The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-10-15

z J. EDWARDS.
blest of the learned professions To be
thorough sailor it is said one must CONS
| through the hawse holes; to be a thorough
! journalist one must have commenced al
the beginning, as has Mr.. E. J. Edwards
| who, by a series of remarkable achieve
ments, has directed to himself not only
! the attention of journalists, but of many
! Of the ablest men of this city.
! Mr.. Edwards is of Connecticut birth
/ and was graduated from Yale college in
! 1870. and at the Yale Law school three
| years later, intending TO make the profes.
| sion of law his life business. By chance
/ he became the city editor of the New Ha-
ven Palladium, and afterward was for a
time with the Hartford Courant. From
| there be went to the New York Sun, begin
ming at the very bottom round of the lad
der. In a year he was promoted to the
! post of Albany correspondent.
It was my good fortune, when postmaster
general in 1881, to find Mr.. Edwards in
charge of their Washington bureau, and
cheerfully bear witness to the energy and
zeal with which he entered into the great
star route fight, which occurred at that
time, and the vigorous manner in which
gang and held up their crimes to an indig-
nant people. The results then attained by
the government were due more to the
press Of the country than to the courts
1t cost something in those days to do these
things. Men were threatened, and there
is no question that during that terrible
contest, Mr.. Edwards and Mr. Root, the
correspondent of the New York Times,
carried their lives in their hands. 1t is
gratifying, after the lapse of ten years, to
speak of the dauntless courage and loyalty
to right shown by these two men. Re-
called to New York to assume the post OF
managing editor of The Evening Sun, he
remained there several years until he ac-
cepted the post Of New York correspondents
for the Philadelphia Press.
On Mr.. Edwards fathers side, he is Of
Welsh descent and inherits the push, per-
sistency and obstinacy.' together with the
full poetic imagination of that race.
Long before the outside public had in
quired as to the personality of the writer
of the brilliant articles which appeared in
The Sun, Mr.. Edwards had won recogni-
ton from the journalists. as was mani
tested by the numerous offers he received
to go elsewhere
Hon Charles A Dana, at dinner given
by the staff of The Evening Sun, declared
in his speech that Mr. Edwards, in what
ever responsibility he had been tested, ex-
celled. AS a reporter his work is beyond
criticism. As an editorial writer be is
pungent and thoughtful As a writer Of
romances his work was delightful, and as
an executive manager his career had been
brilliant" Previously Mr. Dana had writ
ten to Mr.. Edwards concerning his report
of the assassination and sickness Of Gen
eral Garfield, that he had never known CT
better piece Of consecutive newspaper
work in all his experience"
Outside Of journalistic circles, Mr.. Ed
wards work has attracted tho attention Of
men of affairs here by reason Of It's accu-
racy, the brightness Of his narratives aud
his ability to seize the salient point and
deal with it as it merits.
Not long ago Mr. Chauncey NJ Depew
said that be had just witnessed the most
extraordinary piece Of newspaper work in
all his extensive experience. He said that
Mr.. Edwards called upon him in reference
to public matter, and that he for fifteen
minutes narrated to Mr.. Edwards those
things which were in his mind about IL.
He noticed that the correspondent took no
notes, but listened with apparent interest
Mr.. Depew supposed that brief summary
Of what he had said might appear. To his
astonishment, be found that he
had been reported with absolute verbal &C
curacy to the extent Of two columns, and
he regarded this feat Of memory as some
thing marvellous.
Whez Bislop Phillips Brooks, Of Mzssa- /
chusetts- was preaching at Trinity church
Mr.. Edwards took stenographer s.4th
him to report the sermon. The shorthand /.
writer became dazed with the rapidity OF
thought and word OF the great pulpi. ora
tor. and utterly failed M Edwards fell 1
back on bis me7ory. and produced al ex-
,ellent report OF the sermon.
Ex-Navor Grace does Tot tire Of speak ,
ing to his friends Of q similar feat which .
be experienced wita AF. Edwards. a1d T.
Major Henri Walter Webb. the third vice 1
president Of the New York Central rail- /
way. Endorses all thgt the mayor says OF 4
Edwards wonderful memory To this 1
ne editor Of the Utica Observer calls edi- 4
.orisl attention concerning Mr.. Edwards, f
md 20 MS sowing OK the mystery Of the
Eood yin murder. a problem which had
1uzzied tbe New York papers for several .
lays. and WHICH Nr. EGwsrJis' letter 20 +
re Phi adei phia Press first explained
- the New York correspondent CT tie
Philadelphia Press. writing over the Eom .
.e plume OF Holland M Edwards has 4
made revelation q what legitimate cor
e poadence can % made
Mr.. Edwards aas 4 very large scqusint-
i7oeshiP among those Ken Of New YORK
,ity whom II = de-trah1e @ know, ard .
.ser.s--es4 by sher- IN some r~z-e--z what
Amos J. Cuua-uInzs once de-
Jared hin. 20 be--'tEe r0sT brilliant q
ne younger generation q New YORK jouF-
.a-E--s y IEfrHas 1. LINZ