The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-08-16
GOOD NOSE FOR NEWS.
Newspaper Man Must Have Both News
Instinct and News Judgment.

News instinct is poor possession if
it does not EN- brace news judgment.
In explaining one or the other of these
abstruse terms and unsubstantial gifts
illustrations serve better than argu-
ments. Here, then, are two anecdotes
given in Harpea's Weekly, one to show
the presence, and the other to mark
the absence of these qualities. Acting
as the city editor of a leading newspa-
per at one time, when was a great
deal younger, received a visit from
man who wanted it known that he had
tanned the skin of a negro who had
been hanged for murder. and that he
had caused pair of boots to be made
of that material. / confess did not
know whether to promise that we
would endeavor to imEortalize him
or not. 1t is regarded as serious
thing to bother the editor-in-chief of a
great daily, and to run often to him
betokens lack of fitness for ones own
subordinate place, yet in this case l
determined to consult the chief-then,
as now, the most distinguished man
in his calling. A piece of "fimsy"
had come in, half an hour before, tell
ing of the arrest of clergyman in St.
Johnsbury, VT, for stealing, as re-
call the case.
"Flimsy" is the technical name for
the peculiar sheets of paper on which
the contributions of the news associa-
tions are sent to the newspapers. Such
items of news are gathered all over
the country, are collected at New York
as a clearing house for this region, and
are then reissued IN the form of mani
fold repetitions of one writing, sty-
lus and carbon sheets being used to do
the work. AS the paper is so thin as
to be nearly transparent it is called
%f1imsy."
took the sheet of "flimsy" and a
sample of the human leather into the
chiefs sanctum in order to kill two
birds with one stone.
"Sir," said /, "there is a man here
who has pair of boots of leather
made from a negro's skim"
"Ugh!" said the editor. "How dis
gusting! Put the man out of the Of
fice."
"Yes, sir. And here is news that a
clergyman has been arrested in St.
Johnsbury for"
go yourself, and telegraph us long
accounts of it."
"He was arrested for"
at makes no sort of difference"
said the chief, "what he was arrested
for. He is clergyman, and he is ar
rested. Take the half-past 6 o'clock
train, and get all the facts"
The decision as to the human leather
was not case in point, for to-day
would find out in what manner and
by whose leave the man procured the
neoro's skin, how and where he tanned
it, and how he got to make the boots
out of it. The chief editor in this case
allowed a shock to his natural niceness
of taste to overwhelm his news in
stinct.
The other instance was this: The
famous Brooklyn Theater fire was
burning, and the morning newspapers
were being printed. Few knew OF
dreamed that hundreds of men and
women had perished in that awful
coniagration. The newspaper with
which l was connected had third ot
a column report of the mere destruc.
tion of the theater after the audience
had escaped from it. But there came
into the Office reporter who was full
of the idea that it was other than ar
ordinary fire. He hustled up to the
man highest in authority in the news
paper ol1ice--most of the others hav-
ing gone to their homes.
Il have come from Brooklyn" said
he, sand I believe lot of people were
burned up in that theater fire. car
make a good story. How much shall
write?"
Nothing" said the man he address.
ed. ave have got enough about thai
fire."