Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-01-23
FALSE REPORTS
OF POPE'S DEATH
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
edition. Saturday afternoon under a
banner headline reading. Pope
Bepedict Dead" published the fol-
lowing:
'By The Associated Press. Rome,
Jan. 21.-Pope Benedict died at the
Vatican today"
Hearst's New York Evening Jour
nal under banner headline read
ing '"rhe Pope is dead" published
the following:
by International News Service.
Rome, Jan. 81. Pope Benedict XIV.
died today. Death was due to pneu-
monia," etc.
Similar extras were issued in va
rious cities by papers publishing AS
ISOLATED Press and international
News Service dispatches.
It will be noted that both these
dispatches were nat and unqualified
statements and purported to come
directly from Rome. They did not
quote any intermediate news agen-
cies or indirect source.
In Hearst's Milwaukee News a
dispatch was carried under the sig
nature OF Edward Strut, l. n. S.
correspondent
In statements Saturday night and
sunday in explanation OF the false
publication the Associated Press and
International News Service laid
great stress on dispatches which
they said were carried by European
agencies.
SO far, however, no explanation
has appeared for the dispatches I'M
der the credit lines OF the Associated
Press and international News serv-
ice as having come direct from
Rome.
Referring to the premature report
of the Pope's death the New York
Times Sunday under the heading.
Mourn for Pope on false report"
said:
"A false report that Pope Bene-
dict XIV. was dead stirred the city
yesterday afternoon. City officials.
well-known citizens and particular
~ church dignitaries gave expires
sion 10 their sorrow. Mayor Hylan
was one Of the first to issue a state
ment In church circles the report
circulated quickly and clergymen OF
all faiths paid tribute to the Pope's
memory. In many Catholic churches
special masses were announced and
several edifices were ordered draped.
In several instances prayers for the
repose Of the dead were said"
-
announcement Saturday afternoon
caused by publication Of the erron-
eous dispatches. it is noted that the
hour OF the Pope's death. at 6
a. M, (suiday (Rome time) was p
o'clock midnight New York time.
II was on August .. 1914 that the
United Press scored tremendous
beat by bulletining several hours
ahead Of any other American service
tho first news OF the death Of Pope
Plus y. II was al this time that the
Associated Press In the midst OF its
efforts to discredit the United Press
bulletin announced the death from
grief OF the Pope's sister Anna
sarto. This announcement was I'M
true and unfounded and was subse-
| quently retracted as was Saturdays
false news 81 the death Of Pope
/ Benedict
IL was Henry Wood. manager OF
the Rome bureau OF the United
! Press in 1914. who cabled the first
news Of the death Of Pope Plus
Thereafter Wood scored many other
conspicuous beats as a war CORES.
pendent at the French and Italian
fronts.
After the war he returned 10 the
/ managership OF the United Press
Rome bureau and II was Wood under
the stress Of Saturdays events. who
displayed the same cool judgmen
that enabled him 10 score his beat
Of the past and who upheld the hes
| iradItinna of the Tnifed Press