The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-30

1t is something of coincidence that two
men who were conspicuous in the field of
newspaper activity at the same time should,
in their days of retirement from editorial
work, have turned TO fiction writing. Mr..
Louis J. Jennings was the managing editor
of the New York Times when Mr.. Thomas
B. Connery held the same post IN The Her
aid Office Both of them ware trained
newspaper men. Connery was less known
personally than Mr.. Jennings, for he ad-
hered to the traditions of The Herald Of
flee and kept his personality from public
view. Jennings was aggressive, impetuous
and had at that day fine enthusiasm for
editorial writing as well as for the purely
news getting function of his profession Mr..
Jennings two novels were suggested to
some extent by his experiences Is a news
paper man, and now Mr.. Connery's stories
are inspired in the same way. His first
novel was born of his experience while
serving in an official capacity in the City
of Mexico, and some OF the most thrilling
incidents are thinly Disguised history. II.
in his Forthcoming story, Mr.. Connery
shall create plot and draw his characters
from circumstances and from men, as
suggested by his recollections, he certainly
a ~
Those who know Mr.. Connery will not
be surprised 10 hear that he has taken up
the pen of a romancer. His first newspaper
work suggested descriptive power as well
as a capacity for analysis and sense OF
humor, and these are qualities which 90
far to make the successful writer Of fiction.
His first story indicated also that he had
creative power, and if, as his friends say, he
L l. -.
fiction as vocation we may look for an
important addition to the best Of no
names
Mr.. Connery in his career, suggests tho
story of the majority of those who began
| life as newspaper workers. After he fin
ished his schooling in New York he was
employed by the elder Bennett as re-
porter. and his work was so good that be
was speedily promoted. In the very i'm
portant political events which occurred in
Washington Immediately after the close Of
the war Mr. Connery found himself placed
Dy Mr.. Bennett. with instructions TO report
| fairly and impattially those exciting
scenes.
| His work was so web done that, after the
retirement of Frederick Hudson from the
managing editors chair of The Herald, Mr.
COnnery was promoted 70 that important
post In that capacity he 2erved The
Herald for some ten years. and many Of the
most important Journalistic achievements
| occurred during his management He TO
ceived salary Of $40 600, which was a very
large one for that time, and even today is
equaled by only three managing editors Of
| New York newspapers.
| Why he quilted The Herald has always
been a matter of suTmise. he was true 20
the traditions Of the paper when he left it,
and would say nothing even TO intimate
I friends of the reason which led 20 hE re-
tirement- His friends believe that the
reason was wholly aInicable. and that he
/ is now the recipient OF retiring salary, in
accordance with the policy of the elder
/ Bennett.
| After he gave up active work Mr. Goa
| merry spent some time in travel, and did
some literary work Of a casual sort. But
/ be found his leisure irksOme, and during
The administration Of PresiCleak Cleveland
/ he was appointed secretary Of legation
under the minister to the republic of Mex
| leo. There be saw much which he deter
mined 70 utilize in the way Of kterstnrs.
and be came home with volumfaous notes.
| Mr.. Connery IS now about City years
of age, time Of life gfrscn Is usually re-
garded as too advanced for the production
Of really good rornaDees or imaginative
/ works. Thackery used to ssy that no man
ought 10 write a novel after he IS Fifty
/ years of age But Charles Dudley War
I ner. Froude, the historian, ADD LOUIS J. JeD-
nings published their first works OF fctien
/ after they had passed the 1ftbeth miiepo~t,
/ and Mr. ConneTy's first novel iuiicatez that
ais powers are now really IN their prime.
r J. EDWARDS