Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-08-30
ne LAUGHED LAST.
STORY OF A REPORTER WHO BEAT THE
COMBINATION.

& suggested q story. This WAS many
years ago, and the conditions Of report
ng were very different from those that
prevail now. The police station OF the
Nth precinct Was In West 47th Street, 40
L 10 to-day, but there were no elevated
railroads and no swift cable cars. There
was little use for such things; that part
Of the city was not built up.
SO the reporter had either to walk or
take cab, II he went at all, and the
risk for him 10 20 or to stay Was equally
great, for he alone was fighting COM
binatiou of all the other reporters 10
Mulberry Street. They were an able lot
Of men. / think Henry n. Stanley was
one Of them. At any rate, police head
quarters Was the centre ut which most
Of the great events OF the day were first
announced, some officially, others only
Is gossip, and since there was no trust
worthy common news service, each
assigned there It's best man.
These men combined now and then, In
order to enable them the more safely
and easily to cover the city. When any
thug happened one man would 60 to the
scene while the others remained behind
TO take care In turn OF subsequent re-
ports. Then as the news was gathered
by the individuals II was traded In the
group.
The reporter who was working alone
had TO 90 out on each slip or trust to
luck that II would turn out to be mat
ter OF no interest, and while he was
away things more important would
occur which he would miss. This night
there was no choice for him, since the
slip In his hand told OF q great event,
the fall Of q building In which many
persons were Injured. His paper had to
have complete account Of that. lie
went. He could not get cab handily,
so he walked and ran. The representa-
tive OF the combination might be well
ahead OF him. Perhaps several men had
gone; the accident was so serious.
He did not see the other reporters
looking out through blind In the office,
where they had gathered. Neither did
he hear them smoker as he stepped of
on run. The slip 10 his hand had not
aroused the least suspicion Of Its genu-
ineness when he read Il. And Of course
there WAS no clerk or official who would
have dared the disple sure OF all the
newspapers in the combination to win
the favor of one. So, though many men
had seen the slip written by the COM
bination and knew II n joke on the
new reporter, the new reporter was al
lowed to 60 forth way up TO Goat
VILE" for so West 47th Street was called
In those days.
Hot and out OF breath the new re-
porter arrived at last at the a4th pre-
cinct station.
"Hello," said the sergeant on duty,
"I'm glad to see you. You're the first
thing that has foated In here tonight.
But what's the hurry"
Hurry Oh, don't trine, now. want
this and want Il quick" And he threw
the slip on the desk.
The sergeant picked II up, held II in
his thick fingers moment, rs he read,
re-read and examined the hour, place,
precinct number. He looked puzzled,
and he moved 10 open his book, but aud
denly he dropped the paper and laughed.
II was coarse bnt cheerful laugh, and
no man could have checked II. The re-
porter exclaimed, asked questions and
stormed; the sergeant roared on In
clumsy mirth till he WAS In pain. Then
he said, In broken periods:
~ know all about IL. see IL now.
They put up job on you, the combine
has. | remember now that the other
night one Of them was up here aud
happened to say, says /, that this place
was lonely, and he says, says he, well
III send up the new man To entertain,
you your next night on. So here you
aie. I'm glad to see you"
And he pumped more laughter out OF
his huge body.
The new reporter had TO laugh at the
sergeant, and that Gained the scene
They soon were chatting In 4 gossipy
way, the reporter wishing TO rest 4
little and also to make u friend, and Ia
the social purpose he succeeded.
They had not been talking long wher
the door slammed open and q boy rar
in:
"Ssy, serg', dere's gent-de gent
what lives In de old stone house--whst'
his name now, yer Knowles killed q
lady, de lady he brung home married Il
him last winter, you know, and say
The sergeant was pulling the gong fol
reserve officers, but the reporter Wa;
listening.
"And, say, boss. de gent killed him
self, too. Mike heard de shots fired
and Dan Cshill seen IL first, but got
here first"
The door opened again. More boys
came In, then man, then more boy;
aud a girl, finally the crowd.
Now sergeant, It's my turn for g
Joke" said the reporter. "Don't you
report this TO headquarters till your pre-.
cinct detectives have got good grip or
the case. That'll help you, and 1t will
put me even with the combine"
The sergeant hesitated just q second
"Done," he said.
His orders were quickly given, the rec
ord was taken by him, and the reporter
together; Mikes statement, Dan Cahill's
and the boys who got there first. Their
the reporter suggested TO the keenest.
looking detective to take the brightest.
looking boy for guide and witness, and
of they went.
~ WINS uC6ttl IL " CiVNA WuCu tiCg iCti
the station house. For an hour they
worked, the reporter helping the detect
i've with hints, interviewing neighbors,
examining the scene, getting the police
ideas and their theories. He soon had
the story. And 1t was a good story, one
of the sens atoms Of that day.
Away he ran for his Office. When he
turned into Mulberry Street II was near
ly midnight. The time was short to dc
the facts justice, but he determined to see
before beginning whether the sergeant
was keeping faith. He was. There
was no slip there of murder and suicide.
So he turned to cross the street to his
Office.
aha, ha :" "Ah, hem." "Ho, ho!"
The other fellows, hearing OF his re-
turn, were lesning out Of their windows
to ieer at him.
"Ho, ho!" Alb, hem :" "Hs, hap
He fastened to his office, woke up his
operator and set to work. The story had
taken form In his head on the way down
town, so all he had to do was write,
page on page, almost the mere mechan-
Ism Of composition. Across the street
gathered the combination; they knew
what he was up to; he was trying to
fool them.
"Ha, la" "Ah, hem!" "Ho, no "
1t was inspiration to him. He never
had seen things so wildly, narrative