The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-17
GALLAGHER IN
REAL LIFE.
Newspaper Offlcs Boy Who Got
Out Special Edition,
WAS EQUAL TO EMERGENCY.
EVERYBODY Save Tommy Jones Had G'ss
hsns When News Of Mr.. KcklnlsIs
Dyns Was RecsIvsd.
WAS EQUAL TO EMERGENCY.

<ew York September li.-Rich-
ara Hardng Davis's Gallagher
was outdone right here in New York last
rhursday night The Gallagher In this
snstance may be called Tommy Jones
. That isn't his name but II will do.
For the last i've years or 50, Tommy
has been an office boy in the editorial
Yoons OF one Of the great daily newspa-
pers or Park row. He has been good
office boy and everybody about the paper
likes him. but up 10 Thursday night no.
body ever suspected him OF being more
shan nice and amiable. SO an office boy
he stayed. He had learned how to use
typewriter thought, and sometimes the
managing editor employed him 10 write
letters and to take matter from dictation
and the managing editor and everybody
else agreed that Tommy was very USE
dul boy.
Now Il Is paper with a history and
traditions. this that hires Tommy Jones
The traditions are not such as TO encour-
age the getting out OF special editions at
unseemly hours without ample justiiica-
zion and previous warning So when. on
Thursday night. the telegraph wires after
carrying word early IN the evening that
President Mckinley was not so well as he
had been since he was shot, brought the
news toward midnight that he seemed
better and was resting more comfortably,
the veteran telegraph editor wrote head
lines saying so. for the front page.
Then. at the usual hour. he departed
with an untroubled conscience for his
cottage and his orchard In the suburbs.
leaving the paper 10 come out I'm It's
good old conservative fashion. Ills as
/. sistant after discussing the situation
with the night editor half an hour later,
decided also that the president was safe
until afternoon paper time. SO he TOO de-
parted. and with him went the night edi-
tor. The only person left In the Office
was Tommy Jones He had some type
writing TO do for a supplement TO be
printed another day and he was staying
late TO finish a..
The mice came out and played about
the floor, and Tommy sat al his desk and
pounded the typewriter keys. and 1t was
all very peaceful up In the editorial
rooms Then suddenly, about o'clock
Sn the morning. there was clcketty-
click-ciick signal I'm the corner where the
pneumatic tubes leading from the Asso-
riated Press office ended and the bump
of tube carrier as IL tumbed with
message into the box.
Something which was probably nothing
less than the news instinct that nobody
had yet been able 10 see developing In
Tommy moved him TO get up I'm 3 hurry
and go TO the box and see what that mes
sage could be. Maybe II wasn't his busi-
ness, but he wanted 10 know. He opened
the envelope. and inside was a brief line
which simply said:
Bulletin Buffalo. 2:3o "A. m.-President
Nckinieys condition worse"
That was startling enough. for there
on the desk was a copy OF the FIRST edi-
tlon of Tommys paper telling how nicely
the president was getting along and
Tommy knew that downstairs the presses
were recling OFF tho second edition for
city circulation SAYING Just that same
thing. Toninly felt that something ought
40 he done about g. While he was Won
slerrg Just what 60 DO and how best 10
20 about doing It second message
bumped n. and that said
''lsrcasdcnt Mckinley Is sinking
That settled a.. Tommy Jones took both
,rcYsaEcS and jumped for the COMPOSING
rroin There was nobody else In the cd-
torisi rooms and ne felt that for once in
his life great responsibility Was up TO
him.
IL the cor,paslug room there were still
few printers nNiug things Tor the next
night and there was q suh-forcmhn IN
chprge The srb-foroman had his doubts
a. 10 what 20 do Ia tho absence OF con-
stttgied editorial sHthority. hut Tomm,
showed him the bulletins aud then the
paper which didn't have the news Then
lnN.n1N fHihrl 10 nun 81 AI' NWlNi NlN'
Erare "a would be 10 have other papers
beat his on big picce of news ike that
snd tben 81 wsvn many minutes before
fhs prcSscs were stopped. the compost
tors asrc setting type for dear life. and
Tommy Tor 'hc first time IN his life was
doNrinE soarc hcadlinee,
Mors alarming message bumped ir
freu The pneumatic tu'os They told oi
the serrr. rs fnr physicians and nurses
tho cafinv nf ils presidents fsmiN and
rosreef al, ieers and the consultation oI
doctors. To-rn, and the sub foreman be
fvefo them alled thcm ont saw then
r,t into typs with big headlines pvci
them and prnfod CT Cry in one edition
End then suoih~r lett'ne tho paper
rcaders knoV an about a.
A. hast tho alarming messages slacken
ed ffc sub foreman said that no morr
cditlons could be printed 60 be IN tim'
for circuis,ion an as nsrlgut come h
and Tomnv went home Tommy hopinI
that he had don, risht and wonderinI
~r;f vogld happen 10 him N he hadn't T.
re fond out The newt dan Ther~wa'
On cr3cisi ln Mrs then 90 and out Oh'
hal Ect out those special editions Tn
4h-fovemsn reported what he knew
eBoui n and Tommy told his story ~
nall there WAS poated cunspicuously ol
the hlllenF board ln Tho editorial room
tnif notice
II take ihis opportunity publicly n eX
rress my appreciation Of the work ~ MI
Tlsomas .Iones Who. alone and unside'
this mcrring zot ont third. fourth an'
rfth eeifior ei THE - Mr. Jones is tn
yos,ngetf member Of ihc star, but hi
sctions on that occasion would do ctcdi
70 snv exrcrienced newspap per man
Ard - thi7 oulogY the name of IN
,rirht~ managing editor was appended
Thar is whv they are talking abou
,Tornrny Jones along Park Row. There
o runior which appears 10 be well found
sathst Nr Jones as tho ma gins cdito
~4lled him has stepped out of the ofic
sov ranks. and nobody who has hear
ere story about what he did believe
somchow that he will step hack again.