St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-11
"GoING, GOING, GONE"
The Tribune Appears to Have
Been Really Sold This Time.

The Tribune Appears to Have
Been Really Sold This Time.
RumOrs havo been floating about for
the past six months that negotiations
were on foot for the sale Of the Tribune.
Of late those reports have had it that
several differeDtparties or combinations
were after the "Only thoroughly active
and aggressive paper in the North
west" which runs a picture of James
q, Blaine ''when he winks his other
eye at the head of the editorial col
umns. 1t has been whispered that
Charles Washington johnson has beeu
having the newspaper fever, and has
been trying TO interest Eastern capital
lists, who would buy the paper for HIM
and allow him to be editor. 1t was said
that he would put in about $4,000 of his
own money, and has been wanting to
arganiZe stock company. Then an
other story was that somebody had in
terested George W. ChildS, of the Phila-
delphia Ledger, and made him believe
that Minneapolis wants great obituary
paper, as the city is approaching an
age when it is likely to be having mum
Der of firSt-class funerals. A third re-
port was that the Minneapolis parties.
including Harry W. Hanley. w. J..
BrOwnlee and some others, who recent
ly bought the Denver Times. would like
to exchange it for the Tribune.
A. j. Blethen has recently given it out
that he would not be in Minneapolis
very long, and had received a hearty in
vltation to return to Kansas City and
take charge OF a newspaper property
there. Within the past two days it has
developed that w. j. Murphy, of Grand
Forks, \. d., is an active bidder. and it
IS now authoritively announced that
deal has been practically con-
summated which will make him
the owner of the controlling
interest. Mr.. Murphy is OH the ground,
and does not deny the truth of the re-
port. Neither does A J. Blethen. al
though both gentlemen say that the ar
rangementS for the sale of the property
have not been fully completed, and will
not be until Saturday. Until then they
do not care to announce any particu-
lars. The Tribune was bonded
by the Minneapolis Trust CON-
pany about year ago for $780,
GOO. Of these bonds Thomas Lowry
is understood to hold $500, 900. and the
balance, $4,000, has been disposed of to
other parties. portion being held by
the NicOllet National bank. Mr.. Murphy.
it is said, buys from Mr.. Lowry bonds
amounting TO SloO,OOO, and thus secures
the control of the paper, including both
morning and evening editions. He is to
assume the business management, and
it is rumOred that ex-senator Gilbert
A. Pierce, who, before being trans
planted to Dakota, was managing
editor of the Chicago Inter-Ocean. will
be associated with Mr.. Murphy in the
ownership of the paper. and will be-
come its editor. despite the fact that it
has been gossiped that President Harri-
son has something good in store for
Pierce" and may offer him the Chinese
mission.
". j. Murphy, the prospective owner of
the Tribune. was born in Iowa. and is a
graduate of Notre Dame college He studied
law, and went TO Grand Forks to grow up
with the country. He, however, bought the
Weekly Grand Forks Plaindealer and made