New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05
THE CENSOR AT THE FRONT.
HIS TIREsOME WORK READING ALL THE
CORRESPONDENTS NATTER.

LIEUTENANT Mu.EY's INExHAusrIB1E GOOD
NATURE UNDER TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES.
ramra Fla. June 2 (SpeciaD.-In times OF
reace telegraphic censorship is associated with
= more or less benighted civilization. but In war
q becomes necessary. IT is knowledge of this
,,at has led correspondents in Key West and
mamma 10 view with more or less equanimity the
activities Of the censors there. Key West was
o-st supplied with this adjunct. so that the
oovements Of warships might be kept secret
rbs publication of the departure of an expedi-
,,on 10 land arms and supplies for Cuban insur-
ror,s caused the establishment of a similar sys-
,srn here At Key West the censor is Captain
,usn ~ the Signal Corps and he has an assist
ort an employe Of the telegraph company who
4. empowered to pass on messages that are OBJ
y,ovslv not contraband.
In Tampa Lieutenant J. D. Mey. aid on Cen
.ral Skaters staff. has full charge Of the CEN
.o-shin For time he did all the work him.
Golf but several days ago he intrusted the rou-
,,rs 10 representative Of the Western Union
rsssnph Company, who duly sworn in.
IN The first few days of Lieutenant Miley's In
cumbency the newspaper men had lot to
uory them-and did the 1t would
not have been so bad IL he had had nothing to
do but pass on dispatches. but his other duties
made him one OF the busiest men in the Army.
He is virtually the private secretary of General
shafter. and looks after the multifarious details
Of the command Of the Fifth Army Corps. So
n happened from time 10 time that he was busy
elsewhere when correspondent wished to sub
NIT telegram for an afternoon newspaper and
that particular piece Of news would have to be
held over.
But II Lieutenant Miley anywhere in sight
he would lay aside everything to read the dis
patch and put his initials on IT, No one ever dis
turbed him at meal times. but representatives of
afternoon papers could be seen lurking outside
the dining-room of the Tampa Bay Hotel ready
70 pounce on him when he emerged. His good
nature was monumental There novelty
about the business that never failed to hold his
interest. II was one of the sights OF Army
Headquarters to watch him reading piles OF
"copy" after supper. when perhaps thirty CORE
spondents for morning newspapers submitted to
him the results of their Gays work. He waded
through columns of The dispatches. many In
poor handwrting but the smile of amusement
never left his face except to give way TO a look
Of doubt when ne came upon a passage that
had to he stricken out He always explained
his reasons for using his big black pencil.
The writers saw things in so many new and
different ways that Lieutenant Mey apparently
never tired Of his task. One night, however,
his fund Of gOod-nature was exhausted. Inc
weather was hot and there had been lots TO
write so when o'clock came the good censor
was tired Just as he thought his work was
over big California correspondent rushed In
With a wad OF paper that would have filled the
mouth Of piece Of field artillery. Lieutenant
Mley took 1t up with some remark about per-
nicious activity and started TO wade through IT,.
Only the first few pages had writing on them
the rest were blank. and the group had Joke
on their arch enemy and friend the censor.
Instructions that kilograms should
describe movements Of troops This led to some
conlic-opera situations. A correspondent could
not say that the Georgia regiment had arrived
here although his paper had printed an ac-
count Of its departure. So he craftily described
its camp and gave interviews with officers, trust
ing his readers 10 infer that the soldiers had
reached Tampa
The telegraph operators were quite literal in
obeying their instructions NewYork man
wanted TO send a private dispatch TO his paper
about an officer He wrote that Major - was
in Columbus. Ohio at last accounts. but had
been ordered TO Washington. You'll have to get
the censor's X on that" said the operator
showing the dispatch back THAT relates to the
movements Of troops" And the correspondent
spent half an hour in finding Lieutenant Miley
interrupted him in his work. had the telegram
approved and filed # in the proud consciousness
that he had been relieved Of the imputation of
Try