The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-17
TRAGEDIES OF JOURNALISM.
Great Editors Who Have Come 90
Rather InglOrious Ends.
rrfrnns-IInrald

Times-Herald 81,
Without injustice to any of the bright
men whom have known well in the realm
of journalism, in an experience of thirty
five years,I unhesitatingly place the name
of William II. Hurlbert at the head. When
1 met him first he was writing letters
to the New York Times from Charleston
and the south. They were signed " s.
being the liberal compensation paid for
each of his gifted contributions He sub
sequently edited the World in the interest
of Sam Barlow, Sam Ward and other low
ers of properly served terrapin, and won
for himself deserved reputation as mar
Velously equipped man of letters an aes-
thetic bon vivant, a gay and festive Ia
dies man, brilliant converse tionalsl
and an all-around, up-to-date bachelor
His death, according to reliable report
was tragic in it's surroundings. He was
extremely near-sghted and of late years
quite porty. White visiting with his
wife and friends, an interesting ruin ne
accidentally stumbled at the head of a
flight of stone stairs, fell heavily, bruised
himself internally and died in great pain
A most unfortunate end to versatile ex-
istence. arN ia
Let me bore you with a tragic record!
When began to work in 1850 here, the
virtual editor of the Herald standing
between the two regimes of the elder and
the younger Bennett, was Frederick Hud-
son. He was a remarkable man in many
ways, so much so that after many years
of heroic service on that typical Ameri-
can journal he was retired on pension of
$4,000 year, with the one condition that
he should do no more newspaper work He
bought a place in New Hampshire Driv-
ing out one day with his family, he fool
ishly attempted to cross a track as a fast
train was approaching. The engine mount
ed his vehicle in a moment, broke il
into thousand pieces scattered its occu-
pants to the four winds of heaven and
killed him instantly. Horace Greeley was
editor of the Tribune. He died in a mad
house. Henry ]. Raymond was editor
of the New York Times. One bright af-
ternoon l met him at the ferry, he return
ing from a visit to Greenwood ceme-
terry with his young son, l with my com
panon, Conant, managing editor of the
Times, going home to dinner. Where Ray
mond spent the evening no one was ever
told. Whoever knows took him to his
home in the early hours of theemorning
and left him in the hallway, where he
was found about O'Clock stertorously
breathing, and died in few minutes His
managing editor was Stillman s. Conant,
my intimate friend from boyhood. Co
nant's father Thomas j. Conant was
considered for years the best oriental
scholar in the country, and was reviser
of the present version Of the New Tesla
ment His mother was a writer of great
merit and popularity He personally was
the chief ornament of our Century Club,
well versed in English, German and
French literature, seeking relaxation from
labors of exacting arduosity in a con-
tinuity of smoking and frequently drink
ing. One day he strOlled to Coney Island
walked in the moonlight out upon its
sands. and no word has ever since come
from him.
Charles G. Halpin, better known. per-
haps, as Miles O'Reilly. was an intimate
friend of Hurlbert's, and close compan-
ion of Raymond. He was one Of the Wit
test, repareeist, merry go-rounds i ever
knew. He conducted an animated contro-
versy at one time between the Tribune
and the Times. on some question OF pub |
lie schools, taking one side in Greeley's |
paper and the other in Raymond's Free |
quent nervous headaches spoiled his tenn /