The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-24
A REPORTERS ENTHUSIASM.



The precautions OF the local committee.
the physicians and the presidential party
to secure privacy for the President during
his stay at st. vincent's Hospital, and
the vigilance Of the secret-service men
were unavailing TO keep all of the news
paper men at arms length. it were. as
had been calculated. IL is the custom for
the official spokesman OF such parties to
give out information through carefully pre-
pared and sometimes woefulIy indefinite
bulletins that do not meet the catecheti-
cal requirements OF men trained TO go TO
the bottom OF everything. The rule or
the newspaper reporter is to get all he
can and to use what is necessary.
Yesterday when word reached newspaper
circles that the President was to be taken
to st. vincent's Hospital II found it's way
first to one of the Journal corps. Being
assigned to particular duty In connection
with the presidential party he communicate
ed the information to a genial and labor
loving colleague who is trained to get the
best of the police most OF the time. The
colleague. however. hesitated about going
strung" He went, however, and when he
gained admission found that all prepara-
tons had been made to receive the Presi-
He did not explain that he was a reporter
and his appearance. studious. quiet and
undemonstrative, justified the general
thought of the hospital attaches that he was
a young doctor. He waited with patience
until the distinguished patient had been
received.
He was so patient in fact that he permit
ted circumstances over which he had no
control whatever Che may explain) to carry
him into the operating room before the
surgeons and the patient Still no one In
fprforp6 q wit ypff
the serious. not-to-be-fooled secret-service
men entered. cast their cold eyes about the
room and did not exterminate him. The
excitement rose I'm him as DIR. Oliver
turned TO him and said:
Doctor, will you kindly remove that
chair?"
LOST HIS CONSCIENCE.
He removed the chair and also all ves-
tigs OF conscience. He felt that he certainly
looked much a doctor as some OF the in
ternes who were in the room ready to as
sist their more skilled brethren. He
grasped his opportunity. Alone. OF the
myriad of news gatherers who were be-
sieging the place. he was permitted by cir
cumstances aforesaid lover which he had
no controD) TO witness the operation on the
President. He became buoyant with pride.
He glanced out Of the window. In the street
he saw his colleagues and competitors fit
ting about, plucking people by the coat and
seeking information: he saw the COMPETE
tors of his paper chewing their pencils in
silent wrath they listened 10 the barbar-
Gus explanations OF Colonel Russell Il. Har-
rison that all newspaper men had been for
hidden even 20 enter the building and that
they had all been elected. He saw the
militia and police obstructing every means
OF access. and he knew that ne alone was
the beneficiary of the big news story OF the
day.
Doctor" said DIR. Cook turning to him.
will you hold this a minute?"
He was tempted TO say that he would go
him fifty-nine minutes better but he didn't.
position. scoop OF the world was in his
hands
At this period of elation ne thought OF
something. IL was something he might not
remember IL was a necessary and insep-
arabic incident OF the story. DR. Cook re-
leved him OF his burden and his astuteness.
He tried very secretly TO filch a piece OF
paper and. In a dark corner. scratch note
that the necessary and inseparable fact
should not be lost.
IS Everyone was intently watching the op-
Grafton few strokes OF the pencil and
the fact would be noted. Before these
strokes were completed voice al his side
said:
You get out OF here"
Circumstances over which he had no con-
troll were this time his. misfortune For Il
was a secret service agent A glance into
his cold eyes told him that the short phrase
was mandatory. and he stood not on the
order OF going. but went. Soon he joined