The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-27
SHERMAN'S BUGABOO.
now THE SENATOR WAS BEsTgo BY
A SMART REPORTER.
Caught the Next Premier In m Elevator.
The Famous Ohioan Said Not Word,
but the Newspaper Man Had Two Col
ume Interview just the Same.

but the Newspaper Man Had . Two Col
ume Interview just the Same.
Senator John Sherman submitted to
an interview the other day. 1t was thor
Oughly characteristic Of tie man. He
simply said, II have accepted the port
folio Of state" and b. ond this would
say nothing for publ; l;c..tion.
Senator Sherman IS not an easy prey
for the newspaper boys. Throughout
Ohio he has long been called "the Mans
field icicle" 1ocause of his personal
frigidity, anG yet he is at all times kind
ly, courteous, and to those who enjoy his
confidence even affable. But when he
quietly Sc ys that he "has nothing to say
for pull. cation" the interviewers may
az We retire at once.
"Ihe newspaper reporter" :" he once
rc,larked to me" is the greatest enigma
ii the nineteenth century. l am inter
ested in him always, respect him gener-
ally and fear him sometimes. But j
never cease to wonder at his resource
fulness in searching for news.
Shortly after was appointed secre-
tary of the treasury in President Hayes
cabinet / had occasion to go to New
York ON business of an official nature
which wanted to keep strictly quiet. ]
took especial pains to guard against
newspaper men and flattered myself
that / had succeeded pretty well.
st transacted my business without
reportorial interruption and fancied that
I had entirely eluded the fraternity. As
entered the elevator at the hotel to 60
to my room, however, / found that the
car contained one other passenger, who
instinctively felt was member Of the
bohemian tribe.
1.-The car started upward, but between
the second and third floors it got stuck
and came to dead stop. Apparently
the elevator boy had lost control of il
and was unable to start it in either di-
rection.
81 instantly OWNED that the cause of
the stoppage was half dollar given to
the boy by the reporter for making me
captive. The shrewdness Of the plan
amused me greatly, and l suppose such
enterprise really deserved to be reward
ed, but kept as mum as an oyster and
refused to answer a single question OF
the volley fired at me at point blank
range.
"The reporter gave up the interview
as bad job, and the car again started
upward. AS left it couldn't forbear
the pleasure of saying with malicious
earnestness, Young man, you will con-
fer great favor on me if you will not
print what 1 have just said to you
I'D like to oblige you, senator, he
replied, with much seriousness, but
business is business, and the story will
have to 60.
Somehow ! recalled that episode a
dozen times on my trip back to Wash
ington. When arrived, picked up a
New York paper, and there, on the first
page, staring at me under great, black
headlines, was two column interview
touching upon nearly all the leading
questions Of the day and giving my
views upon the very financial matters
which had taken me to the metropolis.
''At first was boiling mad. Then !
sat down to read the article through. It
was work of art-wen written and
carefully edited. It gave my views pre-
cisely, did not misrepresent nae in the
slightest particular, and in fact voiced
my ideas il better shape than proba-
bly, could have done the work myself ]
was more than pleased; was delighted
and really felt quite relieved that the
vexed question Of publicity had been
settled SO well. My first work after fin
ishing the article was to send tele-
gram to the New York paper, thanking
its representative for the care he had
shown in reporting me correctly. Pret-
u soon telegram was handed to me.
It was dated New York and merely
said;
s'To Senator Sherman:
"Thank you. The elevator is running all
right again today.
1T bore the name Of the reporter-a
name had never heard before and have
never heard since Frank S. Pixley in
Chicago Times Herald.