The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-15
BRAVE REPORTERS BEAT
aow T. q. FEEDERS RIsKED HIS LIFE
TO LAND IT.

HOW 7. q. FiEDLERs RIsKED HIS LIFE
TO LAND IT.
Leaned From the Fulda's Side Mt Mid
night to . Tug and Made His Way
to tho City IN Time to Give His Paper |
an Exclusive Story.
Frank Marshall White, in the last
number of the Wide World Mag
azine, tells in vivid style the story OF
the New York Times famous scoop
nm the occasion on the loss OF the
steamship Oregon.
Word had been received from FIRE
Island in the Times Office on q Sunday
afternoon that the Fulda, which had
rescued 300 of the Oregon's passengers
was waiting below Quarantine for
high tide so that she could cross the
bar and come up to the city.
There were only three men in the
Times Office when the dispatch ar
rived, w. H. ]. Kenny, now promi-
nent politician; Tracy Bronson. who Is
still member of the staff, and Thomas
B. Fielders, Mt present in London.
where he has been editor OF the Fan
Mall Gazette.
The three secured tug, went down
to the Fulda, were admitted on board
under the impression that they were
quarantine officers. and secured the
story they were after.
They wrote out five columns between
them, but when they attempted to
leave the vessel they were chagrined
to be told by the captain that they
would not be permitted to leave the
vessel until the Fulda had passed
Quarantine.
Their expostulation and prayers were
| in vain. It looked as though with
great beat in their very grasp they
were to lose it through German OH
GERS obstinacy.
Fielders, in the meantime, did some
hard thinking He looked over the side
and saw the tug on which he and his
companions had come aboard. thirty
feet below, about to push of.
Turning to his companions. he re-
quested them to give him their copy.
what are you going to do?" asked
Kenny.
Take It to the Office" responded
Fielders, calmly. "We can't afford to
let these foreigners beat an American
newspaper out of it's news"
But how are you going to get to
the Officer" inquired Kenny. beginning
to brighten up. "Those four sailors
over there have been given orders to
watch us, and the companion-ladder is
hauled up, anyway"
81 am going to jump over the side
on to the tug" said Fielders, quietly.
do you see that light? That Is the
Quarantine station, and in an hour or
two there'll be fifty reporters on board
getting news without any trouble,
which we've been at so much pains and
expense to get. 1 can get over the
side before any sailor can get hold
of me, catch one Of the stays OF the
tugs smoke-stack, and then slide down
easy enough"
But If you miss it you'll kill your.
SELF" said Kenny.
That's just the reason I'm not go
ing to miss it." returned the reporter.
"Quick, give me your copy; we haven't
any time to lose"
81 don't just like the idea," began
Kenny, reluctantly, "but, still, know
you're pretty good at such things
And both handed over the matter they
had written.
Fielders put the bunch Of precious
manuscript in his inside pocket and
buttoned his coat over it. He ther
took off his overcoat and his gloves
and asked them to throw them ovel
to the tug after him, as they would
be an incumbrance in making the
jump.
Anyone who has ever seen little
tugboat alongside an ocean steamer
will realize the peril of Fielders un
dertaking.
The top Of the tugs smoke-stack die
not reach the level of the Fulda's deck
and Fielders would dropat least flfteer
feet before reaching even the iroI
', stays, or guy-rods. that held tn
smoke-stack firm. Then, If he missed
his aim, or his grip on the rod failed
.. he would certainly fall to the tug
deck and break his back or neck, o
else 60 overheard between the tw,
vessels. More than this, he had t
:. jump at least ten feet to catch tn
stay-rod, since that was as near q
the tug could get to the steamer. whic
was now forging ahead SO rapidly tina
the smaller vessel was fast fallin
/ astern.
| Quick as a flash Fielders dashed t
. the side of the vessel and before an
of the crew could stop him he spran
: off, caught the stay Of the tugs smoke
stack and slid down to the deck.
1t was half-past three o'clock in til
. morning when the tugboat lande
. Fielders at the Battery, and befor
, four o'clock the printers were Mt wor
, on the copy.
1 And this story explains how it wa
, that the New York Times was th
Y one New York newspaper that pull
| lished the complete details Of the Orr
4 gon disaster on the morning after til
$ big steamship sank.
When the Rain Falls.
; "Barsa ka salta," the game Of ha,
ard recently prohibited in India by tn
: English Government, cannot be playe
avoopf xyhou II rofpc for In fact