The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-08-13
A BEAT THAT FAILED
How THE PLANS OF AN eNTERPRIs-
ING EDITOR WE'RE UPSET.


poIitan Afternoon DaiIies-
II never read of close finish In
big running race nowadays that I'm
not reminded of a famous punctured
scoop in which | figured when l was
working In New York newspaper Of
fee" said an old time telegrapher who
Is now employed in Washington.
ut was back in the days when the
great Domino was the star colt of the
Keene stable and, with one exception,
was acknowledged as the greatest two
year-old of the season.
''The exception was Richard Cookers
fiier Dobbins. These two youngsters
finally met In the Futurity, and, al
though the Keene colt won, with Dob
bins third, the latter's owner was not
satisfied with the result. and match
was speedily arranged at the Futurity
distance for $4,000 side.
Now, the paper / worked on was an
evening sheet, and 1t was the ambition
of the managing EDITORS life to beat
the opposition evening paper and get
the pews of big event like this on the
street first.
THE other fellows had beaten us on
the Futurity story few days before,
and the managing editor made no Sc
cret of the fact that he was going to
get even
Accordingly he laid all of his plans
a day ahead and, although we did not
know at the time what they were, we
felt sure by the way he strutted around
on the morning of the race that he had
the winning combination up his sleeve.
"Along about noontime of that day
the editor, the most nervous man I
ever met called me into his Office and
told me that, as the match race was
the fifth event on the card, he wanted
me to have one of the other operators
take the result of the fourth race, and
he also wanted me to get wire In
good working order and prepare to get
the result of the fifth race
'The scheme was to have two presses
set and all ready to start One OF
them was to have the big front page
headline read 'Dobbins Wins the Big
Match and the other just the same,
except that Domino's name appeared
In the place of Dobbins' The Dobbins
extra was on press No. and the Dom
ino extra on press No. q Whichever
horse won, the managing editor was to
call out No. or No 2, and the press
would be started in quicker time than
1t takes to tell Of the arrangement.
II couldn't help but inwardly smile
as l watched the managing editor strid-
ing nervously about, waiting for the
start. just like man who had thou
sands of dollars wagered on the chance
of one of the racers.
Suddenly the key of my instrument
began to click. and he quickly stopped
and looked anxiously at me, but 1t
proved to be only the operator at the
other end testing. Learning this, he re-
sumed his walk up and down the room.
Presently the key began to click
again. This time the horses were on
their way to the post The next / got
from the other end was that the horses
were at the post and would be off In
minute. This information, instead of
steadying the managing editor, only in
creased his jumpiness. for he ordered
the men who were standing around to
cease their talking and also called
downstairs half dozen times to know
If everything was ready below in the
press room.
I'm the midst of this the key again
began to work. and called out that
they were off.
''The clicks of the instrument that
followed now told me that they were
moving along, nose and nose, at the
quarter. AT the half mile Domino was
In the lead by a nose, and as l an
nounced this / was watching the man
aging editor, and / could see his lips
framing the words No. g. which was
the Domino press.
"Dobbins just managed to shove his
nose In front at the three-quarters and
the boss moved nearer the speaking
tube as | made this announcement.
Coming into the stretch the two game
colts were head and head, and the man
aging editor. with the moutbpiece of
the speaking tube pressed tightly
against his lips, was waiting for the
result
We'll, the result came along in good
season. But never so long as live
shall l forget the expression on that
editors face when the key told me that
the match race was a dead heat. hes
itated just second before calling II
out, for could almost picture In my
mind what effect It would have on him.
Finally called out in az firm voice
as could. Dead heatr
well. that editors knees just gave
way from under him. II he had not
grabbed chair am positive he would
have fallen 10 the floor.
dead beat1" he gaspsd. with a Nv.
70 face, Are you sursT
u told him that II had been repeated
Io noe and that there could be 10 mis-
~