Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-08-30
A NEWSPAPERS EXPLOIT.
How a French Rfp rter Re His Rivals In
a Nnted nnriler ,..,sa.


Two veteran newspaper men. one OF
whom was formerly connected with the
New York Herald bureau at Paris were
talking over old times few evenings
since in the presence of a Tribune re-
porter. They drifted into comparison
of the 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
a Tribune reporter in meeting ship
wrecked sailor on Lake Michigan, the
only survivor of terrible disaster, and
successfully keeping him secluded
from other interviewers until his story
was published in the Tribune. 1t was
agreed that American reporters have a
keen scent for news and are more skill
full in their methods of getting facts
than any of their foreign brethren.
But" remarked the former correspon-
dent of the Herald, the French report
ers are not slow. The feat accomplished
by the reporter for Paris paper at the
time of the great Troppmann murder
case was agitating France, will compare
favorably with any on record. The
reporter was sent to Cernay,
where Troppmann's father lived.
Upon his arrival he called upon the
Justice of the Peace and the Commits
saire de Police, asked them to follow
him to the Marie, took his seat in the
Judges chair, and with unparalleled au-
dacity ordered the Garde Champetre to
bring the assassin's father before him.
The dignity and imperiousness assumed
by the reporter repealed any question as
to his authority. When the father of
Troppmann was brought before him he
interrogated him as though officially
commissioned to do so. The result was
that it was learned that the son had
written to the father on the eve of the
day of the crime.
Monsieur lie Commissaire, go to the
house of the witness and seize those let
ters,' commanded the reporter.
The functionary obeyed and the let
ters were brought The reporter found
they contained questionable evidence
of Troppmann's guilt, He copied them
carefully but quickly and solemnly. He
then handed them to the Justice and
told him to seal them and preserve them
safely for future use. He put the copies
in his pocket and dismissed the court.
at was now only 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
ters worse he met two other reporters
who had just arrived from Paris. Then
he had to do something to keep the 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. He told them he, too, was half
| starved. If they would go to the inn
near by and order good dejeuner with
plenty of wine, he would Join them soon.
They were ready to accept the sug-
gestion. AS soon as they were out of
sight he jumped into wagon and had
himself driven rapidly to the station,
where, after much urging and undoubt-
ly some financial persuasion, he sue.
ceeded in getting aboard luggage train
which was about to start. He caught a
| regular train at the junction some dis
lance from Cerney and reached Paris
late at night. The first page of his pa
per had been made up, but the import
ance of the news he brought was such
that the page was reopened, and the
| next morning Paris was made acquaint.
ed, through one paper only, with the in
| disputable evidence of the guilt OF