The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-29
CITY EDITORS PRANK
HE PLAYED 1T TO GET EVEN WITH
A COMPETITOR.
The Opposition Reporters sent on n
Wild-GOose Chase to Broad Rip
pie Late at Night.

obliged to usurp the functions of detec-
tives in order to ferret out the facts in a
big story, but a city editor would scarcely
be expected TO perform such duty. In the
annals of local newspaper history, however,
there is a good story OF how the city editor
of a morning paper played detective and
caught his man in the bargain. He ac-
complished more than this as the ensuing
narrative will ~abundantly show.
The events about to be related took place
in the days when Indianapolis was not con-
nected with its suburbs or indeed any out
side towns or cities by telephone. News
papers then as now, however, had Asso-
ciated Press telegraph operators in their Of
fees and messengers went back and forth
carrying the sheets of tissue paper on
which the telegraphic news was written.
one day the city editor of d morning pa
per saw in the rival sheet a story" that
he had been confident the night before was
exclusive. He pOcketed his chagrin, how
ever. and said nothing, but did a deal OF
thinking. a short time afterwards Il SINH
lar incident occurred and the editor knit
his brows in veXation. Still he kept lis
thoughts to himself.
After it came TO be a regular happening
for supposed scoops to dissolve into thin
air with the appearance of the rival news
paper the man on the city desk began TO
devise ways and means to find and stop the
leak" He was very loath to accuse any of
the reporters of giving away news To the
rival paper, but at the same time con-
cluded il such were the case the culprit
would best be detected by allowing him TO
continue his work unsuspectingly until he
could be trapped.
A BRIGHT IDEA.
Sitting at his desk one night about the
time when 'graveyards yawn' and all the
rest of the well known horrors of that
period of night transpire, the city editor
was seized with u bright idea. by
thunder! i'll bet that is the very place
where the leak is" he calculated.
Bending over his desk the editor wrote
furiously for several minutes, then sum
moning a copy boy said, Take this TO the
composing room, have it set up as directed
and bring me a galley proof as soon as pos
sible." Not a long time elapsed before the
proof came back from the composing room
and, with a significant smile on his face
the editor hung the innOcent-looking bit OF
printed paper on the hook at one side of
his desk kept for proof sheets. Then he
strolled idly out into the hall and lounged
carelessly against the wall in a position
from which he could command a view Of
his desk through an open window.
With a CHEEKY whistle pouring from he
tween his puckered lips the Associated
Press messenger boy tripped jauntily into
the editors room and began to loll in an
attitude of well-feigned innocence over the
desk and read the proof sheets ON the
hook. turning them over listlessly. The
city editor had noticed the boy engaged
similarly on previous nights, but had seen
nothing in the act to arouse his suspicion
until now.
Suddenly the whistle died from the
youngsters lips, his eyes began to protrude
and his entire form assumed an appear
ance of eager interest such as is observed
i'm a hunting dog when the presence OF
quail is felt. The lad read to the very last
word the story that had aroused his inter
est and then started out of the room and
down the stairs at = gait that was nearer
a run than a walk.
When the city editor went out for his
midnight lunch he overheard a lounger in
a1evee restaurant saying to the cashier.
Il wonder what those newspaper fellers
went out to Broad Ripple in that cab a
while ago in such a desperate hurry for?''
My little scheme seems to be working
beautifully" said the editor to himself
with a satisfied chuckle.
A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
The next morning the rival paper ap-
peared with a lurid story in large type on
its front page, reciting that a horrible trag-
edy had been enacted in the village OF
Broad Ripple last night about midnight. -
There was little Of the story beyond the
huge headlines, but those were thrilling
enough to satisfy the most ardent sensa.
ton seeker. According to this paper, q
man had killed his wife and several chill.
dren, fled to the woods surrounding the
little rural village, and a large mob wa
in hot pursuit of him. AN effort was
made to secure further details of the dread.
full tragedy" said the paper, but without
success at the hour Of going to press"
The leak was discovered. The mes.
senger for the Associated Press had beer
in the habit of reading proof sheets as they
were placed on the hook and then scurryins
over TO the rival newspaper Office and ped
ding the information thus obtained. Wher
the murder story was obtained the hour
was so late that the rival paper felt tina.
it would be playing safe" by printing sucI
of the meager details as it believed to be il
its possession, for fear the reporters sen.
to Broad Ripple in a cab might not return
in time to use the big sensation in the reg
ular edition of the paper.
Every effort was made to prevent tn,
true account of hat midnight trip TO BroaC
Ripple from becoming public, but the de
tails slowly leaked out. When the nigh
riders" dashed madly into the quiet littl,
village on the bank of White river the,
were not a little surprised to observe tina
all about them was deathlike silence anC
Stygian darkness. Can it be that all the
people of the town are out hunting for tn,
murderer" quoth one of the excited re.
porters.
Lets knock at one Of these houses and
find out" sagely suggested his colnpan.
ion. To will with them was 10 act, and
after a few hearty raps at the front door
Of the nearest house the hunters for q
bloody sensation were startled at hearing .
voice from an upper window. saying harsh
ly: What in thunder do you fellows wan
here at this unearthlyNtime of night?" Nc
one who has ever related this story has
felt himself sufficiently a master Of the
language to attempt a description Of the
feelings Of the reporters when they dis.
covered they had been the innocent vic.
Tins Of p huge hoax. For months after.
ward, it Is said. they fought bitterly against
/ GTs-@ or n1afOrnnnt that meant q frff