Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-27
INTERVIEWED JAY GOULD.

How the Railway Magnate Fooled Col
lection of Chicago Reporters.
Jay Gould arrived at the Grand Pstc~
hotel in Chicago one Sunday afternoon in
the autumn of 1882. 1t was one of his regu
lar tours of inspection across the continent,
and on this occasion he was in a particu
larly good humor.
A small horde of railroad reporters was
gathered in the corridor awaiting his com
ing, and when he entered and saw them a
merry twinkle came in his eye and with an
expression that almost approached smile
he said cheerily, well, boys, are you wait
ing to see meP" The reply came in cho
rus of "yeses." was member Of thai
small horde and was pushed forward to act
as spokesman.
There was a furry in railroad circles at
that time, and many stockholders feared
that Gould's tour through the west meant
more than appeared on it's face. told Mr.
Gould of this feeling and urged him to give
the newspaper men an interview on the
general railroad situation The twinkle in
his eye became more perceptible than when
he first entered.
"
will wait until make a short toilet will
come down and see you"
thought there was something ominous
In that unwonted twinkle in his eye, and
the older men in that group Of reporters
were astounded. They had never seen Jay
Gould in such a complaisant mood before,
although they had seen him scores of times.
Mr.. Gould came down stairs on schedule
time and headed the procession to recep-
tion room in which there was long table.
Mr.. Gould took the head of the table, and
the reporters surrounded the other three
sides.
Now then, boys, when you're ready
crack away" said the magnate in a tone
of voice that was as hearty as though he
were really good fellow. Then followed
fusillade of questions that would have
staggered and confused any man but Jay
Gould The questions were fired in solid
and scattering volleys, but not one missed
the keen ear of Gould, and the answers
came back as rapidly as the questions were
asked, and each answer was unerringly di-
rected to the man who had asked it.
The boys were amazed and delighted
They covered page after page with notes
and thought they were getting the biggest
interview that the silent man" had ever
given out. The questions and answers
came so thick and fast that they had no
time to think They simply put down the
answers and felt that they were good and
sufficient. AT last the firing of questions
became desultory and finally ceased alto
gether. The reporters ammunition was
exhausted. They leaned back in their
chairs and with great beads of perspiration
on their faces, but there was look of Joy
in their eyes. They felt the ineffable sat
isfaction that they had secured the great
est interview ever vouchsafed by the
sphynx OF Wall street.
"Are you all through, boysP" asked Mr.
Gould cheerfully and looking fresher than
when he began.
"All through, We thank you, Mr.
Gould"
The twinkle in his eye was almost as
scintilant as the evening star rs he left
the room, and there was ghost of smile
under his black mustache.
Then we all sat down to compare notes
We went over the questions and answers
carefully. They were all there, but to the
horror of every one the ANSWERS" did not
answer the questions. The notes were gone
over carefully again and again, but always
with the same result. Then it dawned on
the bewildered reporters that In their
haste they had allowed the willy railroader
to play them" He had actually not given
a word OF new information, and the next
morning there was not a newspaper In
Chicago that had "stickful" of interview
with Jay Gould.
All Of which accounted for the twinkle
In his eye.-J. L. Sprogle, Jr., in New York
World.