The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-19
A NEWSPAPER "BEAT."
The Late Major Handy and the Vir-
ginius Affair.

From the Chicago Times-HeraId.
/ heard in Washington lately from a
naval officer the story of how Mai. Han
dy scored a beat" on the other CORE
spondents in managing to be the only
newspaper man who witnessed the surren-
der of the Virginius by the Spanish au.
thorites in Cuba. 1 have heard 1t told a,
press club meetings and 1t has no doubt
been in print, but it is well worth telling
again as an illustration of the remarkable
energy and resourcefulness of one of the
best journalists of our day When Han
dy came up to New York from Rich
mond and was given a position on the Tri-
bune he was eager to do Special work,
which was then the best field for young
man to gain distinction in. The Span
lards had captured a steamer called the
Nirginius on pretense that she was about
to run their blockade and land supplies
Tor the rebels in Cuba. The capture was
contrary to International law, as It took
place on the high seas, and Gen. Grant,
who was then President, made a peremp-
tory demand for the surrender of the YES
sci. The Madrid government knew that
Grant was not the sort of a man who
would stand any dilly -dallying or delay.
and they at once made an apology and
agreed to turn the vessel over to any
man-of-war Grant would send for it
Handy was directed to go to Cuba and re-
port the event for the Tribune. He hur-
ried down to Key West with the idea of
taking the New Orleans steamer for Ala
Vana, but there he learned that the willy
Spaniards did not intend to humillate
themselves in the eyes Of the Havana
populace by turning over the captured YES
sci in the harbor of that city They had
named lonely bay on the north coast OF
CUBA as the place for the surrender Ly-
ing IN Key West ready to san was me
United States warship which was to 20
TO that bay and receive the Virginius.
Correspondents of other papers had
preceded Maj. Handy to Key West but
they were all in despair for means to get
10 that remote bay and get back TO
telegraph wire. The captain of the war
snip had received strict instructions from
the naval department to allow no civil
ians to go on his ship. He told them all
that he was very sorry, but he had his
orders. The New York Herald man char
tered schooner and started for the bay.
The Times man went over TO Havana
with the intention of making his way on
horseback across country to the scene of
the surrender Handy said nothing. but
matured plan of his own. The officers
of the man-of-war gave a dinner party
on board the evening before sailing. Their
ship was to start at daylight Handy
had no trouble in getting an invitation
TO the dinner. Toward midnight he left
the cabin, apparently a good deal under
the influence of the wine he had drunk.
and slipped into the stateroom of one of
the officers whom he knew very we'll
There he stretched himself on the bunk
and was soon fast asleep. All the other
guests were put ashore The officer
whose HANDY baI
had the watch on deck, and at daylight
the vessel got under way. By the time
Handy was discovered the ship was well
out at sea.
The presence on board of the Tribune cor
respondent was reported to the captain
who summoned the stowaway before him
and performed vigorous feat of naval OBJ
jurgation. The major explained and apol-
ogized in his softest voice and sweetest
manner. He really did not know what he
was doing when he went into the state
room. He must have taken too much
wine "Well, we cannot go back 70 Kew
West to put you ashore" said the captain.
and do not want to throw you overheard
You will have to stay on the ship" 1t
turned out afterward that Handy was the
only correspondent who witnessed the sur
render OF the Nirginius The Herald
schooner did not reach the scene in time.
and the Times man got lost in the noun
tains and turned back to Havana. The
NIrginius was taken to Key West and
on the return voyage Handy wrote a cap
ital account of the affair and had il ready
to put on the wire as soon as he sot
ashore. 1t filled an entire page in the
Tribune next morning, and was the great
est newspaper beat" of the year The
other New York papers did not have a
line about the event and were Obliged to
stop their presses and make up an ac-
count from the Tribune.
Maj. Handy's exploit made a great stir
in newspaper circles in New York and
convinced Whitelaw Reid that he had So
cured treasure in the pale slender. eair-
haired young man from Virginia He
gave him a good position on the editorial
staff of the paper and the major found
himself at once recognized among news
paper men as a man of ability and dis
tinction. Al that time there was an in
tense rivalry between the leading papers
of New York for special and exclusive
news. The Tribune, Herald and Times
were the chief competitors. The World
was poor and not eRterprising. and the
Sun had not attained the national inn
portance 1t has since achieved. The Asso-
ciated Press was run IN a routine wood
eny way, and was not depended on for
news OF really great events. Mai. Han
dy's Virgnius exploit was rightly regard
ed as one of the most brilliant achieve
ments I'm the field of special correspond
ence. In its way II was as good as Arch
ibald Forbes hundred mile ride In Zulu
land to reach a telegraph office after a