Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-13


the building into 44th-s and headed for Fifth
ave, scant half-block away. The who handled
them knew that at this time in the afternoon Gothams
S1narteSt thOrOughare packed with carriages and
motorcars containing the women and children of the
weather. classes, that there would be riot the beasts
passed Sherrys the and that the result
would be ruin to the colossal amusement place that
had been opened scarcely six months before.
So they tore madly after their charges, and of
thcm-Bll Powers, for years treasurer of the Walter
Main Circus-fnally overlook the foremost eggplant
in front of the Harvard Club. Swinging his hook into
her mouth, he brought the huge animal screaming to
her knees The fifteen behind stopped long enough to
receive similar treatment, and the whole quiverng herd
was led back to the stables in the basement of the show
house.
AS they had started the carpenters and prop
erty rebuilding the demolished scenery, Thompson
and his partner to their offices and sent for the press
agent.
We've got to keep this out of the papers," said
Dundy.
"If we don't we might as we'll quit, said Thompson.
"And we've dropped sixty-ve thousand dollars in this
show before it opened"
"Theres only to do it." said the press agent,
"and it not way.
"lf there's only way, try 1T, Thompson yelled,
"and for Gods sake try it quick"
The publicity man, William G. Thompson, had been
for years of James Gordon Benefits efficient
editors. He knew news and newspapers. Rushing to
telephone ne called up every city editor IN New York
and Brooklyn. He asked them to wait for crackajack
story Messenger boys would have it in three minutes
1t could be written. Every word of it true
Nothing better could be imagined for spread on the
front page OF a sporting extra.
In the next room three good looking stenographers
sat dreaming of lovers and dinner.
"Quick now! Six copies EACH I'll dictate to the
flock of you!"
The story licked off by the pink fingers of the two
blends and the lovely brunette work of art. Bar
rett Wendell might have called it mastery zee in hv
perbole and wildeyed exaggeration; but at the very
thought of it Baron Munchhusen, Scheherazade, Dan
el Defoe, Jacques Casanova, and Ananas must have
Topped in their graves. wonderwork in word en-
broidery, Alternative, preposerous, fabulous, and
ravagant the yarn read like description of Desperate
Desmonds dizziest deed. What the elephants hadn't
done Thompson said they had. What they might have
done and he described in all its lurd detail Police
had fought with clubs to preserve order among
the "maddened throng.' detachment from the us
Regiment had been called in to help the village
stabulary Shop windows for blocks had been smashed
by people, horses, taxcabs and elephants One man
had taken chance live wire rather than face the
Infatuated beasts resh from the valleys of the Kongo
and the Gauges. This unfortunate individual wound
up his life with the remark, "There amt such ami
mali and the press agent brought his dream to close
with glowing eulogy of Bill Powers heroism.
Fifteen minutes later copies of the story
the desks of the city editors of the metropolis
The eighteenth went to the manager of the Associated
Press Seven OF the recipients, after reading the first
page chucked the manuscript on the floor. Eight kept
their copies curios Two editors mailed theirs back
with singing notes to the effect that they running
newspapers, not comic supplements. One paper pub
shed the article written with introduction stating
that it registered the highest known altitude in twen
tieth century imagination.
The scheme worked. When police court reporters,
who had learned of the stampede, attempted to ele
phone the story their papers, they told to attend
to business and keep away from the Hppodrome. The
most spectacular of New Yor<s day crept into
only newspaper, and then in such laughable form
that reader believed word of it. Bill Powers,
the strength of his received raise of twenty
five dollars week. He deserved it.
FEW press agents, however get chance to build
publicity round elephant. The unfortunate
majority wear out their ina ginatOn saying nice and
beievabe things about twoegged entertainers
and of various degrees. In this majority