Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-17
JAMES GORDON BENNETT,
HERALD OWNER, IS DEAD
End Comes to Publisher in
France - Was UnCon-
SCiOuS Two Days

BEAULIEU. France. May Thames
York Herald. died at $40 o'clock this
morning, after having been uncon-
scious for two days.
Mr.. Benefits last words before laps,
ing into unconsciousnes were in rela
ton to his newspaper interests.
Mrs. Bennett was with her husband
when he died.
Several thousand miles away from his
main newspaper office, James Gordon
Bennett directed in minute detail the
affairs of the New York Herald and
maintained for himself one of the most
commanding positions in American
journalism. For more than a quarter of
a century he lived in Paris and worked
simultaneously there and in New York.
No man before him or since has at
tempted such long-distance editing.
From almost every other angle his
position in the newspaper world has
been unique. Upon the death of his
father. who was founder of the Herald,
the younger Bennett, then just past
thirty years, inherited the largest news
paper fortune accumulated by any
American publisher up to that time. He
applied it toward achievements to star
tie the public and thus redOwn to the
credit of his newspaper. In many in
stances these achievements became i'm
portant items in the worlds history.
Stanley Is Made Cub
Such was the policy he inaugurated
when as managing editor in 1870 he
ordered Henry NJ. Stanley into the heart
of Africa to find Livingstone; such when
he sent the Inflated Jeanette expedition
to discover the north pole; such when
he Joined in the laying of the CONNER
cial cable-all typical instances of en-
terprise to make news" or further it's
transmission.
In contrast to the personal journal
ism of the elder Bennett and Greeley
type, the younger Bennett was one of
the first to sound the impersonal note
He declared that his paper should be-
come sort of republic of which no
man or party should hold control From
the first he refused to recognize "celeb-
rites" as compared with workers" on
his staff, and it is related that even
when Stanley came back from his tri-
umph, in Africa, young Bennett reward
ed him with the mean assignment of
covering" the tenderloin police district
in New York.
When Mr.. Bennett moved TO Paris in
1887 he started the Paris edition of the
New York Herald and again took a
unique position, as this is still the only
American daily newspaper published in
Europe During this residence abroad.
broken only by the unexpected arrival
of the Bennett yacht in New York har-
Dor once every two or three years for
a short stop, the editors in immediate
control of the New York Herald kept
a chair at their conference table always
vacant for the absent editor, one of his
own Ideas to keep his men imbued with
the spirit that he was boss" although
several thousand miles away.
Saw Paper Every Day
The Herald, marked minutefy with the
names of the men who had written GER
tain articles or news stories, was for
warded to him in Paris daily. He kept
in touch with every detail of personnel
and policy. Daily, or oftener, the ca
BILE from Paris, or wherever he might
be sojourning in his yacht, brought the
editor-in-chief's executive orders, for
promotion or discharge, for compliment
or reprimand, or sketch of general pol
icies
His whims, amounting, his critics
said, to eccentricities, were one of the
most interesting angles of his person.
ality. it is related that he dismissed
musical critic simply because he was
such a funny looking man." and put
the financial editor in his place; and
lHdI copy DOy VINO ran the PIT
of Mr.. Benefits stomach in the Herald
office received several dollars reward
for his unusual haste. These and many
instances like them were traditions of
Herald employees.
He laughted at conventions, and in
variably printed in the Herald the
worst things his enemies said about
him. When Jay Gould gave to the
press a letter of 10000 words attack
ing Benefits personal life, the editor
of the Herald turned about and pub
lished it in full with the curt remark
that Mr.. Gould was "a gentleman.
When John Kelley, leader of Tammany
Hall, publicly assailed Mr.. Benefits
character, he retorted: THE proprietor
of the Herald lost his reputation long
before Mr.. Kelley was ever heard of. |
He swung his newspaper from one
side to another in public questions with |
startling abruptness.
He was assailed for many years for
the personal" advertisements which |
we're once an unrestrained feature of
his paper. In 1907 he bowed to the law
with payment OF fine of $4,000, when |
the court characterized the Herald per-
sonals as "a public stencil
In his innumerable promotions, all
bearing upon the promotion of his |
Mr.. Bennett figured as a
notable patron of sport. He introduced
polo into America; revived coaching in
France; organized international automo- J
bile and aeronautical races, and built
opd caiIad numerous Yachts