The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-29

memorable time for him, for IL CAV
him his first experience of Europe. a
| well as material for several syndicat
articles, in addition to his regular cor
respondence. During his stay in Lon
| don, the excitement over the White
chapel murders was intense; and, Will
the assistance OF the police he made {
close study of the Whitechapel district
In this way he acquired a thorough
| knowledge OF the region and OF the life
| OF the people there.
After his return to America Mr.. Da.
Wis was anxious to continue his news.
paper work in New York. In Philadel-
phia he had seen many sides of life
but in New York there was even more
to be seen.
/ asked Mr.. Davis, by the way, IL Il
were really true that he had once
lived among burglars in Philadelphia
for the purpose OF bringing them to
justice?
Yes" he replied. with a smile, 1T is
true. 1t happened in this way. A sa-
loon keeper in Philadelphia had been
put into prison, and while he was there
some OF his friends, who were crooked.
ran the place for him, and succeeded in
getting 1T away from him. So when he
got out they had possession of the
place and wouldn't give II up. He came
to me and told me about II, and / made
up my mind that the case was worth
working up. 1 disguised myself as a
tough, got acquainted with the men.
and for two weeks lived among them
/ used to be with them all day and I'M
til 2 o'clock In the morning. At first
they were little suspicious of me: but
they got over that and decided that I
was Straight or dead straight as
they used to say. Incidentally, you
see, managed to pick up a good deal
90 hnfr ell It,
ance of their tricks by telling them
that 1 only went in for big game-big
robberies, you know; so they taught
me a lot of their little tricks, and in
some of these I'm pretty expert in
now"
When Mr.. Davis went to New York
he determined. IL possible, to secure a
berth on the Sun. He brought with
him letter to the editors and while
waiting in City Hall park until it
should be time for the magnate to ap-
pear In his office, he happened to meet I.
Arthur Brisbane, managing editor of
the Evening Sun, whom he had known
while with the cricket team in London, :
where Mr.. Brisbane was then acting
as correspondent. When he explained
his presence In New York, Mr. Bris- +
bane remarked: You'd better come
With me on the Evening Sun; there's a
place for you there If you want it,"
1t was in articles written at this
lime, most of them struck off at a
white heat when copy" was slack and
lust as the paper was going to press,
hat Van Bibber," Mr.. Davis most
successful character, made his first ap-
)earance.
The goal of the present-day writer is
he magazine; So though Mr.. Davis
nJoyed his journalistic work, the
magazine was his goal Before Gal
egher" was published he had already
lad stories accepted by ST. Nicholas.
however, was the first of
is stories that made his name known.
'oung writers may take courage from
he fact that Gallagher" was rejected
alf dozen times. In telling me this,
1r Davis had a chance to point out
ne of the most valuable lessons of his
Experience. 1T was the luckiest thing
4 the world for me-" he said that
hose other periodicals did reject my
tory. If they had not done so ii would ,
ave done me no good at ALL" / asked
i'm to explain just what he meant by
his, and he went on: II sent 1t first
} some of the smaller periodicals, the ,
econd-rate ones. Now, no matter how ,,
he a piece of work that appears in ,
ne of these may be, so far as reputa-
on is concerned, Ii won't do the writer
ny good. II a young fellow who want .
! to go in for literature were to come
} me and ask for advice, ia say to
i'm, Write only for the big maya
mes, either the Century or Harper's or