Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-19
FAMOUS N OLD DAYS
Writers From Here Who
Used Pen Names.
GRUND AND SARGENT
KINGMAN, ALLEN AND LAUREN.
SON OF BALTIMORE.
J. g. Holland, Whitelaw Reid, Brooks
Brothers, "Jim" Young, Town
send and Others.

Written for The Evening Star
1t was much more the fashion in the
years that are past and gone for newspa-
per writer's, and particularly the men VINO
served their journals with letters from
Washington, to indulge in MONS de plume
as signatures to their various contributions
than 1t Is now. While in some respects this
had an effect in hiding the identity OF the
writer. there was an attraction about 1t
that possessed a value.
Among the oldest of these writer's was
observer" Of the Philadelphia Ledger, who
was no less parsonage than Francis J.
Grund. That great writer and newspaper
correspondent could not have hidden his
identity under q whole mountain OF as
sumed names. He was a very statesman
of journalistic recorders and treated events
of the day and the men Of the hour with
the trenchant pen and brilliant acumen OF
Labouchere. To public men Of his day,
politicians and newspaper readers general
ly, though they were not so many by thou
sands as there are at present. observer
was Grund and Grund was observer" For
decades this brilliant man has lain under
the turf.
Another Of the enticing sobriquets Of the
past was that of Nathan Sargent, long time
commissioner of customs. He wrote a Sc
ries Of letters to the United States Gazette,
all Of which were signed "Oliver Old
school,. Various other papers emanatng
from Mr.. Sargent's facile pen graced jour
nails and magazines, all with the pleasant
and familiar title at their foot.
Kingman, Allen, Laurenson.
The Baltimore Sun. in It's adolescent days,
fairly reveled in Washington correspond
ents who disguised their identity, in a way.
behind assumed cognomens. First and fore
most was Kingman; he Of Strawberry Hill
and one Of the best known and most popu-
lar letter writer's Of his day. His signature
was Ion"
Mr.. Kingman's letters consisted mainly Of
political facts Of the period tersely stated.
They were widely read. for they were ex-
tensively copied and actually formed part
of the political history Of the time. A. e..
Allen also wrote letters to the Sun some
what similar in their character to those Of
Mr.. Kingman. He signed his notes Aga"
which were really the initials of his name,
though not written in the manner of ini-
tails. aas.E
The Sun also had a correspondent who
attended solely to local events in Washing
ton and vicinity That was Mercury" in
the person Of James Laurenson. Though
Mr.. Laurenson was atclerk in the Post Of
flee Department and, a magistrate, under
authority Of which office he swore in a
whole batch Of Postmasters General and
other leading officials Of that department,
leading feature Of the papers.
No beats were scored against him, and
one feather In his cap was the getting Of a
report Of the disaster on the United States
steamer Princeton off Alexandria, while a
distinguished body of officials was on board,
and by which several were killed and
wounded. Mr.. LauFenson remained a clerk
in the Post Office Department until his
death, when he was gathered to his faith
ers full Of years and honors He has a son
living who Is also a clerk in the Post Office
Department
James and Erastus Brooks.
Two weIl-known correspondents Of for
mer decades were the brothers James and
Erastus Brooks, who afterward became
owners Of the New York Express. James
Brooks was also at one time member Of
the House of Representatives. from New
York and prior to that was a New York
letter writer to the old National Intelligent
Ger. He signed his letters with his initials,
~ B." Just after the opening of the civil
war ~ b. came to this city and began
a series of letters to his paper dated ION to
Richmond.
1t was about four years after they were
originated that the talented writer was able
to eliminate the first two words of that
then very attractive date. His brother
Erastus during the sessions of Congress,
came to this city and took up the role of
Washington correspondent of his papers
e,
and particularly interesting from a demo-
cratic point of view. Both Of these gentle
men have long been dead. Erastus survived
his brother several years.
NJ p Willis was for some time CORE
spondent of the Intelligencer. His sigma
ture was Nat" and his exquisite handling
of the English language and bright settings
of the incidents and events he recorded
gave his contributions place among the
best of the day. Ben: Perley Poore has not
been in the silent land so long that those
Of the present generation do not recollect
"Perley" Of the Boston Journal. He was
one of the most capable and Industrious
writer's OF the day, and his letters to the
Journal were ever a distinguishing mark
of that great exponent of New England
Journalism
J. G.. Holland and "Jim" Young.
James G. Holland, who for several years
wrote letters from Washington to the old
Richmond Dispatch, published then by
Cowardin & Ellison, the elders, signed his
articles "Timon," while w. w. Warden,
father OF Clifton Warden of this city, sent
kilograms to the same paper, using his
Christian name Wallace" as his signature
James r. Young, who during the last three
sessions of Congress was member Of the
House from Pennsylvania, used to send In
teresting letters from Washington to his
Philadelphia paper, the Star before that
luminary faded from the journalistic f1rma-
ment. Ihey were Signed .. M, and 1t is
related that when some one was boring
him one day for the meaning Of the sigma
ture the newspaper man facetiously told
his questioner that they were meant for
sour mash"
Joseph B. MeCuilagh Of the st. Louis
Globe-Democrat.n. the father of interview
ing, when Washington correspondent
signed his matter Mack" His sad death
is of comparatively recent occurrence.
Whitelaw Reid, opresent owner and editor
of the New York Tribune, was for a time
Washington correspondent OF the Cincin-
natl Gazette. His articles bore the nom de
plume of 'Agate."ttbf
OF course. II any one should pick up a
newspaper in any part of the world and
find a column or two or three signed
Gath he would know at once 1t was the
product Of that talented journalist and ex-
ceilent gentleman. George Alfred Townsend.
Many Used Plain Initials.
4,eo