The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-06-14

and that hope was held out for his
recovery. The newspapers which car
ried the story of his death were deep
ly humiliated and offered excuses and
apologies for their error. But it was
long time before the false report
was forgotten by the public, even
| though McKinley's death followed
| within a short time after the journa-
listic faux pas.
Pope's Death Prematurely Reported
Some years later similar blunder
was made by another press associa-
ton III connection with the late Pope
Leo. The eminent prclate had been i'll
for long time, and his death was
daily, almost .momentarily, expected.
SO when the newspapers served by n
certain press association came out
with extra editions, announcing the
death of His Holiness, the Catholic
clergy everywhere ordered bells toll
ed, prayers said and other devout
manifestations over the passing of a
scat churchman. Then came the re-
port to the rival newspapers that the
Pope was still alive, this being follow
ca by reaction against the news
papers that had carried accounts of
his death which required many months
to eradicate. The fact that the Pope
died within short time did not miti-
gate the sentiment against the news
papers which he>. mistakenly chron
clcd his passing on.
Carrying peilapS greater shock
than that of either of the two scoops
above set forth, was that which fol-
lowed the first announcement of the
alleged signing of an armistice in
connection with the recent World
War. The people of the Allied ma
tlons, and particularly Of America
as we can best judge-wcre heartsick
over the awful carnage that was be-
ing waged by the contcnding armies
abroad, and every little suggestion
CARVING with it the prospects of an
early cessation of hostilitics caused
inc widest JOY, not only among those
who had sons, brothers, fathers and
other relatives at the front. but
among patriotic citizens generally.
Then suddenly out of Brcst came the
story, credited to Admiral Wilson,
that an armistice had been signed be-
tween the Allies and Germany, and
ti.at the war was actually over. This
story was carried as "scoop" by the
newspapers served by one press asso-
citation. Those who depended upon
the news of a rival organization did
"ot commit the blunder of accepting
e original report as true, even
though spontaneous celebrations were
lnaugurated in hundreds of places
and hosannas of joy over the coming
OF peace were flung on high through
out the land. There came denials
from Washington, from London and
from Paris that an armstcc had been
signed; and from feeling of the
highest jubilation, inspired by the un-
authentic report of cessation of
fighting, the nation was plunged into
perhaps a deeper gloom than existed
before the news of the alleged armis-
tlcc was sent out The reaction
against the newspapers which pub
lishcd this story was extremely severe,
and was not tempered for long time
by the fact that the armistice really
was signed a week or so later.
A case where pure chance played a
part in a "scoop" in connection with
murder case occurred about Is years
ago. Two dental students had been
arrested for the murder and decapita-
ton of a girl of their acquaintance.