The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-06-01
CHATTER XII.

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The American dearly loves a sen.
sation. and the bigger and more blood.
curdling IT is the better. Nothing is
more gratifying on arising in the
morning and sitting down to partake
of daintily served breakfast than to
glance hurriedly over the front page
OF ones fayorite newspaper and see /;
covered with startling headlines. II
matters little what has happened dur.
ing the night to shock the community.
SO long as It satisfies ones appetite
for sensational news. It can be a
fatal eonfagration. = fearful railroad
wreck. gigantic bank robbery. a hor
rible murder. or even a scandalous
divorce case. All one asks is that I,
be something big. with column after
column Of narrowing details. The
newspapers are fully alive to what Is
expected Of them. but It is not always
easy to supply the demand. There
are times when the metropolis Ian.
guishes for news Of any description.
There are no disastrous fires. trains
run without mishap. burglars go on a
vacation. society leaders act with de
corum-in word the city Is deadly
dull. Further consideration of the
tariff remains the most thrilllny topic
the newspapers can find to write
about.
The murder at the aristocratic AS.
truria. therefore. was haile1 by the
editors as an r=mixed journalistic
blessing. and they proceeded to play
IT up for all 1t was worth. All the
features OF a frst.c,ass sensation were
present. The victim. Robert Under.
wood. was well known in society and
prominent art connoIsseur. The
place where the crime was committed
was one Of the most fashionable OF
New York's hostelries. The presumed
assassin was a college man and the
son OF one Of the most wealthy and
influential OF New Yorks citizens.
True. this Howard Jeffries. the son.
was a black sheep. He had been
mixed up In all kinds Of scandals be.
fore. His own father haG turned him
out Of doors. and he was married to a
woman whose father died in prison.
Could a better combination OF cir.
cpmstances for newspaper be con-
ceived? The crime was discovered
too late for the morning papers tc
make mention OF It. but the afternoon
papers ared a broadside that shook
the town. All the evening papers had
big scare heads stretching across the
entire front page. with pictures OF the
principals involved and long inter.
Views with the coroner and Capt
Clinton. There seemed to be no doub.
hat the police had arrested the right
man. and In all quarters OF the cry
there was universal sympathy for Mr..
Howard Jeffries. Sr. It was terrible
to think that this splendid. upright
man. whose whole career was without
single stain, who had served his
country CALAMITY through the civil
war. should have such disgrace
brought upon him IN his old age.
Everything pointed to speedy trial
and quick conviction. Public indigna.
ton was aroused almost to frenzy,
and loud clamor went up against
the laws delay. Too many crimes
OF this nature, screamed the yellow
press. had been allowed to sully the
good name OF the city. A fearful ex.
ample must be made, no matter what
the standing and influence of the pris-
oner's family. Thus goaded on, the
courts acted with promptness. Taken
before magistrate, Howard was at
once committed to the Tombs to await
trial. and the district attorney set to
work impane!ing jury. Justice. he
promised. would be swiftly done. One
newspaper stated positively that the
family would not interfere. but would
abandon the scapegrace son to his
richly deserved fate. Judge Brewster,
the famous lawyer. It was said. had al
ready been approached by the prison.
er's wife. but had declined to take
the case. Banker JehrIes also was
quoted as saying that the man under
arrest was no longer son OF his.
As one paper pointed out. 1t seemed
farce and a waste OF money to have