The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-21
EXPERIENCES In KANSAS.

Many years ago, when / was quite a
young and ambitious newspaper man. I
of1Ited out West, and finally struck a
JOB IN Kansas town, as city editor of
daily newspaper that carried a local force
of three men, including the chief fune-
tlonary OF the city department, at the
tlme referred to myself. l had been for
years on the local staff of the ST. Louis
GIobe-Democrat, and was thoroughly
imbued with the idea that the proper
thing to do was to scoop the other fell
low So soon as | got my bearings in the
Kansas town l opened UP the scoop
batteries and began to shell the enemy
L received in return the cordial abuse of
the opposition newspapers, VINO referred
to the new city editor as st Louis i'm
portation. !" That did not disturb me-
in fact. rather tickled my youthful van-
ity, and l redoubled my efforts to SCOOP
them ALL
1t was no easy matter to fill about
eighteen columns Of space, each day.
with local news, in a town of the size Of
the one In which 1 had pitched my tent.
There came day when matter was
scarce and I followed the lead of john
ME Jennings. by springing upon ny
Kansas readers a ghost story such as
they probably had never before read, as
1t was the talk of the town, and the
papers containing it went like wildf1re.
The editor and proprietor was delighted
even went so far as to increase my sal
ary.
That's the sort of stuff he remarked
gleefully. Give them more of it. They
all like it..
And 1 did And then, one day. after
the hoodlums of the town had torn to
pieces the movable portions OF the house
said to be haunted, there came into the
office a quiet woman, who announced
that she was the owner of the building
in which I had placed all sorts OF
"spooks," and that she could no longer
rent the place She wanted remuneration
for her losses. And then the editor and
proprietor suddenly changed his mind
about the good story
THAT sort of rot may go in st.
LOUIS he said. ''but not in Kansas.
Drop 1T. and let's have no more of it"
The next experience that created a sen.
sation in the Kansas town was an
achievement that I expected would secure
for me another advance in salary and.
perhaps, an interest in the newspaper. l
was sitting in the office at about a. M
when "Si' Jordan, my heavy reporter,
csrifted In, and, without tremor OF ex-
element such as would have stirred the
reporter to the harness born, slowly
drawled
''I say, Green, there is bit of news
you may want to make line OF, even IL
it Is late A girl up street Just shot
negro, who entered her room through
window, and the darkey is dead.
Jordan must have thought me crazy,
for 7 fairly Jumped at him with a de,
mand for all the information in his pos
session. In half an hour my paper was
on the press containing a column ac'
count of the sensational affair in Wh1cn
the beautiful daughter of one of the most
prominent citizens of the place inquired as
The heroine. And the printers ana report
ers and editors Of the opposltlon news
naner came over from their work ana
bcnaht comics to read the news. They
had not a line Next day l came down
TO the office weighing a. ton, professionals
Nv speaking. Imagine my disgust "heh
the editor and proprietor remarked
.:Say, Green, that niger story might
have been got into stickful
But the climax came later, ana lhae
was why I gave it up Ill DISGUST anu
returned to ST. Louis. The Kansas town
IN which I was trying to shine was in the
throes of a 'boom." There was all sorts
of crooked work going ON, and. one day,
7 unearthed a job in the lighting contract
for tie place such as would sur any
citv in the country to frenzy. gain
ered all the facts and evidence ana tnen
saw the editor and proprietor, fairy
beamed with delight at my achievement.
Got en- now" I said. The biggest
item of the day. Why. they cannot get
away. 1 have the data and the evidence
that would convict them in court.
well" said the editor and proprietor
.Ana what is the sensation, prayI
I informed him. Imagine my IeehhsS
when he replied. in excited tones ..,
hoP Willie Green.