Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-14
Demise in France of Pub
Usher of New York Herald
and Paris Herald.
INAUGURATED LONG
DISTANCE EDITING
Altho Residing in Paris Many Years He
Kept in Close Touch with Details in
Now York Office-Sent Stanley to
Africa to Rescue Divinestone-Laid
Atlantic Gable as Rival Of First Limo
Had Many Eceentricities.

Gordon Bennett, proprietor of the
New York Herald. died at $3.50 o'clock
this morning after having been uncon-
ecious for two days.
Mr.. BENEFITS last words before
lapsing into unconsciousness were in
relation to his newspaper interests
Mrs. Bennett was-With her husband
when he died
Long Distance Editing.
Several thousand miles away from
bis main newspaper office, James Cor
don Bennett directed In minute detail
the affairs of the New York Herald
and maintained for himself one Of the
most commanding positions in Ameri
can 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 attempted such long distance
editing
From almost every other angle his
position in the newspaper world has
been uniaue. Upon the death of his
father. who was founder of the Her
aid, tire younger Bennett. then Just
past 30 years. inherited the. largest
newspaper fortune accumulated by
any American publisher up to that
time. He applied 1t toward achieve
ments to startle the public and thus
rebound to the credit OF his news
paper In many instances these
achievements became important items
in the worlds history
Sent Stanley to Africa.
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 Jean
cite expedition to discover the north
pole; such when he Joined in the lay
ing oe the commercial cable-all typi
cal instances OF enterprise 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 a sort OF republic of which no
man or party should hold control.
From the first he refused to recognize
celebrities" as compared with
workers on his staff, and It is re-
lated that even when Stanley came
back from his triumph In Africa,
young Bennett rewarded 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 oYrk Herald and again took
a unique position, as this Is still the
only American daily newspaper pub
lished in Europe. During this residence
abroad, broken only by the unexpected
arrival of the Bennett yacht in New
York harbor once every two or three
years for short stop. the editors In
immediate control OF the New York
Herald kept chair at their confer
ence table always vacant for the alb
sent editor, one Of his own ideas to
keep his men imbued with the spirit
that he was boss" altho several
thousand miles away.
In Touch With Office.
The Herald. marked minutely with
the names OF the men who had writ
ten certain articles or news stories,
was forwarded to him n Paris daily.
He Kept in touch with every detail OF
personnel and policy Daily. or oftener.
the cable from Paris, or wherever he
might be sojourning in his yacht,
brought the editor in chiefs executive
orders, for promotion or discharge. for
compliment OF reprimand. or sketch.
OF general policies.
His whims, amounting, his critics
said. to eccen.ricities. were one Of the
most interesting angles Of his person
ality. It Is related that he dismissed
a musical critic simply because "he
was such g .s:!na: locking man, and
put the financial editor in his place;
and that "copy" boy who ran into
the pit Of Mr.. BENEFITS stomach in
the Herald office received several dol
lars reward for his unusual haste.
These and many instances like them
were traditions Of Herald employees.
He laughed at conventions. and in
variably printed In the Herald the
worst things his enemies said about
him. When Jay Gould gave to the
press letter Of 10000 words attacking
Bennett's personal life, the editor OF
the Herald turned about and published
it in full with the curt remark that
Mr.. Gould was "a gentleman" When
John Kelley, leader Of Tammany Hall.
publicly assailed MT BENEFITS char
acter, he retorted: The proprietor
Of the Herald lost his reputation long
before, Mr. Kelley was ever heard Of
He swung his newspaper from one