The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-21

lzeo 1t In different positions. studied it for
some moments and finally handed it back
10 me with the remark: II cannot read a
line OF 1t, Charles. You can read it much
better than can. and must look to you
70 make sense of it if you can not decipher
every word" Thereafter he never would
read the proof of any article written by
himself II he knew had put it in type.
FOR sixteen years James Brooks, first as
wing and next as Republican. repre-
sented congressional district in New York
city. An exalted and enviable position
was his until near the close of these years,
when in fatal moment he became VIC
tim OF the infamous Union Pacific Credit
Mobiller scheme, which plunged him at
once into lasting disgrace and obliterated
all the bright pages Of his previous history.
AS one of congressional committee he
visited Puget sound in the steamer ORR
hamme few days before he fell from his
high estate, and I had the pleasure of meet
ing him and his colleagues in Olympia.
where the citizens treated them to a clam
bake on the beach. He did not long sur
vive his disgrace; in about year death
removed him from the scenes in which he
had taken such an active part. Sunset
Cox succeeded Brooks as q representative
OF the same district, and died while in SER
vice.
At one period during the seventeen
years Of my printing experience in New
York city, was employed in the Office of
the Sun, of which Moses Y. Beach was
then proprietor. In connection with his
newspaper Beach ran bank in Plainfield,
n. j., from which he was supposed to
derive larger income than the paper
yielded him, thought that was said to re-
turn him about 81 900 week. The bank
was vehicle by which, in conjunction
with his newspaper business, he daily put
In circulation large amounts of worthless
notes of his bank, which he never expected
to redeem with coin. He paid his en-
ployes exclusively in Plainfield bank
notes; he gave change at the coun-
ter in Plainfield bank notes; he
paid for paper, type, ETC., in the
same notes, while the coin and notes of
sound banks that came into his hands
were added to the boarded treasure. There
was once run on the Plainfield bank.
Moses S. Beach. the oldest son of Moses
T., went over to meet the run with
wagon load Of coppers and few hundred
dimes and half dollars. By the time he
had counted out $40 in coppers and half
dimes it was time to close the bank. The
bank held no deposits; the run was started
to procure coin for the notes, which were
no better and no worse than the notes OF
several hundred other banks then in the
country. All were at discount of from S
to 10 per cent, and none were safe to hold
for twenty-four hours.
One afternoon, while looking out of the
windows of the Sun Office, corner of Mas
sau and Fulton streets, the elder Bennett
There was then no James Gordon Bennett,
jr., was seen running up Nassau street to
the Herald office, on the opposite corner.
His hat was battered out Of shape and his
clothing covered with dirt from head to
foot. He had just been interviewing Col
onel James Watson Webb and was hasten
ing to publish the result in an extra. In
little more than an hour afterward the
boys were crying out: Extra Herald!
Ruffianly assault on James Gordon Ben
nett by James Watson Webb" etc. The
details and heading occupied column and
a half, and several hundred extras were
quickly sold. This gave Bennett notoriety.
and notoriety seemed then his chief aim
in life. Benefits face and figure would
attract attention and perhaps force smile
where he was unknown. To tall and I'M
calmly figure he added eyes as crooked as
those of Ben Butler; indeed, his crooked
eyes were almost as prominent feature
as Horace Greeley's bald head, which was
noticeable in his day for the reason that
bald heads were not SO fashionable then 20
now. l cannot recall single journalist
fifty years ago, except Greeley, who did
not have n In xuriant head of hair
Much is known to the writer of the
methods and characteristics of Bennett
and others. but to detail them here would
make this sketch unduly long, therefore l
refrain. CHARLES PRosCH.