Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-23
STORIES OF GREELEY.
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE "rR1-
BUNE" EDITOR.
His Kindly Nature, Genial Manner and
Nervous Temperament Shows in
Many Artless Ways.

are slOrSu III mlnCS lnat nave treasure
his words and deeds as they came unde
their notice. Most of the 1eminiscence
which follow are those of David T
Rhoades of the American News Company
who for twenty-eight years had charge G
the distribution department of the T95un
during Mr.. Greeley's time. Others hav
been taken from the recital of Thomas n
Rocker, secretary of the Tribune associa
ton. 1t is matter of history that tn
Tribune was started on April 10, 1871, an,
that the first number was on the streets ol
the day of President William H. Harri
sons funeral Mr. Rhoades, who hac
worked under Mr.. Greeley on the Ne,
Yorker and the Log Cabin, took the frs
sheet of the Tribune off the press. On,
day, before the Tribune was very old
Greeley came down to Mr.. Rhoads anc
said: 'Dave, they won't allow the news
boys to sell the Tribune around the Sul
Office. They're clearing them away"
Mr.. Rhoades went from No. so Anr
street, where the Tribune Office was, tC
Fulton and Nassau streets, where the Su7
was making war upon the newsboys of it:
new rival. He called on Moses Y. Beach
and Mr. Ely, the bookkeeper of the Sun
and complained. He did not get any sat.
isfaction, and so reported to Greeley, who
said in his shrill voice, 'Wel, have them
arrested" So the Tribune shortly after
that reported the arrest of Mr.. Beach, Mr.
Ely and others for assault and battery.
The Tribune prospered, and about 1S42
or 1S43 Mr.. Greeley came to Mr.. Rhoades,
exclaiming: "What do you think Of it
The Tribune has got 10000 subscribers
Only think of what an immense lot" On
the strength of this circulation he gave a
dinner to all the employees
After the Tribune had moved its Offices
to Spruce and Nassau streets, in the old
building, Mr.. Rhoades came down one
morning about 9 o'clock ard saw a big
ham lying on the heater. Franklin J.
Ottarson, the city editor came in and
said "Dave, whose ham is that%
II don't know, 'Ot," was the reply. II
only know that when | came into the
Office the ham was there"
"Give it to me-" said "Ot."
"Nothing of the kind" said Rhoades;
eff you want it come around and get it"
Ottarson promptly went around and
along and said:
'Dave, where is my ham?'
''Your ham Get up to Ottarson's as
quick as you can, and probably you will
find it in the pot boiling
"Well, confound you," said Mr.. Greeley,
using more vigorous Language, however
"Why did you give Mr.. Ottarson the
ham,"
"He took it," was the reply. "Ottar.
son came down and asked for the ham. ]
wouldn't give it to him and ne took it."
Next day Mr.. Greeley said: "Confound
you, you gave 'Ot.' that ham,"
Nothing of the kindl'
"'Ot.' says you did~
"He's not telling the truth"
Shortly afterward Mr.. Greeley unbur-
dened his mind to his associates, in words
something like these: "You lot of thieves
I'll have to pin my shirt on my back if
ion't want to lose it among you ~
Mr.. Greeley was full of loving kindness,
as we'll as "human nature" When he got
back from a Western trip he rushed into
the Office, threw his arms around Mr.
Rhoades, and "hugged him up" saying,
"Tm so glad to get back. 1t does seem SO
goodw
81 should think you felt pretty bad" said
Mr. Rhoades.
II amt very tired, but I'm very glad to
get back" was the answer.
The Longsworths in Cincinnati once sent
to Mr.. Greeley dozen boxes of wine, with
twelve bottles in each box. As Mr. Greeley
did not use it, Mr. Rhoades gave away the
wine to "the boys" and carefully replaced
the empty bottles in the boxes. 1t was the
custom to auction off books that had accu-
mulated in the office, and at one of the
sales Mr.. Greeley suggested that the wine
might be sold, too. George NJ. Snow, the
financial editor of the paper, bought what
he considered the bargain, and on investi-
eating his purchase found beggarly array
of empty bottles. He took it good-humor-
edly, saying, "Dave, did you do that? ? That
was big joke you played on me-"
Murphy, a proofreader was called to Mr..
Greeley one morning. "You fool, said the
editor "what mistake you have made in
my manuscript"
81 think it is according to copy, Mr..
Greeley" said Murphy.
"No, nothing of the kind"
"Well, l thought it was"
The COPY was sent for. Mr.. Greeley
looked at it for about five minutes. Then
he got up and said, murphy, I'll give
you S. if you will kick me-" This was
Mr.. Greeley's way of acknowledging his
mistake, but Mr.. Murphy did not under
take to earn the S..
l.oJ 1aft tba
of the Tribune, and two or three years be-
fore Mr.. Greeley ceased to be its editor,
Mr.. Greeley published an article in which
he stated that, with the exception of
three or four men whom he named, all
those who had been with the Tribune
when it began were dead. Mr.. Rhoades
went to Mr.. Greeley and said: "Am l
dead?'
"Well, confound it all, Dave" Greeley
replied, ''you are dead to the Tribune. You
had no business to have left it."
A lad named David was employed as
Mr.. Greeley's boy in the office. He grew
to be exceedingly large and over six feet
in height, but Greeley continued to call
him "Little David" Well, robberies in
the office began to occur. Mr.. Rhoades,
who had charge of the office, was much
perplexed and annoyed by them. Mr..
Rhoades went on watch and detected the
thief. Whom should he discover, creep
ing in back window and going to the
money drawer and helping himself but
Mr.. Greeley's "Little David" David,
seeing that he was observed, tried to hide
himself, but was caught and sent to the
Tombs.
Next morning Mr.. Rhoades said: "Gree-
lev, have found the thief that robbed the
Office"
"rm glad of that" said Mr.. Greeley.
Said Mr.. Rhoades: "Who do you think
it is ~
''Oh, have no idea"
at is your boy David"
"What, my little David?"
"Yes, your little David He's the one
who had been a-robbin, and Eve got him
up at the Tombs now.'
"Well," said Horace Greeley, "Tm SO
sorry. / have often seen that poor boy
steal my books, but l did not like to say
anything about it p
Mr.. Greeley was robbed of a beautiful
watch presented to him by the Tribune
employees. "Tom" Acton, then President
of the Police Board, made every police
man in New York do detective work fol
the recovery Of that watch, and got it
Mr.. Greeley came down stairs one day II
great iubilation, crying: "Daye, got my