Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-05-13
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one cannot imagine the subject which
good newspaper man would not at.
tempt to master II he were assigned TO
IL. a few OF the queer, or dinioult. as
signments which have been carried
through successfully will illustrate my
meaning better than a column OF com
mcnt.
james Greenwood OF London was per-
hapa the FIRST man TO assume n disguise
ana penetrate into a public institution
for the purpose OF fnding out existing
/ abuses. over the signature Of AN Ans
| ntsur Casual he went to poorhouser
and other places and nftorward wrote
them up In a way that terrified the
/ people ~ charge. In this country
Chambers, then 81 the New York Her
aid. succeeded In getting himself sent
TO n state Insane asylum. where he
spent nix months. when he came out.
h. wrote a series Of articles that re-
suited In the reform u the Insanity
laws Of the state and which were the
means Of correcting many abuses then
existing.
In 1881 the New York World employed
q man to travel across the ocean az an
cmlgrant and write up his experiences
In the stccfaec. which h. did. with most
excellent results.
Some Of the interviews which news
paper men arc aaalEnod 10 Ect arc nj
most inconceiyably difficult TO obtain.
when Mr.. James Creciman interviewed
the pope. the work War preceded by
enough diplomacy TO bring about a
treaty between two great powers. In
such case na this one of the greatest
difficulties In the way IL tho fact that
the person interviewed does not under
stand what II y the interviewer wants.
This n especially true In Europe. where
public men are afraid " interyicwern.
remember IN Interview | had with
Mr. Gladstone. az which there were
present besides myself two bnrrlHtcrr.
q private secretary and u HtenURrnpher.
I was forced TO explain when asked
question what I meant by u. what u
was TO lead up 10 and what I expected
Mr., Gladstone 60 say. The lawyers
were 10 the last degree suspicious ~
mo. and they checked me again and
again. I need scarcely say the inter
view was not worth the paper on which
II was written. I was forced TO write
what Mt Gladstone should have raid
and send II 10 him with his interview.
and this brought about a second meet
Ing. at which there was no more red
tape.
McGahnn's interview with the late
car was tho result of nearly six
months work on the part ~ General
Hkobcieff and Of most unusual act Of
personal DARING on the part of the cor
respondent.
Acts Of personal bravery on tho part
IL
iiut when Tom Ficidern went down 20
that solitary cabin on that lonely Penn
aylvania road 20 Interview Mike Gre
ran. the chief Of the Molly Masuircs. In
tho very worst days Of that organiEa-
ton b. literally took his life In his
hands. lie had published an article
about the Mobiles which had offended
them greatly. and he heard they not
only Intended TO put him away. but that
they meant TO do u speedily. In 1875
this was no vain or Idle threat. II
struck the newspaper man that under
the circumstances an Interview with
CrcEan would be- Of Interest. cregan
kept a roadside tavern In the noun.
talnH. and Mr.. Ficldera got a horse and
drove out there. A. he walked Into tho
bnrroom he saw men any one OF whom
would have killed him with as little
heHitatlon aa though he were n NANCY
dog. and he also saw the big man who
was ut the bottom Of half the murders
IN the country scowilng at him. The
slight, quiet, gentle young fellow walk
% up 20 the bar. began his talk and
succeeded In startling Crcgan by his
nrHt sentence.
Mike. I've heard you want 10 Kin
me. and I've come 10 md out whyf''
From that the conversation went on.
and h. got his Interview Now, for the
hrHt half hour that Newspaper mans
life was not worth a battered old cent,
and he know H.
John n. Spear N the New York fun
went Into the Mccoy Hatfield country
10 look into the famous feud. and the
work involved the greatest risk. I could
nll column with instances 60 show
that no managing editor reflects on the
danger there may be TO man before
sending him out.
4 volume could be fllcd with the Hto-
rlcs NJ queer. dangerous. dirarfceable
or funny assignments given to news
paper men. No class ~ work IN more
diniculi; but. then. without II the read
era would not take tho pleasure they
now IND In their morning papers.
ALFRED BALcH.