The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-21
A FAMOUS NEwsPAPER BEAT.
One of the Editors of the Thunderer
Tells How It Was Scored.
From the Westminster Gazette.


From the Westminster Gazette.
Looking back over your work for the
Times, what do you consider the best
thing you have ever done2"
MIR. Crump showed little hesitation in
answering the question. Beyond a
DOUBT he replied, the biggest coup
which ever achieved on behalf OF the
Times was that effected over the Barring
crisis, of the first intimation of which the
Times, as you will doubtless remem Der,
had the exclusive announcement. l sup
pose it is no eXaggeratiOn to say that never
before nor since has a piece of financial
intelligence Of such tremendous import
been the exclusive possession of any one
paper. OF course, il is the business Of the
Times to be the first, as we all know
added Mr.. Crump, with a laugh, "but all
the same, l cannot help congrat ulating
myself on the part which l was able 10
play in sustaining its eputatlon in this
respect on hatoccasion. 1t was the Times
first and the rest nowhere, and l confess
/ am proud of it.
show did l manage it, Well, II was not
easy, and it would take too long TO tell
the story at length. The first direct in
timation / had of anything amiss was re-
ceived from well-known ffnancier,
whose name it is needless to mention,
who called on me here. He was evidently
in a state of great excitement, but be-
yond the bare hint that some terrible
financial calamity was impending he could
divllge nothing Il cannot tell yOu,' he
said, IN answer to my inquiries; 1T is i'm
possible However, what he had told
me was enough to convince me that some
thing serious was about to happen, and to
determine me TO leave no stone unturned
until had discovered what it was, even
If it involved my remaining at the task
all night Accordingly, / instructed my
assistants TO keep the Office open and to
wait my return, and sailed forth inquest
of information. TC whom ] applied first
/ need not now state Suffice it to say
that he was, and is, very important
parsonage in the financial world. As IL
proved, beyond the mere confederation of
the fact that some grave trouble was at
hand, he could give me no information,
and was compelled to depart no wiser
than had come.
Pursuing my inquiries elsewhere, !
found my way eventually to the Bank of
England, where was in hopes / might
discover what l was seeking. The clerks
and officials were taking their departure,
and not until ] made myself known did /
succeed in obtaining admission through
the half-closed doors. Having done so,
however, l made my way with all speed
to the directors quarters, and, on doing
various people about, that something I'M
usual was afoot. My suspicious were
confirmed when, on entering the ante
room, found the place all lighted up and
learned, on inquiry, that, notwithstand-
ing the lateness of the hour, the directors
of the bank were within in council with
the managers of various other great Lon
don banking Institutions, OF course, /
realized at once the profound significance
of this. and soon made up my mind what
to do.
81 sent in at once a note to the COVER
nor, and asked Mr.. Lidderdale to see me-
To my delight he came out almost imme-
diately, and accompanied me into an ad-
joining waiting room. From his manner
saw Immediately that the situation was
serious, but mole than this l could not as
certain at frSJ. At lengLh, however, I
put the question point blank. Is it Bar
ingsP He did not answer, but slightly
inclining his head indicated that my sus-
picion was correct. DO l understand
then, pursued, that Earrings are in q
position which necessitates recourse to
outside assistance2' Again Mr.. Lidder-
dale signihed assent in the same manner
as before. And then, of course, was in
possession of all that was necessary for
my purpose. Before there had been sus-
picions, but they were only suspicious,
and until they were verified could not be
acted upon. Now had obtained my veri-
fcation, and the time for action had ar
rived. l returned, of course, to my office
forthwith, and the next day all the world
was in the secret"