Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1890-07-25
A NEWSPAPERS EXPLOIT.
How Franch Reporter Heat Ills Risais In
a Noted Mnrhcr Cnse.


Noted Murder Case.
Two veteran newspaper men. ono OF
whom was formerly connected with tho
New York Herald bureau at Paris. woro
talking over old times few evenings
since In the presence of Tribune re-
porter. They driftcd into comparison
OF tho work done by American reporters
with that done by those on the other
side of the Atlantic, particularly In En-
gland and France.
A number OF brilliant exploits were
recalled, notable among them that OF
Tribune reporter in meeting ship
wrecked sailor on Lake Michigan, the
only survivor. of terrible disaster. and
successively keeeping him secluded
from other intorylcwcrs until his story
was published in the Tribune. II was
agreed that American reporters have a
keen scent for news and are more skill
ful in their methods OF gotting facts
than any OF their foreign brothrcn.
"But," remarked tho former rorrpspon-
dent OF the Herald. "tho French report
crs are not slow The feat accomplished
by the reporter for Paris paper at tho
time of the great 1roppmann murder
case was agitaiing France will compare
favorably with any on record. Tho
reporter was sent to Cornay,
whore Troppmann's father lived.
upon his arrival he caliod upon the
Justice Of tho Peace aud tho Conlmis-
sairc dc Police. asked tbom 10 follow
him 10 tho Marie. took his seat In tho
Judges chair, and with Unparalleled au-
"acity ordered the Gardc Champetrc TO
bring the assassin's father before him.
The dignity and impcriousncss assumed
by the reporter ropelled any question as
TO his authority. Whom the father OF
Troppmanh was brought before him no
intcrrogatcd him as though officially
commissioned To do so. Tho result was
that 1t was learned that the son had
written to the father on the owe OF the
day Of the crime. II. r4 ~4rf.
Monsieur le Commissaire, 60 to the
house OF the witness and seize those let
ters, commanded tho reporter
THE functionary obeyed and the let
tors were brought The reporter found
they contained questionable evidence
OF l'roppmanns guilt. lie copied them
carefully but quickly and solemnly. lie
then handed them TO the Justice and
told him to seal them and preserve thcm
safely for future use He put the copies
In his pocket and dismissed the court
"It was now only p little after noon
and no passenger train would leave for
Paris till evening. That would make
the report too late for the next morn
ing's issue OF his paper. To make mat
tors worse he met two other reporters
who had just arrived from Paris. Then
he had to do something TO keep tho news
from them and at the same time escape
to Paris. A happy thought came to his
rescue. They had not eaten since morn
ing lie told them he, too, was half
starved II they would go to tho inn
near by and order good dejeuner with
plenty OF wine, he would join them soon.
''Thoy were rcady to accept the sug-
gestion. Az soon as they were out OF
sight no jumped into a wagon and Ind
himself driven rapidly to the station,
whore, after much urging and undoubt-
ly some financial persuasion, he sue.
ceeded in getting aboard a luggage-train
which was about to start Ilo caught u
regular train at tho junction some dis
tance from Cerney and reached Paris /,
late at night The first page OF his pa
per had been made up but the import
ancc OF tho news no brought was such |
that tho page was reopened, and the
next morning laris was made acquaint-
cd, through ono paper only, with the in
evidence OF the guilt OF
Troppmann, Chicago Tribune.