Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-01-29
NEWSPAPER AUTOCRAT
How Owner Of Herald Runs his
Business.
NAN OF STRANGE PECULIARITIES
James Gordon Bennett Lives in Paris
and Directs His Great Property from
There-Has Numerous Palaces and
is the Social Equal Of Kings.


is the Social Equal Of Kings.
Though he makes his home i'll Eu-
J robe and does most OF his editing by
cable. Mr.. Bennett's presence IS felt
III the Herald office every day anu all
the time. II is to emphasize this ef-
feet that he insists upon having the
lights kept burning in his private Of
flee each night until the presses be-
gin to turn. and everything there kept
| in full readiness for him. Pencils, INK,
pens and stationery are properly ar
ranged upon his desk, upon which. too.
are placed morning and afternoon all
editions Of the New York daily papers.
| In the editorial council room his big
arm chair ever ready for his occu-
pancy stands 1T the head Of the table
| and about II is all the atmosphere
that is supposed TO surround throne.
In the memory OF the present gen
Grafton the sacred chair has never
been violated by plebian touch.
| Mr.. Benefits only living relatives
are a sister and her children and be-
| tween him and them there Is not the
| fullest cordiality. 1t is his declared
| intention 10 leave the Herald TO those
| employed in making II.
Swift Change in City Editors.
,'ol Henry Watterson Of Kentucky,
who IS one uf Mr.. Bennctt's most init
mate friends. Il few years ago came
| from t.urop. ON the same steamship
with HIM. In conversation the last
evening before making port, Colonel
| Wutcrsun attempted to impress upon
Mr.. Bennett his opinion that II would
be wise for him to give his employees
| i'm the Herald office greater power III
the conduct of the paper.
You are wrong" responded Mr..
| BENEFIT. THE Herald Is everything
the man nothing. To prove to you
that this is so | am going to promote
| to the position Of city editor the first
Herald reporter who boards this
ship"
| But what is wrong with your pres
cnt city editor?" queried Col. Wat
terson.
Nothing at ALL" was the reply.
He can do ship news after today
| Chambers the Man Picked.
| Five Herald reporters met the ship
| the next morning TO interview the
passengers. The first one over the
side was julius Chambers. then just
starting his newspaper career. MIR.
| Bennett after inquiring his name
sent him back to the Herald office.
Chambers entered upon his duties as
city editor that same day.
+speakrg to me uiterwurd Of TINS
occurrence Mr.. Bennett smiled grim
ly and said:
Mr.. Chambers took himself too
| seriously. He didn't last long-three
months. ! think.
| That Mr.. Bennett derives humor
| from the humiliations his position en-
ablcs him To force upon those over
whom he possesses power is unques-
tionably true, but his humor at times
takes n less cruel turn. On one OF ms
visits to New York his suspicious
were aroused by the neatness Of the
members Of the staff Of the Herald.
As he left the office one midnight he
came upon a reporter. who while on
an errand in the composing room. had
got heavy smear Of ink on his face
The fortunate youth received an I'M
mediate increase in salary and was
complimentcd for being the only one
labout the establishment who appear
ed to be doing any real work.
This incident made deep impress
sion upon the younger men in the Of
flee. Mr.. Bennett had decided to take
some one back with him for editorial
service on the Paris edition OF the
Herald. His selection rested between
1.-TWO men, both Of whom were instructed
to see him at his New York home
the next evening.
/ Took Robert J. Carter to Paris.
| one of the two attempted to i'm
press his employer with the belief
that he had just left very busy desk
The other, Robert ]. Carter, went to
the opposite extreme and dressed
with much care for the call. There
were no preliminaries. Mr.. Garter
was chosen.
| II was not many months. however
before Mr.. Carter was back in the
) New York office. When asked why
his STAY in Paris had been so short he
replied that he did not know unless
il was that he had eaten $6I worth
of eggs one morning for breakfast.
Mr.. Bennett had shipped to him al
regular intervals from South America
eggs that are laid by birds in the re-
mote Andes mountains. Mr.. Carter
was invited to breakfast with Mr.. Ben
nett. who as a mark Of special favor
ordered served TO him two OF these
eggs. Not knowing the variety he was
eating, the visitor made so bold as tc
ask for the second helping. Later or
he learned that the eggs cost MIR
Bennett 5000 a dozen. His stay ir
Paris terminated soon after the
breakfast.
Sent Stanley to Africa.
1t would be an act Of unfairness tt
picture Bennett the Inscriptions and
tyrannical journalist without calling
attention to the fact that many Of the
greatest newspaper achievements
have been his. He has wonderful
mind and is never happier than wher
planning a big stroke Of enterprise
Success came to him as soon az the
Herald passed under his control. lr
fact. II was in 1872. when Stanle,
reported that he had found DR.
Livingstone. that the Herald had its
greatest popular triumph.
When Stanley returned to Ne"
York after his meeting with Living
stone his employer briefly congratu'
lated him and assigned him to cover
routine news in the Jefferson police