Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-16

then half an hour. Then the man looked at
his watch, got out of his chair with start
and explained to the clerk that really he
was afraid he would have to break an i'm
portant engagement If he had to wait much
longer.
This made the clerk do little hustling, a
boy being sent all over the place looking for
some one to sign the draft. Morgan saw
the lad pass and repass the door of his pri
vate den.
What DO you want?" he finally asked the
messenger
Some one to sign this draft" was the
answer
Give It to me-" said Morgan and the
draft was signed in a jiffy and delivered to
the customer.
How j. B. Haggin Was Interviewed.
The ease with which those who called
to see Morgan that morning Is explained
by the circumstance that all the callers
were known to the Office as men whom
their employer wished to see. Had a
stranger called. or a newspaper reporter
the bars would have been put up at once
Morgan's aversion to seeing reporters is
we'll known and in this he is not singular
among men Of his class
j. B. Haggin, the copper king Is about
as chary Of being interviewed as Morgan,
but story was told the other day of his
yielding perforce to a reporter who simply
had to have talk with Haggin.
This reporter was working on some mid
die western paper. By careless work or
misfortune in being beaten by q reporter
for some other paper he had incurred the
suspicious Of the city editor and felt II
IN his bones" that the latter had 1t in
for him."
Consequently the reporter wasn't in the
least surprised one morning when the city
editor gave him an assignment the task
OF interviewing Hagstn, then in town and
staying at a leading hotel, about one of
The reporter was frightened, though. Like
every other reporter on the paper, he knew
how difficult Haggin was to reporters;
knew Il was tradition that none had ever
overcome his objections to being inter-
viewed and felt sure that failure this time
meant dismissal. He was OF the sort that
doesn't mind dismissal In one way. for
he'd never had any trouble In getting a
job, but he didn't want to be fred for
what might be made to look like a good
reason.
90. by the time he stood before the no.
tel clerk and sent his card to Haggin, who
was in his ROOM the reporter had worked
out well-defined but simple plan which
he hoped might work. AS the boy started
away with the card he slipped quarter
into his hand.
Then in order to keep his nerve steady,
as he explained when telling about 1t, he
stepped into the billiard room, the open
door Of which commanded a view of the
office. and began pushing the ivory balls
about. Presently the boy came down, the
reporters card still on the tray.
Mr.. Haggin. he says he won't receive
no card from nobody" the boy said, grin
ming.
That's all right, sonny" said the re-
porter. Here's a dollar in quarters Ev-
cry fifteen minutes 1 want you to go up and
offer him that card. / want you to come
and tell me every time just what he says
If you get me chance to speak to him
you'll get another dollar"
Still grinning and juggling the quarters
in his pocket. the boy departed. Promptly
OH the expiration of fifteen minutes he In
formed the reporter that Mr. Haggin was
pretty mad. The reporter kept on at his
billiards with thoughtful expression on
his face
Another fifteen minutes brought the in
formation that Higgins anger was increas-