The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-15
A BIT OF DIPLOMACY.
Reporters of Rival Papers Try to Mis-
lead Each Other.

On Wednesday evening last about $3.50
two young men stood near the elevator
entrance OH the seventh floor of prom
inent building. They were talking in un-
dertones and their actions attracted some
little attention. An important business
meeting had just concluded. One of the
young men had been in the building ear
lier in the evening and had seen the other
enter the room in which the meeting had
been held. Just then the first one saw
from the window large blaze in the
west He went out and after going to the
scene of the fire returned to the building.
Ashe was about TO enter Hey, there"
from the street caused him to turn back,
In the middle of the street were two of his
colleagues and the young man who had
been seen entering the room on the sew
enth floor a short time before. The quar-
tet looked at each other. Said the new
arrival: THAT meeting still on?" The
other said Eyes" Just then one Of his
colleagues drew the newcomer to one side.
What they said has no Importance here
The two colleagues started down tie
street The "one' and the "other" went
again to the seventh floor and there en-
countering the secretary of the organiza-
ton asked what had taken place at the
meeting The information received was
not what the 'one" who had been absent
for some time was expecting to hear, nor
did it refer to the matter wanted. But it
was given as 'all' and the two young
men stepped out into the corridor That
was whc- thew we've standing by the ele-
vator. Each was suspicious of the other
a.ia ossesnue, es,.eas 1ese'a th OF tneir
There must have been more than that,
and then followed at intervals:
"Well, you heard what he said"
Eyes, but l know -
81 give you my word of -"
II suppose I'd better see. You've been
here - ,....,,
eff you want to go back, I'll -"
g there's nothing else to do"
eff I've got another word more than ="
g. steer"
Half smothered smiles were playing on
the faces of each as they tried to talk in a
convincing manner The one was afraid
that his companion had secured some
thing relative to the meeting which he
had not learned in the short conversa-
ton with the secretary. The other was
afraid the presence of the "one's" two
colleagues was occasioned by something
which was transpiring and efforts were
being made to conceal Ii or to lure him
away before the climax.
Several times each walked to the elevator
and started to press the button and then
hesitated, talked little more and finally
the two walked into the assembly room
and asked if there was anything OF in
tcrest at the meeting of which they had
not been advised. One little remark gave
them the "tip" and direct question was
put which finally resulted in a good story.
The young man who had attended the
fire was satisfied but the other was not.
-
to some devilment,' which, of course,
was an unjust accusation, considering the
young mans character and position.
Then the conversation turned into dis
play of tactics intended to gain as much
and give as little information as possible.
1t ran along in this line:
Really, / knew nothing Of that What
i'm the world is the matter with YOU? /
eff there's anything ON 1 don't know
what ---''
'Oh. that's only bluff. OF course -"
But tell you / don't know -
well. 1 can't get it out Of my head
that you're not -
81 give you my word of -
The young man who had been to the
fire knew there was something in the
wind when he saw his fellow-workers in
the street. but as he was not advised he
truthfully said he knew nothing of any
thing else but managed to keep with the
other until they reached an alley where
they separated for their respective work
shops. Knowing the other had reasonable
grounds which to suspect he was being
tricked and fearing such feeling might
lead him TO return 10 the scene they had
Just left he called him up by telephone
about ten minutes later and was much re-
lieved to hear his melodious voice at the
other end of the wire.
The two young men were employed on
rival newspapers and are commonly known
as reporters. Direct questions and evasive
answers-even at times white lies''-are
in newspaper circles sometimes productive
of 'scoops"-the aim of every newspaper
man.