Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-10-17
AN EDITOR FROM HAWAII.
Some Queer Episodes In Walter G. Smiths
Newspaper Career.

Newspaper Career.
Mr. Walter G. Smith, the young Amer
lean editor who made such stir in Ha-
waii in his conduct of The Star, returned
recently to his former home, Sherwood,
in this state. His old friends greeted him
enthusiastically and have been listening
eagerly to narratives he has told of the
many exciting episodes in Hawaii during
the time of suspense which MIR. Cleveland
and Mr.. Gresham inflicted upon the resi-
dents there. Mr.. Smith has also brought
home some amusing anecdotes.
The system of Jail management in the
islands is peculiar. 1t is the custom there
to rent out the prisoners to citizens as la
borers at SO much day. Every one who
pretends to any social standing in Homo
lulu has telephone in his house, and
conversation over it like this Is said to be
of frequent occurrences:
lis this the jailP"
"Yes."
well, won't you please send up muir
derer to the house todayf That burglar
you sent up yesterday was not satisfac-
tory"
The prisoners are required to return to
the Jail before 6 o'clock every night. Mr..
what he did when the prisoners failed to
return.
"What do dor" said the keeper in sur
prise at such question. "Why, sir, lock
'em outi'
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Smith
was threatened with assassination by
" Paramour Wilson, because Smith dared
to give expression to Wilson'S scandalous
4I,A. al..N..
oeipt of the news to expect death Smith
went out on the streets armed and exposed
himself purposely to meet his antagonist.
The other man didn't shoot but Smith
was none the less ready for emergencies.
1t turns out, however, that 1T wasn't
Smiths first experience of this kind In
newspaper life Before Smith went to Ha-
waii he edited newspaper in San Diego
Cal. There was n tugboat captain there
who came from Smith native place, Sher-
wood
One day the editor found in paper sent
to him from his old home an extract from
letter that the tugboat captain had sent
home and which, because of the glowing
account it gave Of the writer's success, got
into print as an instance of what push
would do in tho far west. The tugboat
captain referred to himself as the captain
of "a large steamer and so exaggerated
his position in life that he appeared to be
one of the magnates of the town. Smith,
in spirit of fun, reprinted the article
without comment
Soon after its publication sound of
heavy feet was heard rushing up stairs to
the editorial rooms of the paper. The ex-
cited tugboat captain dashed in and in
quired for Editor Smith. He hadn' t come
down yet, the boy said.
'Well, you tell him., said the captain,
THAT shall be here tomorrow morning
at 10 O'Clock to shoot him dead. give
him warming"
Smith received the message and has ac
knowledged since that he did not like it.
Still it would never do to show the white
feather. He procured two large revolyers,
had them cooked and hidden under a news
paper on his desk that had been thrown
down carelessly, as it seemed, and tried to
show no concern when on the following
day the lookout reported that the angry
captain was headed for the office exactly
on time. He burst into Smiths Office and
the latter's right hand stole under the
newspaper and grasped one of the cooked
revolvers. With tremendous amount
of profanity the captain shouted:
What did you mean by printing that
thing about met"
You wrote it, didn't your" asked
Smith as his hand stole under the paper
and grasped the second revolver, and both
hands began to tip up the nuzzles for in
stant use, the editor at the same time try
ing to conceal his trepidation.
'Yes, wrote it, but what the blankety
blankety blank did you mean by printing
it2'
"If choose to reprint such an article"
said Smith, the points of the revolvers
coming up still more and his hands shak-
ing a little more, Il have right to do
so."
"You have, have your"
"Yes, have"
'Well, do you know what am going
to dor" asked the furious captain.
mo, l don't" said Smith, prepared
now to shoot and kill if his trembling
hands would permit him to hit the mark.
well, am going down stairs and stop
my paper. New York Sun.