The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-11

parties would hardly object to. When that
fellow down In New Jersey eloped with his
wife's sister / went to the girls mother
and represented myself as a man OF wealth
and leisure who was shocked at such
outrage. L told her IL she would accom-
pany me would pay all the expenses and
them back. She bit, and the Planet had
exclusive stories every day for two weeks
1 don't believe those people know TO this
day that i was writing them
These and dozens of other experiences he
TOTO me OF, and they were as entertaining
as the adventures of Francois or any other
picturesque and clever rascal.
Another reporter whom / liked to talk
with had been Sunday editor and city ed
itor, and was familiar with methods in the
upper circles of yellow Journalism. He
told me how the paper hired ex-cham-
pion pugilist TO report prize fight at Car
SON City. The ex-champion won some
ten days. The story of the fight was writ
ten by man in the office and signed with
the pugflists name. 1t was so well done
mat 1t Grew a comment from a well-known
literary weekly.
CHAMPIONS" AS CONTRIBUTORS.
This practice of paying a professional
champion in some line of sport so much per
week for the use of his name explains the
presence in the yellow journals of the much
advertised departments conducted by the
worlds champion Jones' Jones couldn't
write a fve-word sentence correctly and
he never goes near the Office except on
pay day. Some Woodworking sub-editor,
unknown to fame, does the work.
This practice isn't confined to champion
pugilists and jockeys if my informant is
to. be believed. He told me he had written
many a column of book reviews, answers
to correspondents and similar matter,
which appeared in the paper over a name
well-known in American literature. There
is nothing on earth the yellow journals
will not fake outright, or print on the
-tn hac DO nfC rrN1f ~ft oil
a statement on question of current in
terest which appeared over the signature
Of a bishop. 1t was well known that the
bishop would newspaper men. One
reporter sent to him as a devout fol-
lower of the bishops faith, who was pass
ing through the city and could not think
of going away without seeing and speaking
TO SO distinguished a divine. The bishop
was affable. The reporter steered the con-
versation toward the topic and got the
bisop''s sentiment. Then the reporter pro-
duced a book written by the bishop and
asked for the authors signature in it, just
as a memento of the visit The sentiment
appeared in the Planet next day over a
facsimile signature of the bishop.
One of my assignments had to do with
this bishop. 1t was suspected he
was going to another city to take part in
an important secret conference, and / was
detailed to watch him. Early I'm the day 1
took a position commanding both entrances
to the bishops residence. He didn't APP
pear until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. [
calls and followed him into q street car.
1 thought / had stumbled on a star story
when ne got off at the railroad station, but
il turned out he was going innocently to
take dinner with friend a few miles out
in the country. L followed him faithfully,
and as he walked up the steps of his homo
late in the evening | approached and tried
to interview him. He had been so misrep-
resented, so often placed in undignified
positions by the newspapers that he was
quite terror-stricken by the encouter with
a reporter, and out of sheer pity / backed
away as quickly possible
A DIFFICULT ASSIGNMENT.
The uncertainty of tenure in the execu-
tive offices which my friend spoke of was
illustrated by his own experience. He told
me of the first assignment given him after
he was deposed There was foreign min.
lister on a transatlantic liner which had
Just arrived. "Our tug will take you to
the vessel said the city editor. "They
won't let you aboard; but when the tug
gets close to the vessel. catch one of the
ropes that hang over the sides the tug
will then back away, and then they'll have
10 pun you up on deck, and you can get
ar interview My friend was very bitter
said. You're young and you like adven-
lure, but when man gets to be forty
five, he cughtnt to be compelled to do such
things"
Most of my own assignments were legiti-
mate enough, though L often started on one
vowing to myself that I'd sooner be a
ditcher and keep my self-reSpect than do
such work. But one night 1 was sitting in
a corner of the local room chatting with
the marine reporter. He telling me of
a schooner about to leave port which
wanted two able-bodied seamen to go to
Demerara- / didn't know where Demerara
was then Ct wish l had never learned-but
that's another story, but it sounded far
away and interesting. Just then the city
EDITORS sharp, staccato call took me up to
the desk. He explained that q prominent
state official with whom the Planet had a
quarrel had a deformity on one side of his
face about which he was very sensitive.
His photographs We're all taken in profile.
The official was to be in a parade the next
day, and / was to take n camera and get
a photograph showing the deformity. L
didn't say anything. 1 had just drawn my
salary, so that there was nothing coming
to me; and the next day / failed to turn up.