The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-09-08

TT is not my purpose to name the
stenographer who performed the
act, but to a stenographer is due the
credit, if credit it may be termed, of
obtaining "scoop" of the platform at
the national convention of the popu-
list party, which convened in st. Louis
In 1896. How became possessed, of
the facts makes no particular differ
ence, so far as this story is concerned,
but that it is true is within my knowl-
edge.
This particular shorthand writer,
who, for convenience, we will call Mr.,
Forest, was in the employ of one of
the two great press associations then
in existence. He was called toSt. Louis
by wire, and on his arrival at the head-
quarters of that news association was
taken aside by the man in charge, who
said to him:
Forest, I have called you here, not
so much to work on the convention
itself as for another reason. I know
you desire to make reputation for
yourself in the newspaper world, and
that you have good deal of hustle and
nerve about you. I want a scoop" Of
that platform, and that is your as
signment. Use your own judgment in
the matter of getting it, but getit."
To the uninitiated, it may be well to
explain that a scoop" or "beat," or
an Exclusive" consists of securing a
piece OF news in advance of cOmpeti-
tors, and many reporters on metropol-
itan papers owe their continued en-
ployment to the fact that at some time
or other, during their career. They
have been successful in securing for
those papers an important Scoop" 1t
may also be well to explain that when
it tcomes to landing that precious thing,
the rule that "all is fair in love and
war" is extended to embrace 'and in
obtaining exclusive news"
SO that was not particularly cheer
full assignment. The shorthand man
realized that there were about 100
trained newspaper men in st. Louis,
whose business it was to get the news,
all bent on the errand of procuring ex-
elusive news, and that the greatest
news to obtain in advance at national
He also knew that even though he
should be lucky enough to hide himself
in the room in which the resolutions
committee met, the chances were one
hundred to one against his securing a
position in which he could write short
hand, and while the rather vulgar term
"lZnocker" was not then a part of the
slang vocabulary, he foresaw that in
the event he should endeaVor to get in
the room by strategy, the newspaper
reporters, knowing him, would imme.
diately apprise the members of the
committee of his business and foil his
plans. But he had been given the as
signment, and this is the manner in
which he went about the filling of it:
The chairman of the resolutions
committee was ex-Gov. Weaver, OF
Iowa, who four years before was the
presidential nominee of that party, and
the secretary was Robert Schilling, Of
Milwaukee. The latter the shorthand
man had met some years before, but
not when he was identified with any
newspaper or press association. TIL,
committee was to meet at four o'clocl
the next afternoon at the Linden no
tel, while the offices Of the press as
sociation were in rooms in the fool
above.
Forest outlined his plan and fol
lowed it to the letter. An hour before
the committee was to meet, he tool
his typewriting machine to the room
of the committee, placed it on table
and spread his paper and carboni
around the table, lit cigar and waited
for the members to arrive. When they
did begin to arrive, he looked at then
condescendingly, and in reply to theil
questions told them he had been de
tailed to do the shorthand work ani
8vpewritihg for the committee. A.
soon as Chairman Weaver made his ap
pearance, Forest called him aside, an6
the following conversation took place
Tour name is Gen. Weaver?" aslleC
forest.
eyes"
ou are the chiirman Of the ereden
al committee Z believed"