The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-05-23
continued to appear, they thought they
had the wrong man and let their pris-
oner go. =

continued to appear, they thought they
had the wrong man and let their pris-
oner go. =
Room Made in Box Factory
One of tile editors of Free Belgium
thus described some Of the adventures
and perils involved in publication of
the newspaper that defed the Ger
mans:
"The most picturesque of the print
ing houses used was a cardboard box
factory, which lies between the Care
du Nord and Laeken. Behind the walls
in corner of these works was con-
structed, with great secrecy, space
IL g. feet, without door or windows,
and only a trap in the ceiling, by
which the printer was let down with
his materials to the machine installed.
The walls were covered with thick
draperies, which prevented the sound
of the machine from being heard with
out. It took month to establish this
printing place and carry in the press
bit by bit.
1.-THE departure from the printing
house with the edition was always
the most dangerous moment, and one
for which many DISCUSSES We're neces-
sary.. Sometimes it would be butch
er's tricycle. bringing the ordered joint
which would conceal the packet of pa.
pers; sometimes a roll, ostensibly Of
linoleum.
"Those who took the responsibility
of the printing, alike with the compos-
itors and editors, were strictly forbid
den to occupy themselves with the dis
tribution, which was confided to
others; their part was finished when
the paper reached the hands of three
or four chief distributors, who also
knew nothing Of the printing, compo-
sition, editing, etc. The distribution
was organized with the greatest pru-
dence, so that if one person was ar
rested, it would not lead to wholesale
arrests, which would endanger the
work, for that consideration, not per-
sonal danger, was the incentive to pru-
dence.
Zone eximple may be given of those
who paid for their devotion with their
lives. Philippe Baucq, shot with Miss
Cavell, received generally 1000 copies,
which he distributed to certain asso-
ciates, who in their turn divided them
among several others, giving twenty
forty or fifty copies to each.
"With every issue he spent two
nights going around the city, on BIZ
cycle or on foot, placing packets in
places agreed in advance, where the
distributors sought them next morn
ing. These passed them on to small
er distributors, who were unknown to
Baucq and to whom he was unknown.
Sometimes the packets were left in a
church or in the lifts of the great Of
fees. In the latter case the persons
coming for supply would enter the
same lift as the distributor, who
would get out at the second floor, leav-
ing his parcel. The former would
.stcal" the parcel, get out at the third
floor and the two leave by different
entrances. Numerous women and
young girls regularly received ten or
fifteen numbers to take to different
addresses.
|, aNote that this journal remained,
by the force of circumstances, under
conditions absolutely opposed to those
Of all other journalistic enterprises.
No sumptuous offices, but the head
quarters hidden from the world; hor-
ror Of all advertisement; a paper
which never ceased to say DO not
mention us. No office list of sub
scribers, no advertising department;
no occasional staff on which there was
hardly one professional journalist; q
rudirnentary press.
"And yet, with all this, q reputation
and circulation perhaps without par
1allel in the annals Of Journalism.
Without exaggeration we can say ev-
cry copy was read by thirty or forty
people. John L. Balderston.