The Washington times., 1904-07-24
FOLK AN ADEPT
WITH REPORTERS
BOOdler Prosecutor Kept
His Own Counsel.
BUT SOON CALLED FOR HELP
While He Smiled Serenely Newspapers
Were Getting Up Lists of Pros
pective Witnesses.
BUT SOON CALLED FOR HELP

peCllVe witnesses.
STLOUIS, July 23.-From the time that
"Red Calvin" a well-known St. Louis
newspaper man, wrote the first story Of
the boodlers in the Missouri metropolis.
about three years ago, showing that the
capitalists and city council crooks were
beyond question in league TO defraud
the city, but were. at that time. at log
gerheads because of a fortune Of tens of
thousands of dollars tied up in a safe
deposit vault in the city Joseph Win
gate Folk. Democratic candidate for
governor of the State. has been besieged
by papers of every kind and class.
His controversies with these knights
of the quill" and with their managing
editors no less, have been many and
varied. He has withheld important
stories from them for reas sons Of
state" and has given out equally I'm
poItant ones. He has been beaten at his
own game by reporters and even the
grand jury has been sCOOped by the
newspapers. He has been subjected to
severe criticism because of alleged IA
voritism when one paper or another scor-
ed a big scoop or beat" on some
bOoding story. And he has been as
story became public.
every Easy to Interview"
Mr. Folk is a very easy man TO in
terview But when one comes away
from his office it may be hard to locate
the definite point Of the story that he
went after He has "A way of taking
man into his confidence and sending
him away satisfied with absolutely moth
ing to show for the time spent.
The St Louis newspaper men. how
ever. soon learned this trick of his and
learned TO stick TO their questions until
they were answered or the answer re
fused. Whether they learn what they
went 10 learn or not they are always
treated courteously by the genial hood
Ter fighter.
For Mr. Folk is blessed with the
smile that won't come Off The local
st. Louis newspaper men like Mr. Folk
because Of his never failing good hu-
NOR Some Of them have been severe
" reprimanded by him for what he
news and have even been brought before
the grand jury for their repriman ds,
variably wore his cold, deliberate
smile.
Slid Through Window.
A
the -Four Courts. where the grand
jury deliberations are always held. for
some weeks during the early part of
the boodling Investigations. found way
TO get a list of the witnesses who were
TO be summoned for the following day.
At that time members Of the city
council were being summoned and ask
ed about their own doings as well as
the Vaccinations Of their comrades.
They frequently entered the grand
jury room smiling knowingly to those
who waited outside, but when they re-
appeared from that room extreme agony
would be written on their faces Kratz
and Kelly and their fellows were run
ming away &c Mexico and Europe 20
avoid tesLifyiug or 10 escape after tes-
ufyiDg. So the names Of witnesses TO
be called were considered material for
unusually good news features.
This reporter concealed himself in the
-Four Courts Building ard in the
darkness Of the night crept around the
coping Of the third story and entered
through a window 10 Mr.. Folks private
Office. There he found the Information
he wanted and the next morning his
paper surprised more than one prOmi-
nent citizen. When Mr.. Folk ascertain
ed how the information had been OBJ
tanned he hailed the reporter before the
grand jury, then in session, and gave
him a scare that he viii not soon forget.
Blamed the Assistant.
Another man. however. secured SINH
lar information shortly afterward in
another way, and he escaped repri-
rnand he called on one Of Mr.. Folks
assistants in bis oi!lce about some rou-
tine news matter, and while there saw
on the desk in front Of him list Of the
witnesses for the next day. Quietly
and without ostentatiOn hC asked the
questions pertaining 20 the subject on
which he had come 10 the Office. but in
stead OF writing the answers 10 the
questions he copied the list CT names
before him. When he had finished he
thanked the assistant e1uslvely for his
information and left
Next morning the city was electrified
TO learn that James Campbell, Brick
Jones II s. Priest, Charles Il. Turner,
Of the Suburban. and other prominent
capitalists were to be examined by the
grand jury as 70 what they knew OF the
bOOdling scandals. Mr.. Folk immediate
~ had the reporter hauled before him.
but when he learned the manner in
which the names Of these men and the
fact that they were 10 be summoned be
fore the grand jury had been ascer-
tanned the reprimand went 70 the as
sistant and not 10 the reporter
"A Good Friend of Mine"
Many new reporter has believed that
he has made a hit with Mr.. Folk be
cause Of incidents about town. The
prosecuting attorney never meets a
newspaper man on the street without II
he knows him. Offering him a cigar or
taking drink with him. A young man
asked his city editor for an assignment
on the bOOdIing cases because, he said,
Mr.. Folk Is a good friend OF mine
lie a1terWard admitted that his friend
ship with Folk was based on the fact
that he had met the attorney at Faust =
and had promptly accepted an invitation
TO lunch with him there. He was as
signed 20 the bOodling force but was
soon recalled at Mr.. Folks request, be-
cause he annOys me by trying 70 find
out what / do not know myself and
never letting up" as Mr.. Folk ex-
pressed IL.
LISH-AMERICAE WEDDING.
LONDON, July 23.-The wedding 81
-.