Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-04

c. in New York Advertiser.
Nobody would believe you. even II he
knew YOU" said Joseph McCullaGh. the
Prince Rupert of the Western press. when
l told him that the story OF my first per-
sonal encounter with him would appear in
print next day. 1t never has appeared un
til this day.
There was only one other witness, and he
preceded Little Mack TO the land where
circumstances don't alter cases. but yield
to them. The attention of the Boston
Psychological Society is respectfully called
to this one, which is only one of three that
l have to tell:
In 1871 the Chicago Republican, which in
cluded my valuable services among its as
sets passed into the hands OF Il Cincinnati
syndicate of which Little Mack was the
spokesman. This generation has probably
forgotten that the civil war developed two
Little MaCks. One commanded the
Army of the Potomac. The other signed
his name to some of the most brilliant
letters that ever reached the public from
the field. The latter was Joe" Nc
CullaSh. With his reputation and his
strong adventurous character. McCullagh
essayed 10 accomplish what the Nestor of
American journalism had conspcuously
failed in doing. That, however, has little
to do with the story.
The day that Little Mack took charge
| of the Chicago Republican was black one
I
down, boy-like, to defend the city editor.
who had borne kindly with their small Of
| fenses. They addressed letters of resiSna-
| tion to the new editor. scathing, of course;
| letters that ought TO have turned him from
| his wicked course at once: letters that
ought 10 have shown him the despicable
| meanness of his character and proceedings;
| and then they left the paper in body.
| And the paper came out next day, strange
| to say, and continued to come out until
| the great fire consumed its local habitation
| and left nothing but the name, which the
| Right Honorable William Penn Nixon has
| subsequently made illustrious under an
other. One of these bad young men went
| to congress and that was the end of him.
| Thirteen years later | stood in a place
with one of my old Chicago friends in
| Brooklyn. Joe" McCullagh had become
the editor of the st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat and established himself in history
Nobody named him but with just such APP
| probation his fellow-C -Cincinnatian. Colo
| mel Cockerill. To speak of Little Mack
| was always the prelude to Il pleasant
| phrase. So, apropos of nothing but ole
! times. my companion said: Il think yor
| probably made the error of your life wheI
you quarreled with Joe McCullagh.'
But 1 didn't quarrel with Joe McCuI
| lagh,' 1 answered. Il simply entered
protest, in as picturesque and sensational
a way as L could. have reason to believe
that he rather enjoyed the defiance"
TO some extent you are right m,
companion returned, but you hurt him
He has never forgotten it, and he ha!
mentioned it 10 me frequently as one o
the unkindest cuts he ever got"
| WELL" l said, in tumult of remorse
'how men can misjudge not only eacl
other but situations. So far from wishin.
to wound Joe McCullagh. / have alway,
admired and liked him. 1 only acted OF
| nTincinlp I nv In,
performance. Why, if Joe McCullagh wer
and shake with him.
'>And so you will, my boy" said Joe Nc
Cullagh. as we looked at him in speeches
astonishment.
1t was Joe McCullagh, who had. accord
ing to the laws of probability, no NOR
right to be in Fulton street, Brooklyn
than in Nova Zembla or Timbuctoo
And yet the explanation was as simple
in its way, as anything could be.
Il was in Washington" he explained
two or three days ago and heard tina
the Brooklyn Argus was for sale. l cam
on to see DR.. Demas Barnes about 1t, slep
in his house and woke with a most natura
thirst, but that CHEEKY soul hadn't Il dro
of good old Bourbon in the house-an,
here's at you.'
But were you prepared for this astound
I ing coincidence"
Not in the least. But as I came in
heard a voice that had haunted me 70
years, and then my name. so 1 responded.
But / never exchanged a word with yo
in my life before to-day"
NO" he said, but I overheard you
many years ago, expressing uncompli
mentary opinions of the new editor. and
always wondered why. Your old frien
and city editor is in the secondhand boo
trade, he added, with q grin.