The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-10-23
Sensational Journalism.

Speaking of that little fight between
two negroes at Lexington the other
day the Baltimor Sun says: 'sOne /
colo.ed barber, named John McCrary,
shot and killed another colnred barDer
named Oscar Barringer, at Lexington |
n. c., last Saturday, for cause which
has provoked men of all colors to
wrath from time immemorial-a wo
| man. The woman in this case was
McCrary's wife, and Barringer's at
tenticns to her were unpleasant to her
| husband. There do not appear to
have been any dramatic features what
ever about the affair, which seems to
have been commonplace homicide
enough, but as it appeared yestel day in
several Northern papers it has all the
racy flavor of yellow backed novel
"Died OF the Field of Honor" was
the modest head put on it by one pa
per, while "a Fatal Southern Duel
was the accurate manner in which it
was described by another All the
papers that published an account of it
agreed that it was regular duel, in
which a challenge had been solemnly
conveyed and accepted according to
the strictest etiquette of the code, and
that the principals were accompanied
to the field by their seconds, who
managed all the detail in severe ac-
cordance with all regulations provi-
ded in snch cases. One of the Phila-
delphia papers went so far as to des-
ignate McCrary as ga young man of
considerable social prominence" but
from none of them could truthful
idea of the homicide lie gathered by
the uninforM. reader. This is a lair
sample of the sensational journalism
of the day. A simple, unadurned
homicide is not strong enough for the
stomach of the sensational! newspapers.
1t has So long supped and breakfasted
on highly seasoned horrors that the
plain truth does no. satisfy it. aud 1t
imagines that the public is like it, and
must have the news presen ed With all
spris Of romantic condiments and
sauces Ia make it go down. The re-
suit is that it frequently offers is read
ers grain of fact so thoroughly dis
guised in column ofimagination that
they never recognize the news til they
; find it correctly stated in reliable
paper. Such journalism may be IN
teres.ing to those who like romance
where they pay for fact, but to the
: great majority of practical people i
is disappointing and aggravating. II
this were its worst side, however, the
public might possibly tolerate it with
out any further protest than refusal
| 70 al, To ST a an1anfS
bat reckless disregard of truth al
ways involves an injury to somebody
In the case of this alleged Southern
duel the effect of these sensational pub
locations is to create the impression
e that Southern men are still accustomed
| to resort to the barbarous arbitrament
Of the "code of honor" falsely so call
8 ed, and tends to revive prejudices
r which have prevailed against that sec
ton in the past on this account. There
f are fools and DULLES everywhere, but
the South is quite as peaceful and it
citizens as peaceable Of those of any
). other part of the country.
Revenue officers frightened a wo
man TO death in johnson county las
: week. 1t seems that Deputy Collecto
Pat Massey and Deputy Marshal D
J, S. Flowers were making a raid neal
q Four Oaks and were on the track o
}. some illiit listiile;s They called a
!, the house of Il Mrs Creech who wa
. supposed to know where the men were
: She refused to say anything, where
r upon F,,,> er5 began to threaten an'
J. abuse her The wni.,au was in Il del.
Il cate condition and the exciteman
killed her She fel! down and dice
;. before the eses OF the officers. Flow
= ers fed az! has ii been seen since.