New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-28
DIR. ELKINS WAS OBLIGING.
But THIS REQUEST WAS TOO MUCH FOR
HIM.


BEEN HURT WHILE BICYCLE RIDING
TRIED IN VAIN TO PERSUADE
HIM THAT HE OUGHT TO
BE AN INVALID TEN
PoRARrLY ANYHOW.
There is a Joke which anteda;es almost any
other Joke that one recall which comes In the
form OF a conundrum. The question Is I'm what
way d!d Henry VIII differ from other men In his
wooing?" The reply is that he married his wife
first and axed her afterward. In investigating the
methods OF the alleged news association known as
the Associated Press cannot but De ViVidIy re-
minded OF this riddle.
day or so ago the newspapers In TINS city WHO
subscribe TO that news association printed con-
spicuously the report Of serious accident to Sen
ator-elect Stephen b. Ekns Of West virginia. Inc
ten, was 10 the effect that the Senator had been
nainfullv injured In falling from bicycle while
riding at mis- country place In West virginia. Inc
item further said that the injury was so serious
that Senator Elkins at once started for New YORK
on a special train to obtain surgical treatment OF
the best kind
The Tribune has told how reporter started out
IA ascertain the time OF the arrival of Senator
Elkins on the special train and the exact nature OF
his INJURIES and how the first man the reporter met
after leaving this Office was the Senator himself
pacing along like racehorse. The senator denied
that he injured IN any way anu s"lu Nv ""e"'
TO know.
That should apparently have closed the incident
as The Tribune printed the facts IN the case But
bnre ~ where the Associated Press reverted TO the
tactics adopted by Henry VIII. To be sure. the
tactics were somewhat antlquated. but they CON
formed 10 others used by that association. Inc
managers Of some of the Associated Press papers
read the denial In The Tribune and At once tried TO
md a way IN which 10 get around H. To at least
one a brilliant idea cane Most politicians ana men
Of National reputation are known TO b" good
uaturcd The editor thought the whole matter
ought To be decided and that the best thlng 10 90
3as To convince the senator thhi h" was wrong anu
the news aHsOclat on fiShL Thcf for', Reporter
was Cont out assigned to the hercuean task OF
convincing a 25O-pound man. with wonderful actlN-
,tV for ha weight that IN reality ne ought 10 be
I'M bed nursing himself. as he should De suffering
from a wrcnched ankle. Doubtless the reporter
when ho received the job lOnged TOR Inc powers
ettrihuf.d TO the late lamented Svengall lie was
courageous however. and went AT MIS- TASK win an
energy that surprised even the friends or senate
Eikins Obliglng as the West Virginia statesman
is he could not his way clear 10 giving up MS
business cares and becoming an Invalid Tor the une
being To siihatantiate wildcat story about an ac-
cident that hadn't occurred, and he respectfully
declined 49,, 49, -,
ness Many people who have heard OF his alleged
mIshap have tried to find some trace or MIN, but
M. il the hardest man IN the world 10 ma Wnet
busv He has 4 habit Of going TO one hotel and
slening and going to another for breakfast and by
evening moving somewhere else All OF TINS makes
him 2 very elusive man to find. bu; The Tribune is
assured that he will not become an Invalid to
oblige a stray paragrapher or misniormed news