyd Garrison.
The section of country in which he lived
| was at that time intensely pro-slavery in
| sentiment, and mob OF angry men gath
cred in front Of his Office one night in 1885,
sacked the building and Lovejoy was
| killed.
The act created intense excitement
throughout the country and did more to
advance the cause Of abolitionism than all
| the speeches that had been made.
William Lloyd Garrison was mobbed in his
office, the Liberdtor in Boston, and was
after dragged through the streets in chains,
| but he ESCAPED with his life, although he
had close call on one or two occasions
Early in the war the editor Of the Bridge
| port, Comm Farmer had narrow escape
with his life He had taken in his paper
ultra-southern views, and mob of desper-
ate unionists entered his office, determined
to lynch him.
But he escaped, although his office was
sacked.
Two of the most fiery editors who ever
wrote with pen dipped in gall were James
| Watson Webb and Mordecai Noah, the
then editors Of the Courier and the Com
mercidL of New York. Their warfare
upon each other stepped way over the line
| Of personal criticism and was vehement,
ugly and seemed malicious.
1t was expected that it would result ulti-
| matelyin one of them shooting the other
That is exactly what happened, although not
in the way OF assassination. They met on the
field of honor, exchanged shots, aud Webb
was wounded 50 that he was famed for life
Webb was tried, convicted, and sentenced
to prison, but Gov. Seward pardoned him.
OF these tragedies, both in off hand duels
on the street and formal meetings that edi-
| tors in the south and west have experienced
there are almost innumerable records.
Prominent among them was the compare
| lively recent meeting Of Editor Elan Of the
Richmond Wing and Editor Briene of the
| Richmond Dispatch. Both were trained
duelists and Elan carried a wound in his
Jaw which he had received il a previous en-
| counter
In his meeting with Briene about four
years ago clam was shot through the hips,
receiving an uncomfortable but not very
| dangerous wound.
Editor Anthony, who has published pa
pers in various towns in Kansas, was shot
| in a street encounter in Leavenworth few
years ago, and dangerously but not nor
| tally wounded He was famous brother
Of more famous sister, Susan B. Anthony
One of the most celebrated and sensa-
tional Of all the tragedies that have &C.
| CURED to editors under editorial roofs, was
the murder of Albert s. Richardson by
| Daniel Mcfarland in the old Tribune of
| flee. Mr.. Richardson was one of the most
| eminent of the newspaper men Of his time.
| He had been brilliant war correspon-
| dent for the Tribune and had published a
| nm 0iber of extremely interesting books.
| McFarland was brilliant but erratic law
yer OF New York-one of those men of
|
a great name for himself if he had kept
| sober.
| His wife was bright woman Of liter
airy turn, whose maiden name was Abbie
| Sage. She had separated from Mcfarland
on account of his habits, and claimed to
| have had divorce from him. Richardson
had befrended her, and Mcfarland be-
| lieved he hal done so in altogether too
| friendly manner
| One evening, fired with rum and passion,
| he entered the office of the Tribune and
| loitered around until Mr.. Richardson came
| in. Then, leaning over tie counter he
| fired at Richardson without saying word,
| and the wound was mortal. Richasdson
| was taken across the street to the Astor
house, and died after lingering a day or
two. Mcfarland wss arrested, tried. es-
| capped conviction, and went west, where he
| lived broken down, neglected man.
| dramatic feature of this tragedy was
the marriage Of Mrs. Abbie Sage McFar-
| land to Richardson as he lay dying, by
| Henry Ward Beecher. This act was both
stoutly applauded and sternly condemned
by Mr.. Beecher's friends, but he always
| justified it.
The shooting of Charles II. De Young, the
editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, by
the son of Mayor Kalloch is comparatively
| fresh in the memory of every one. Kali
| loch was Baptist preacher who had made
a sensation and an unpleasant record in
Boston and after that drifted to California,
aud during the time Of the labor excitement
there was elected Mayor Of san Francisco.
| His course while mayor was most vigor-
ously attacked by the Chronicle, and ex-
posures Of Kallochs private life were
printed in the paper. This led to the most
intense animosity, and every one knew
that a tragedy would sooner or later come
| out Of it As Kalloch was minister he
claimed to be unable to use force to defend
himself, so his son took up the battle and
going to the counting room of the Chroni-
Gle one evening, he fired one shot at De
Young. It was mortal. De Young sank
back and died in a few minutes
Though there was intense excitement
and threats of lynching Of Kalloch, he es-
capped conviction on his trial.
A year or two ago an attempt was made
to assassinate Michael De Young in the
counting room of his Office, but it failed.
| Four o r five years ago colored man, a DIS
charged employe of the Philadelphia Press,
made a murderous assault upon Robert j.
Cook, the manager of the paper. He struck
him on the head with Ratchet, INJECTING
what was thought to be a mortal wound.
| Cook was the famous athlete of Yale, and
his strong constitution pulled him through.
The death of Henry J. Raymond, the
famous editor and founder Of tho New Yor K
Times was ascribed to an attack Of apop-