The Washington herald., 1910-08-18
A NEWSPAPER HERO.
Keeping the Record Straight I'm Re
membrRnce of One Gone Before.


Keeping the Record Straight I'm Re-
membrRnce of One Gone Before.
Josiah Carter. IN the Marietta tGa.) Courier.
While the Macon Telegraph. Savannah
News. and other partisan papers are dis
cussing the question OF who deserves
credit for abolishing the Georgia convict
lease system. let me tell little story
that I happen TO know about.
Gov Smiths message TO the legis-
lature in 1905 declared the whole system
gnsound."
AS will be found on page 26. under the
heading. Misconduct OF wardens." he
spoke OF the conduct Of the chief war
den and deputy wardens who received
pay from both the State and lessees, a
custom that had not been aired up 70 that
time. The governor said he had called
the attention OF the prison commission
to the conduct OF the chief warden and
that he had resigned. and strict dIrec-
tons had. he learned, been given to the
deputy wardens.
II was not a sensational utterance
by the governor, and ordinarily would
have been passed over. Il happened.
however. that on the stan Of the Atlanta
Georgian was a young reporter. A quiet.
modest boy. with the blood Of Old Vir-
ginia in his veins. who had advanced step
by step until the city editor had assign
ed him 10 work ~ the capitol He was
greatly pleased with the promotion, which
opened up a broader line OF work and
greater opportunities. He was anxious 20
sustain himself and 10 show that the
city editors confidence in him had not
been misplaced.
Preston, that was his name-how well
do remember his pale. patient face
was delving into the message when he
encountered the reference to the chief
warden who had resigned under com
plants lodged by the governor.
With q newspaper mans instinct. he
thought that under the paragraph in
the message there might be a story
possibly a sensation. He spoke 10 the
city editor and was told to bore into
IT, and see what he could find. He
started in. his heart palpitant with the
excitement of running down a great
story and making good" But in the
midst Of 1t his heart began 10 beat
a trihe too fast His cheeks grew
warm. There was a flush that would
not end with the days task. and in
less than a week his physician sent him
TO the hospital-with fever. typhoid fever.
The city editor himself. Mit Saul. took
up the story which the young reporter
had developed sufficiently 10 show that
there was a startling sensation ahead. The
Georgian threw its great power into the
fight. The legislature appointed a Joint
investigating committee which uncovered
conditions that astounded the state. Mr..
Seely. owner OF the Georgian. and Mr.
Saul, the star man" OF his STAFF. a
brilliant and powerful writer. made things
blaze. Their lives were considered in
danger, so fearle ssIy did they publish the
details, and so unsparingly did the
Georgian attack the system and manage
ment. looked for trouble. for I knew
how Col. Bob Aston, Henry Grady's
partner in the Atlanta Herald, had been
killed in the capitol for something sim
liar.
And while the State was Keeling with
the excitement. the young reporter, vic
had started 1t all. grew worse, and worse
until one day his gentle spirit passed into
the Life Eternal. where all is peace.
The fuse was in the governors mes
sage. Preston had touched the match
to It, The explosion that followed blew
the convict system into a million frag-
ments
1t was while he lay dying that tht
great fight ragged.