The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-28
SOME NEWSPAPER FAKES.
Some MRde-Up stories That Went
the Rounds of the Press.


The return of the John Brown anniver-
sary recalls one of the most famous pieces
of fake news that ever went the rounds
of the American press 1t was In regard
to a mysterious happening at the monu-
ment to the ant-slavery leader which
stands at Osawatomie Three or four
years ago story appeared in the dis
patches telling how meteror had fallen
one clear night, and had struck the mon
ument directly in the center, and had not
only demolished the structure. but had
buried Itself I'm the soil, and was the won
der of the community. IL was represented
as one OF the greatest stones that had
ever fallen, and there was on the part
OF the supersttious a feeling that IL had
come as judgment on the life of the man
to whom the stone stood. in some manner
rejecting on his life work, sBtt 1t was
most interesting TO the scientists. who.
from the very full description of the stone,
realized that Il was of great value to the
students of geology. Several eastern col
eges wrote TO the town for fuller partic-
ulars, and made bids for the meteor One
OF the largest New York colleges was not
content with that, but sent two of it's pro-
fessors on hurried trip across the conti-
nent to bring the stone home at any cost
The people of Osawatomie were astonish-
ed when strangers began to appear, and
ask for the stone. In few days the place
was filed and the little hotel was making
money by the wholesale. As the visitors
went out 10 the monument they were all
surprised to find 1t in perfect condition
aud not trace of any celestial visitor
visible. Furthermore, no meteor had ever
been seen there and none had fallen IN
the memory of the Oldest inha bitant The
whole thing was fake.
Investigation failed for many months
tF faa1 I.
papers that started Il were satisfied that
they had received 1t from what they
considered good sources, and would not
reveal what the sources were Finally
there came a confession, which. how
ever, was never known outside a mar.
row circle. The originator was the on
gineer on a branch road running through
the Vicinity of Osawatome. He was a
studious young man and took a deep in
tefest ia astronomy. He watched the
heavens closely on his night runs and
one evening was specializing on what
might happen If a large meteor should fall
and demolish some of the buildings or the
monument which Is the landmark for the
vicinity. From that the step was easy
to tell newspaper friend that II had oc>
CURED, and the work was done. Many or
the admirers of the Kansas hero still think
his monument Is a mass OF ruins Hun
dreds of letters and scores Of visitors have
come 20 Osawatomie concerning it-yet
II never had the least foundation except
I'm the Imagination of a railroad man
A few months ago there was published
a sensational story Of the meeting of Two
prominent editors of Southern Kansas and
Oklahoma. They were represented as hav-
ing met on depot platform and proceed
ing to fight out a outstanding grudge.
one was candidate for office and the
other his rival In days gone by II was
said that they had fought ard shot. with
the result that one of them was killed and
the other mOrtally wounded. Letters and
kilograms came pouring in from the east
ern friends to the wife Of the man sup.
posed to have been killed, and there vas
a great deal Of excitement among the aot
quaintances Of both parties except at the
place where the shooting was said 10 have
been done. There IL was known that
there had been no fight and that the men
were fifty miles apart at the time when
It was said 10 have occurred. The kill
ed man came to the front with a card
In the papers and went on the Warpath
to find out why his family had been made
TO suffer He finally found the man who
sent the first dispatch and filed suit for
damages. The other man came on also
and together they decided to Join hands
and bring the correspondent TO justice.
Then there was a little meeting in Wlchi-
Ia and the whole story was told. II all
intended to teach a man lesson.
A correspondent at Wichita was In the
habit of going to the Eagle office 10 get
pointers on news for the outside papers
The city editor became tired OF II and de.
termined TO teach him not to do il. one
night when he came In he was told that
there was nothing new. But" added the
editor, you may find something later"
The correspondent often went 10 the COPY
hook and looked over the items thereon.
and he could be depended on 10 do this
again. When he came In later he aid not
disappoint the force. He found on the
hook "A lurid story Of the killing aforesaid
marked for prominent place n the
mornings paper. He was overjoyed, and
taking the facts as they were put down
went on his way rejoicing After he had
gone the copy was destroyed. The next
day the telegraphic columns OF the pa
pers he served had the the weird tale. and
II did rs work in angering the two men
who were mentioned. The correspondent
begged 20 haro for mercy that he was let
OF. and the case IN the courts was drop
ped. IL was a hard lesson. but II was an
effective one.
oklahoma has probably furnished more
Wild tales OF this sort than any part OF the
country. In the days OF Joe Mulhatton
the location chosen as the scene OF the
fanciful reports was usually Texas but
now Oklahoma rs the favorite. II can
be depended on that there viii come
about 50 often from that section OF the
country story OF a boy falling IN well,
child being ground 20 pieces IN a now
ing machine or carried or By an eagle. or
brother and sister marrying each other
and raising large family before dlscov-
ering by accident their relationship. The
distances between towns aud the few
railroads make II easy 20 get exagger-
ated statements la circulation. aud the
correspondents az the central points are
often misled through the reckless stories
OF persons who should know better.
IN the boom times a syndicate OF Kansas
politicians started an associated press pa
per up IN a little town IN Central Kansas.
10 was hummer. and for a time had ali
the facilities OF a metropolitan Journal.
Then the funds ran shorter and shorter.
one fatal night they gave out Gov.
Click was the president Of the papers
syndicate. and he was telegraphcd to for
help. He refused. and the force was left
10 get out the paper as best they could.
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