The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-12-16
JOURNALISM IN MEXICO.
How AN American Reporter Got Mexi-
can Newspaper Into Trouble.

the Old tramp reporter, as we 1shcd
for black bass from the same skin the
other day.
"Iaw. haw. haw!" laul he'd Dave.
as his wrinkled old face lighted up
like big lantern. "Yes, i had Il
sit on daily paper in the City OF
Mexico about ten years ago aud IT
was rare experience"
ANY objections 10 stating the par
ticulars?"
None at all. Haw. haw! haw.
But il was funny. / was on one OF
my trips around the globe and got
financially busted in the City OF Mex
leo. can speak and write Spanish,
and 1t occurred 10 me that | might
get a sit on one OF the dallies.
Il dropped in on the editor OF the
government organ and stated my case
and he took me on the local depart
ment | looked over the files 10 see
how some local matters had run ana
could find only about half column
a day, and most Of that was three or
.Our days old when printed. thought
il "A good chance for Yankee enter
] got around To the Otiice again had
two columns OF live matter ready to
work up The editor wanted to
known what / had found, and !
showed him bundle and expected a
word OF praise. Instead OF being
pleased. he mournfully said
"My dear sir all this happened
last night or to-day. 1t is too fresh.
1t would excite our readers And,
contemporaries TO publish these
things first"
"In the batch had a fatal acci-
dent. A drunken Mexican had fal. Ell
of his mule and broken his neck.
THAT is sad, very sad said the
editor, but we cannot publish IT.
The shock would be too great for our
readers. In two weeks they can read
OF it with placidity. | know his
brother, and / know the brother
wouldn't like to see the sad account
in the paper
"'Well, here is child run over by
water cart, l said.
"'Ah. That is also very sad. We
will let some other paper publish IL
first and thus he sure there is no mis-
take
Here's a case Of nan stabbed
IN fight
That is not so sad, but the po-
lice have not notified me yet Be-
sides, he may die. 1t is better TO
wait week or so and see if he dies.
s- How about an old man found
dead in his Ded?' inquired, as dug
out my notes Of the Il air.
There is sadness in that 1t
wouli be shock. lie may have many
relatives, AMI some OF them would b.
offended, / think al one time he was
an inSurgent, and the Government
might desire me To say nothing
But don't you want any live
news?'
oh, yes You had best 90 and
see my friend Senior Don -. He
generally has news-important news.
He will gladly give you all he can,
and it will be pleasing to the public
and perfectly reliable.
IL posted off to see his friend,
continued Dave. as he rceled in his
line TO see if the bait was all right.
"lle was nigh stopper and a } m
dandy. When | told him what |
wanted he cried out
at is splendid. | shall give you
great news 1t is news OF the army,
and therefore of the Government, and
to please all readers My good friend
Capt. A has res gned his com
mission and will enter into business
"'Whcn did he resign:'
" six weeks ago. You are the
first TO have it, 1t will be great
news
That's the way things went for
three or four days, and then | got
hold of something about one of the
Government Umcials being short in
his accounts, | had my facts solid
and ripped him up the back, and
some how or other the item passed in
and was published. Ilaw. haw, haw."
"What resultcd:'
"The paper hadn't been out an
hour when the police swooped down
upon us and waltzed us all of TO Jail
When 1 say all i mean ever man
Jack connected with the paper, from
editorinchicf down TO press feeders
and Office boy 1t was an attack on
the Government, you see, and being
in the Government rrgau it was al
most a shootable otfense.
81 suspect they all put il on TO ne.
and as II matter OF fact l owned up
TO it, but they kept the crowd in Jail
for three months, just the same.
don't know how long they intended
to keep me- hut soon after the others
were released our Minister interfered
in my behalf, and when l got out
made tracks for the United States.
aud you bet your bottom dollar
never tried TO another newspaper
sit in that country"--New York
Herald.
An Ancient Fake"
What is known as a fake" in mod
ern Journalism is but a new name at