The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
REPORTERS In PERIL
Secrets of an A. p. A. Session OBJ
tanned by Enterprising Men.
Six Hours in the Bowels of Pipe Or
gan, Suffering Excruciating Tor
ture-Hair-Raising Experiences.
,rovidence Letter bal Rnstnn GInha-

ing are increasing so rapidly in Rhode
Island that local insurance men are very
shy about taking risks on the lives OF ac-
tive newspaper men. and it is semi-seriously
proposed by the Providence Press Club 10
organize among the active membership a
relief fund from which members manned
on duty may draw until able TO resume
work. More than a score OF newspaper
men could be counted here whose lives have
been imperied in the pursuit OF news. some
OF whom are TO this day great sufferers
from injuries received while filling assign
ments
The last on the list Of martyrs TO duty
are two bright young men of the Telegram
who were assigned to do the recent secret
meeting Of the A. p. A, or Order OF Depu-
ties, the religio-political order which Gre
ated such furore during the recent mayor
atty campaign. In the interest OF the DEM
ocratic candidates ii was necessary TO know
all that took place at that secret meeting.
at which the final instructions for the ballot
battle Of the coming week were to be given,
and the Telegram undertook the task.
one OF the reporters presented himself for
membership and was sworn in on the day
Of the meeting, but the project fell through
because. as he says. the pass words and
countersigns could not be given him until
he had been tested. The tests consist in
infiicting injury upon the Catholic Office
holders. and the neophyte could produce
no such evidence of his fitness for admission
he was barred out
Baffied but not beaten. the reporter. with
the aid of another member or the stan,
passing himself off as an organ tuner, came
with his assistant TO TX the big organ in
Music Hall. where the meeting was 10 be
held that evening.
They were admitted, and soon the air OF
the hall was pierced with discordant sounds,
neither knowing anything or music, but
jantor looking on of any suspicious as TO
their errand. He observed that the instru-
ment was indeed out OF order and then he
left them TO their labors.
An entrance effected into the very
bowels of the great organ, and IL was de-
cided that one should conceal himself
among the pipes, as the organ was not 20
be used. and from the interior OF the In
strument take notes Of all that passed.
While they were deiIberating as TO the
best time for concealment the Janitor came
back, followed by ten Deputies, who were
to do guard duty inside until the hour
Of the meeting. The sentinels were posted
at every door and escape was completely
cut off. This was at p. m and the meet
ing was called for u. m The absence OF
the organ tuners was noticed and when In
formed the Deputies at once suspected that
the sleuths Of the press were on the TRAN.
"A strict search of every nook and Granny
OF the big hall was made without revealing
the presence of the reporters. and IL was
supposed they had stepped out
Hour after hour passed and the two men,
their limbs cramped and their lungs gasp
ing for fresh air, were in great distress.
They dared not move nor speak, and so
they sat IA and suffered f9E elk hours that
filling up with people who had the pass
word, the reporters We're congratulating
themselves on reaping a rich reward for
their pains, but their feelings underwent a
great change when they heard one OF the
committee say that an organist would ar
rive to give the audience a little music.
TOO MUCH MUSIC.
Here was new horror. They were coiled
up among the wind pipes. and were sure to
be discovered and dragged out, objects Of
ridicule for the laughter Of the order of
Deputies, which their paper had so vigor-
ously denounced. Rather than that they
would make a sortie from their ambush
and force the guards before they could re-
cover from their surprise and discover who
they were but this plan was knocked on
the head by the arrival of the professor.
He ran his fingers through his hair and
then over the keys. The mufied tone did
not please him. and so he turned on full
steam on the apparatus which supplies the
organ with wind. Instantly a stream of air
was pumped into the mouth OF one OF the
men, Initiating him like balloon and caus-
ing a violent attack of coughing which the
sound of the organ fortunately deadened.
And O, those Soundsi To the ears outside
the music was melody; TO the ears inside
tumbling and crashing into each other after
performing their part in the score. IL was
worse than pandemonium, the men say.
The horror aggravated 10y the fact that
the performer had selected production OF
Wagner for the opening piece. II almost
opened their heads The crashing OF the
lOudest peals OF thunder they ever heard
was not circumstance to the deafening
war OF the bass notes as they struck upon
| that tympanum.
Lights danced in their eyes, followed by
| hemorrhage from the nose. Siedge-hammer
| blows on the lobeS OF their brain were de-
| livered by every lower note struck, and the
| high ones were piercing inside that they
| cut into the nerve center and produced ex-
Quisite torture.
When the organ ceased there was a great
clapping of hands, under the cover or
which the victims spat blood and groaned.
They We're too far gone to record the first
| part Of the proceedings, but in their report
they adroitly filled up the gap by Statlng
| that il consisted OF prayer to God. which in
the Office of the Telegram is always treated
as privileged CONTAMINATION tilutieu 20
whatever Influence IL can command WITH
out any suggestions or advice OF the editor
The material part of the secret proceed
| ingS was obtained and published, but the
men who succeeded in getting it were IA
bed when the paper went TO press, with
/ aurists, oculists and lung specialists hoy
| ering around them plying their Instruments.
They have not yet recovered, al . r<aG1nunp2
not become permanently dear
| be the fault OF that awful orr
In the Journal office are two
whose lives were nearly los
| Torrance of duty. One wen
| other went down. and both v
for lost One hung in the air
ing balloon, the other plung
stories I'm an elevator expert
the only survivor OF four.
| George Farnell once city
Washington Star, and now a
yer here has a bullet in hi
cannot be extracted. His
| information that little
| exercised by the sentinels on
the Columbia State pris~l. ar
oner could escape with ease
| sired that a man from the
meath the porch OF the prise
from his hiding place after
then make across the o.
woods. None OF the
take the assignment
| himself He star
| cording TO the
| fifty PAGES in ~
| before being thor
| Star had been mi
| effect in the rlgnt
| Captain Richard
] the staff OF the id
4 secretary TO the
/ civic secretary TO
| ernor had TO fgh
honor OF his paper
in the editorship OF a
/ antagonist was a 20
| airy officer who had
I whatever but who M.
\ something in the paper
/ suited the managing ed
/ The latter had accept
/ on the morning set
| had the misfortune
| sent n messenger TO
him TO meet the MeXid
| when the Captain attic
| Mexican stOTmed and
| cowardice OF the sheet
| 10 take his chiefs place
not well refuse.
] So.