The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-01
DOES NOT BELIEVE III SUICIDE.
Otto III. Hasselman's "Reminiscences of
the DenG EIffo-


About twenty years ago Otto II. Hassel-
man, OF this city, was business manager
of the st. Louis Democrat. which has since
been merged with the Globe. forming the
Globe-Democrat. At that time Mr.. McCul-
lash was managing editor of tho Demo-
crat. Mr.. Hasselman was asked last night
| for some "reminiscences of those times He
said:
already been printed i'm regard TO Mr.. Nc
/ Cuilagh. | can say this much concerning
lne personal character of the man: He was
unllke most men. in that he was best liked
| by those who came i'm close daily contact
| with him. Most men will make friends
| among those whom they meet often but
| never come into close contact with, while
| there will often be coOlness where there
IS intimate daily association, where one
] man has executive authority over Others
/ ms was never the case with Mr.. Nc
! Culiagh. IL was often the case that until
a man had worked with him for a year
! ne would not form much attachment, but
/ after that the friendship would grow
he WAS man with very marked likes
ana ana diskes lis; he never ATTEMPTED 10 con-
remember visit once from Carl Schurz
| They had known each other when both
were newspaper correspondents in Wash
ington. Afterwards SchurZ became Sena-
tor and McCullagh went to St. Louis. Me-
Cullagh never liked Schurz, and this feel
ing remained after Schurz became senator
one day Mr.. Schurz came into the business
office and asked for Mr.. McCulIagh
showed him TO Joe's room and remained
near TO see how he would be received
! McCullagh indicated a seat for his visitor
and then picked up an exchange and be-
gan looking at it. but was careful to hold
it in such q way as to show plainly to his
visitor that il upside down and could
not be read. Holding the paper between
| himself and his visitor he looked into my
face and smiled This merely shows how
ne looked upon such things. If he did not
like man he would not pretend that he
did.
Il notice that the Associated Press ac-
count of his life says that Mr.. McCullagh
was a close friend of General Grant This
IS not true. He was anything but a friend.
and General Grant knew ii. General Grant
/ feared McCullagh as he did few men. He
/ knew the mans ability to make the most of
any little point that might be dropped in
an interview. and would never say q word
in the presence of Mr. McCullagh. He
! would not even talk at all. even on topics
that could not be used against him. One
I day General Grant came into the Democrat
Office accompanied by Mr.. Ford-I think Il
| Was-who was then collector of customs at
/ st. Louis. They sat down and i'm q short
time began to talk: General Grant was be-
| footstep in the hall. The door was partly
/ open and | saw McCullagh stop and look
| through the crack at the hinges 10 see
/ did not care 10 intrlde. General Grant
/ could not have seen him and he must have
: noticed something In the expression of my
/ lace. or must nave imaglned that the new
] conner might be McCulagh. for he stopped
! talking immediately and would say nothing
more. He absolutely refused TO talk again
and some good news items were gone He
was simply afraid To talk in the presence
! Of man who could make as much out of
an interview as Mr. McCulagh could
The statement has also been made that
Mr.. McCnilagh established the Globe. This
! Is not correct He did not ieave the Demo-
crat until year after the Globe was start
ed and then he ieft become an en-
ployc Of the Globe. which was tabIished
by the men who now own most OF the
stock OF the Globe Democrat.
His forte was writing paragraphs He
was undoubtedly the best paragrapher
that lived. He could take up a subject
and put more into two or three sentences
| than any man living. He would make his
| points so sharp that all public men dread
| ed TO be attacked by his short paragraphs.
Il cannot believe tho story that Mr.. Nc
/ Cullagh committed suicide. He WAS not
/ the kind OF a man who would do such a
! thing. He was always bright and cheerful.
/ and / should say that suicide would be
/ the last thing he would think of I am
moro inclined TO think that he went 10 the
1 window TO get some fresh air and fell
out