New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-07
NEWSPAPER ACCURACY
Another Reply to the Insinuations
Of Professor Robert Herrick.

To the Editor.
Sir: VIII you let an old newspaper re-
norter. with thirty-three years Of experience
10 back him. add his mite TO the testimony
Of Will Irwin and the others who are being
condemned as takers? ! would back the
honesty and probity Of the average reporter
or correspondent against that OF any other
average citizen, whatever that word aver
age" may mean, and it is the summation OF
half a lifetime Of experience and observa-
ton and contact with them that would
rather have the testimony on the witness
stand Of newspaper reporter than that OF
a dozen others whose senses are not so
trained as those Of the newsgatherer TO jot
down and retain details and impressions.
II is, indeed, as Mr. Irwin says. "a difficult
art" ! wonder If Professor Hesrick could
talk to a statesman for two hours and then,
without having taken down a single note or
scratched single memorandum, write 5000
20 10000 words Of an interview between
quotations and never make one materially
bad break OF fact, and be wondered at by
the man interviewed for doing it because
he knew that notes had not been used
have known scores Of men to do this and
think nothing Of IT, I have done it myself
in my younger days. and feel sure ! could
do X now II need arose.
In the course Of my career as a reporter
and correspondent have, I believe. reported
at least 500 railroad wrecks. Yet ] was
never in one, and in many instances ] was
not even at the scenes Of the wrecks after
A. had happened In not few instances
eavc reported wrecks or similar accidents
accurately when not less than fifty miles
from the scene, having the incidents re-
ported to me over the wire by some friendly
railroad man or operator upon whom ! could
depend, and minute details given and no
effort ever made to resort to imagination. To
the man on the inside these efforts Of the
uniformed layman 20 beiittle the work OF
the press man are only amusing.
| recall once, about twenty years ago, !
reported a most peculiar case in Alabama.
man, his wife and three-year-old boy
found themselves in birmingham without
money. They had travelled from Florida tow
ard their home somewhere in the North At
birmingham they took passage on the Cow
catcher" of the engine.
At a little station some 70 or 100 miles
north Of birmingham the engine struck
calf. The train was stopped after the slight
ar was felt by the engineer. The three per
sons were found on the "cowcatcher." The
man was holding by one hand 90 the
stanchion ION the right side Of the eHgine
head which led down TO the platform above
the ribs of the catcher Ills other hand and
arm were about his wifc's waist. and she i'm
turn was holding the baby boy in her lap,
while across her right thigh the Calfs head
and shoulders lay The woman was in
faintinc condition, yet 80 strong appeared the
maternal impulse Of protection that she never
relaxed her hold upon the sleeping child. The
calf, with both hind legs imprisoned In the
cowcatcher ribs. and they smashed and
broken, was bawing Justify. The mother
WAS unhurt save for a baca bruise about as
big "a dinner plate, so the physicians told
ne afterward.
or course, the usual dramatics cnsuel with
the passengers and crew. and a neat purse
was made mp for the stranded family. ! in
terviewed twenty-three persons. passengers
and crew. and in order to be absolutely safe
got the afidavits OF a half dozen or more
reputable citizens, one p Catholic clergyman,
one Lutheran minister and others iu. plain
folks. Now, 80 perverse IS human nature IN
not wanting to believe that which seems
improbable that I was lampooned 10 be
unknown, Of course from one end Of the
country to the other as liar of talents CO.
eval with Munchausen. One great editor IN
South Carolina advised me 10 join the dis
pensary forces Of that state, as they needed
arfistic TALENT
The managing editors OF two Of tho papers
TO which the story was sold afterward came
back az me with clipping Of the story,
and two or three Of the comments, all pasted
on an Office letterhead end the words, "IIow
about this" written across. sent in the
afiidavit3 and that was the Inst J ever heard
Of he incident rom them. But even at this
late day ! now and then hear an echo Of that
calf story from some doubling Thomas who
has treasured the memory Of II.
So Mr.. Irwin need feel in nowise down
cast. The world is prone TO be skeptical
even Of newspaper reporters.
c. r. DRAKE.
Weatherford, Tex, Sept. II, 1915.
The foregoing letter was furnished us
through the courtesy of THE Literary Di-
qpst Ed