The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-06
NEWSGATHERER'S MISSION.
Glance at Lights and shadows Of Re-
porter's Life-An Example Of the Use.
fulness of q Scribe.

fulness of a Scribe.
For The Tribune.
The news-gatherer of today, while en-
joying nearly all the vicissitudes of life,
finds that the work is constantly a repe-
tition of yesterday. The murder of to-
day must be written up for the paper
on different lines from the one Of a
week ago. He cannot speak Of the as
sassin's smoking pistol being
"clenched in his right hand" every time
a man shoots another. He cannot tell
Of the ''life's blood ebbing slowly out"
or speak of 1.-The CLASSY eyes" and pal
lid cheek" more than once fortnight.
And when he comes to bury the man
the funeral procession cannot always
move off" at a certain hour any more
than the solemn burial service" at the
grave always finishes the last rites of
the deceased"
So 1t Is with the ordinary events one
sees in the perusal OF his daily paper.
There is the murderer suicide or incen-
diary, the bank robber and the big
amist. They all operate in their dis
tinctive lines from a main shafting,
circumstances often altering certain
parts in detail, but the main bare facts
remain the same and must be gar
nished in such a way so as to render
their reports readable. 1t must be to-
tally different from the last article
printed on the same subject.
Versatility at Premium.
A versatile writer is naturally the
best for paper printed in city whose
population is under 100000. In larger
cities, aside from general reporters, the
working staff has its special writer's ON
murders large fires and interviews and
other particular branches which consti-
tute the tout ensemble Of the modern
daily.
Interviews are the most difficult to
write unless shorthand Is employed. A
man will say to q reporter something
which, when he reads in print, wishes
he had not mentioned and then either
in person visits the editor or writes
him letter denying 1t, at the same
time not forgetting a few remarks re-
garding the reporter. who has undoubt-
edly reproduced his language verbatim.
In the past reporters have lost good
positions in this way, burt today 1t is
different, for the editors of papers
know all about those kind Of men. In
point of fact many public men make
utterances to "a reporter which, If
printed, would do them great injury,
and are in consequence withheld, and
again the interviewer is often more
than able to correctly reproduce the
utterances Of a man clothed in better
language than it was given.
There are, OF course, unscrupulous re-
porters just the same as there are bad
bankers. They are few, but enough to
prejudice many people against the en-
tire craft. This is to be regretted, and
the people who are loudest In their de-
nunciation of the toilers of the press
are often the very ones who give them
questionable information.
One Reporters Romance.
A reporter naturally becomes hard
ened, yet he Is not built of Portland
cement, with sandstone trimmings,
and the following illustration is given
to show how certain newspaper man
helped some people in trouble. The in
cident occurred in an eastern city sew
eral years ago. "A beautiful young wo-
man whose parents were decidedly poor
became acquainted with a young man
who occupied an excellent social posi-
ton and also was possessed of fairly
good income. He wronged the girl and
refused to marry her. saying he could
not present her to his friends as the
ruler of his household, but endeavored
to induce the girl to go to another city
where she would be unknown. In pc
cular manner which cannot be di-
vulged a reporter learned of his perfidy
and after fully convincing himself of
the genuineness of the case, went to the
young man and threatened to expose
the whole matter. He, however, had
not the slightest intention of doing
so. The man paled before him and
begged him to keep 1t out of print and
finally, as last resort, offered him q
consideration, a good round sum 1t
was, II the matter would be kept quiet.
The reporter was a gentleman and did
not treat the man as he perhaps de-
served, but gave him to clearly UNDER
stand that he was not a blackmailer.
The young man used every possible
entreaty, but the scribe was as un-
yielding as adamant. He casually re-
marked before leaving the miserable
culprit that 1t would afford him one of
the greatest pleasures possible to be
able to write an account Of his wedding
within few days. The reporter had
an opportunityto do so, for he was one
of the witnesses at quiet and small
wedding about a week later and he
even gave the readers Of It to under
l.-t A. *