Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-06-27
A Celebrated HOAX.

Although the story Of Mr.. T. B. Con.
: ne-y, formerly managing editor of the
Now York Herald, regarding the famous
Wild beast hoax Of that paper which
was perpetrated some 20 years ago is
contrary to the impressions long main
tanned by newspaper men, it has the
merit of reason and is undoubtedly cor
rect. The idea of imposing upon the
public in this way has usually been at
tributed to Nr. Bennett himself, but it
appears that he was more sinned against
than SHINING, for his friends all blamed
him for the imposition, when he knew
nothing about it until after it occurred.
Mr. Connery says he himself was the
originator of the loosened wild animal
story, and that his object was to warn
the public of an impending danger. But
he woefully mistook the effect of the
story. He first thought of the matter
while watching the transfer of some ami
mails to Central park one day. Through
carelessness one Of the animals came
near escaping. He continues:
My first impulse was to call public attention
10 the accident and to give the menagerie men
sound scolding through the columns of the
American Thunderer, but thought better of 1t.
What would be the use of a little scolding and
few warnings? The menagerie men would only
be little more careful for awhile and then re-
lapse into their old habits, if carelessness was
really one Of their habits, of which | did not
know. The public would soon forget all about
1t, and nurses and children would continue to
go to the menagerie as of old on the theory
that lightning never strikes the same place
twice. So resolved to think over some other
plan than an ordinary beware to the public |
and the everyday scolding to officials.
That night In bed the idea came to me-get |
up a harmless little hoax with Just enough |
semblance Of reality to give salutary warn |
ing. That was what occurred to me, and the |
idea grew fast and furious, especially the fun |
OF 1t, and jotted down quickly the headings
of my hoax to give TO one Of the reporters to |
develop and embellish. | became enamored OF |
my idea-a very dangerous thing, for when one |
allows ones self TO be thus carried away one
is apt 10 see only that side Of the idea that
tickles his fancy. 1t was precisely what hap
pened 10 me. / saw only the laugh which the
publication Of such a tremendous hoax would
produce. To my shame, be it confessed, was
utterly blind TO the serious side Of the hoax.
1t appears that after considerable con-
sultation the story was finally written
by Mr.. J. l. c. Clarke, now a we'll
known New York editor. The article
covered six columns of The Herald and
started out by describing how a reckless
keeper provoked the rhinoceros by prod
ding him; how the animal burst from its
fastenings and killed the keeper; how
next the infatuated beast killed another
daring keeper and broke down the bars
of all the cages, iberating the Numid-
ian lion, the elephant, the Bengal tigers,
the honesses, panthers, bears, leopards,
hyenas, wolves and serpents, while bat
tie royal among the fierce animals ragged
on the floors of the menagerie.
One after another the animals leaped
from the menagerie and scattered them
selves over the city, killing or mutilat-
ing beasts, men and women all over the
town. General John A. Dix was extolled
for shooting the leopard ION the spot;"
Lester Wallacl for putting bullet in
one Of the tigers. with Mayor Hall look
ing on close behind: John Morrissey. a
famous pugilist, gambler and politician
in those days, for fighting the tiger"
delivering a deadly blow from the right
shoulder. And so the story went on,
column after column. finally winding
up with:
OF course the entire story given above is a
pure fabrication. Not one word of it is true
Not a single act or incident described has taken
place. IL is a huge hoax, a wild romance, or
other epithet of utter untrustworthi-
ness our readers may choose to apply to it.
Very few read this last paragraph,
however. and the hoax created such a
fright in the city that Mr.. Connery be-
gan to feel that he had made mistake
before he had got half way down town
the next morning. Before he had ar
rived at The Herald Office he was simply
Mortified, SO he says, at the mischief he
had created, and he stopped the presses
from running off extras as quickly as
possible
The only doubtful point about Mr..
Connerys explanation is that a man of
his undoubted ability and experience as
an editor could have been mistaken as
to the effect the hoax would produce
upon the public.
The ways of suicides are past finding
ont but mona hoe ,o,,rs,o1 n $500 =. |