Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-24
! HOW A STENOGRAPHER
! SECURED A SCOOP
By Robert F. Rose.
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Observation-Disclosures
| 1T 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 to St. 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 bin:
Forest, 1 have called you here, not
so much to work on the convention
itself as for another reason. / know
you desire to make reputation for
yourself in the newspaper word, and
that you have good deal Of hustle and
nerve about you. l 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 scoop" or 'beat," or
an exclusive" consists Of securing a
piece of news in advance OF COMPETE
tors, and many reporters on metropol-
itan papers owe their continued en-
pioyment to the fact that at some time
| or other, during their career. They
have been successful in securing for
those papers an important SCOOP" It
may also be well to explain that when
it comes 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 e-rand of procuring ex-
elusive news, and that the greatest
news to obtain in advance at national
political convention was the platform.
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
"knocker" was not then 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 mis- business and foil his
| plans. But he had been given the as
signn1ent. and this is the manner in
which he went about the filing Of it:
| The chairman of the resolutions
committee was ex-Goy. Weaver, of
lowe, who four years before was the
presidential ominee 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
newspe per or press association. The
committee was to meet at four o'clock
the next afternoon at the Linden ho-
| tel, while the offices of the press as
| ISOLATION were in rooms In the floor
above.
Forest outlined his plan and fol-
lowed 1t to the letter. An hour before
the committee was to meet, he took
HIS typewritipg machine to the room
| of the committee, placed it on table,
and spread his paper and carbons
around the table, lit cigar and waited
for the members to arrive. When they
did begin to arrive, he looked at them
condescendingly, and in reply to their
questions told them he had been de-
tailed to do the shorthand work and
typewriting for the committee. AS
soon as Chairman Weaver made his APP
pearance, Forest called him aside, and
the following conversation took, place:
"Your name is Zen. Weaver?" asked
| Forest.
Eyes"
"You are the chairman of the creden-
tials committee, i believer"
| mo, the resolutions committee" an
swered Weaver.
"Yes, yes, knew it was some COM
mittee," rejoined Forest. "Wen, was
sent here to do the shorthand work and
typewriting for the committee"
"Who asked your"
"Why, the secretary, Mr.. Schiller"
"Oh, yes; You mean schilling. All
right. Take seat. We will need you
after awhile"
Before long Mr.. schilling appeared.
Upon his arrival he asked Forest VIII o
had sent for him, to which question the
| answer Sen. Weaver" was sufficient to
allay any further questioning on that
point. But schilling's memory was
good, and soon he asked the question:
Didn't you formerly. live in Milwau-
KEEP"
/ "Yes."
isn't your name Forest?"l
Eyes"