New-York tribune., 1901-08-22
THAT "DERELICT" STORY
AN INDIGNANT PROTEST AGAINST -ur
SLANDER.
SOME OF THE BRILLIANT AND FAIrup,,r
NEWSGATHERERS WHO SERVED THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS DURING THE
SPANISH CAMPAIGN.


To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: l want TO thank you very heartily o..
your review Of the mud throwing In wbIos
Scribner's Magazine" has permitted Mr. Rio,
ara Harding Davis TO indulge in his story in tba
last number. No matter what Mr. Davis ma.
say he intended. the fact is clear that nina -
his readers out of every ten Will take for grant
ed that by Consolidated Press he meant ASS
eiated Press" and that by the agent who wa.
at Santiago and was rewarded by being sent -
Paris to report the Peace Commission he mAsr.
to fasten stigma some Associated Pres.
employe. Now. was once in that service NV
self, and still have knowledge enough OF ,bs
men IL had during the Spanish War to know
how grossly Mr.. Davis's story. thus understand
ISLANDERS them
There were eighteen men in that special war
service. and Mr. Davis's description would be a
gross libel on any one OF them. richly deserving
both criminal and civil prosecution Among
them was A. W. Lyman. now dead whose ca
pacity and personal character Mr.. Reid himself
must be familiar with. Then there was E. r
Johnstone. Editor OF THE Minneapolis
Times; n. c. Wright now managing editor Of
The Indianapolis Sentinel: H. L. Beach. citv
editor OF The Associated Press at Chicago
George E. Graham, who was on the flagship
n. M.
Goode. now Of the London Office Of The Asso-
ciated Press. and author OF with Sampson
Through the War; Albert E. Hunt now citv
editor OF THE Philadelphia North American:
Elmer z. Roberts Of the London office:
Harold Martin. now in South America whose
critical review OF the Philippine campaign
brought him into prominence; ]. ". Mitchell
now OF the London office; Howard n. Thomp-
son. Of the Washington Office one OF the
most brilliant of the younger newspaper writers:
]. B. Nelson. now of the Kansas City Associated
Press office; John P. Dunning. now Of the New
York office. whose story of the Samoan disaster
has been credited with being one of the most
brilliant things ever done by an American cor
respondent: A. W. Copp. OF the Salt Lake Of
flee; ]. Crittenden Marriott. a graduate Of An
napolIs and now of Washington. and R. B.
Davenport. we'll known correspondent. now
OF The Philadelphia North American"
Such was the staff OF Associated Press men
during the war. to some one Of whom Mr.. Davis's
slander was apparently intended to attach The
story of the Hobson exploit was written con-
jointly by Howard Thompson. ]. W. Mitchell
George E. Graham and W. A NJ. GOode. Though
thus composite description, 1t was one Of the
most brilliant printed during the war. The
Guasimas fight was written by Dunning. who
was present at the battle in person, and who
carried In for Davis the little bunch of copy"
which constituted his summary of that fight,
occupying less than half column 1t was also
Dunning who present during the naval
fight of Santiago and who wrote story which
for accuracy and polish could hardly be excelled
After the war Frank ". Mack. late SUPER
intendent OF the Eastern Division Of The Asso-
ciated Press. was sent to Paris with the Peace
Commission. He was not in Cuba during the
war. and. therefore. there could have been no
natural connection between the work Of the
Associated Press agent at Santiago and that Of
the special agent at Paris 10 prompt uniting
them in person in the story, unless in a
purpose 70 sIur one or the other. Yours sin
cerely. ONCE NEWSPAPER MAN.
Philadelphia, August 20. 1901.