The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-24
to Conkllng and got the interview he
was after.
WANTED HIS FRIEND KICKED.
But TALKED.

But TALKED.
Naturally, the reporter or CORE
spondent personally known to a pub
lie man as reliable and capable rarely
has any trouble in getting to see the
public man or in finding out ANYTHING
that is proper to print. And naturally.
public men generally often tell report
ers and correspondents many things
hat they do not want printed. exact
ly as COnkling enlightened the Young
reporter mentioned above. But it is
not surprising that public men are a
little shy of strangers.
Just after the present speaker of the
house was made sure of his election
10 his post. a newspaper man was sent
from New York to get some facts
about a subject then exciting general
attention. The correspondent was I'M
known to Col. Henderson, and, being
sure that he would hesitate to talk to
d stranger, took along several strong
letters of introduction. The colonel
was found in the otunda Of the hotel
IN Dubuque which has been his home
for many years when he is not IN
Washington. To him the correspond
ent presented the letters, which Hen
derson read through with great care
before responding. Then he returned
all the letters except one.
Il don mind those letters" he said,
they mean nothing to me-. But this
one is from a man I can't we'll refuse.
I wish I had him here. He ought 20
be kicked. But you come up stairs
with me and I'll talk, providing you
dent say in your article that you got
| your information from me-"
So. Tuning over the action of his
friend who had made it virtually i'm
| possible to refuse to be interviewed.
the colonel led the way to his rooms
| and there, putting away at their cigars,
speaker-elect and the correspondent
talked out fully the topic which the
latter had travelled 1900 miles to in
, vestigate.
Like the president, the speaker of
the house is rarely interviewed, so far
as the public knows, and Henderson
was just then SO nearly a speaker that
the correspondent fully understood his
reasons for not being quoted.
COULDN'T BEAR A NOTE BOOK.
The late Abram S. Hewitt varied IN
| his treatment Of interviewers n
newspaper men who knew him tell
| many anecdotes of their meetings with
| him. One reporter who went, a stran-
| ger, to ask him a lot of questions on
certain municipal matters, found him
| sitting alone in his little office.
II don't know you said Mr.. Hewitt.
brisky, not to say sharply, and I
don't nov how correctly you will print
what I may say, but I'm willing to
| talk with you if you won't bring out
| your note book. Note books always
make me nervous No, I don't want to
see your copy after it's written. No
body'll believe it if you make me say
ridiculous things, and, OF course, you'll
never come to me again if you don't
report me accurately"
Then he talked rapidly and fully
while the reporter listened without
taking a note. and wondering, the
while. whether he YOU be able to
remember all that was said we'll
enough to write it out afterward.
Apparently he did for Mr.. Hewitt
was interviewed repeatedly after that
by the reporter and he never COM
planned that the reports printed were
ACCOMPLISHMENTS News.