The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-07-11

page article charging the then Sec
rotary of the Treasury with COM
plicity in whisky frauds. Another
story of Huntley's which attracted
particular attention was long ic-
terview with Sitting Bull, in his tc-
pee on the plains.
From Chicago he came to North
Dakota in search Of adventure and
became the editor of the Bismarck
Tribune in 1889.
Huntley was member of the
editorial staff of the Brooklyn Eagle
for several years. It was in the
Eagle that the Spoopendyke letters
were first published. They were
widely read and quoted, and were
published in book form
by the Eagle. The letters were
mostly in a humorous vein, abound
ing IN illusions to local and nation
al events, and containing much that
is historical. They were published
in the Sunday Eagle from 1879 to
the end of 1881.
A story is told of him that when
at one time his father was candi-
date for the New York state senate
he came out with an amusing sarcas-
tic editorial to the effect that from
an intimate acquaintance covering SO
many specific years he knew that the
candidate was in no wise to be trust
ed and warned all voters against
giving him their support and fran
chise, and further he sent copy of
the paper to the aforesaid father" is
a story told of Huntley by Mrs. N.
C. Young of Fargo in speech she
delivered at the dedication of the
statute of Sakakawea.
A romance which attaches to his
career while in Bismarck is that he
fell in love with a brilliant young
woman who was residing with her
brother, an army officer, at old Fort
Lincoln. Their correspondence it was
said, was conducted entirely in verse.
Later they were married privately
in the back room of the Tribune Of
flee, Mr.. Jewell being present as wit
ness. The bride, Miss Chance, be-
came known to the world of letters
as Florence Huntley. After leaving
Bismarck Mr.. Huntley filled various
positions with the st. Paul Pioneer
Press and Minneapolis Tribune and
was editor for time Of the Iowa
City Republican.
"For time his wife was interested
in spiritualism, and produced many
books along that line: The Dream
Child 'Harmonics of Evolution The
Great Psychological Crime"
It was while in Bismarck that
Stanley conceived the idea of the
Spoopendyke papers which later be-
came very popular and gave him a
national reputation as a humorist.
"The original Mr.. Spoopendyke was
we'll known Dennie Hannafin. The
circumstances in the life Of Mr.. Spoo-
pendyke in no way parallel those of
Mr.. Hannafin. 1t is in the pictures
que language and peculiar manner of
expression that the latter has been
reproduced in the papers of the for
mer," says Mrs. Young in her paper.
AS result of his fame as humor-
ist through the Spoopendyke papers
Mr.. Huntley was called to the Brook
lyn Eagle where he won more liter
airy fame until 1885 when he died at
an early age as a result of his siren
uous literary career.
Eugene Field in an article in the
Chicago Daily News of August 1885
has probably given the best account
of Stanley Huntley. As reprinted in
the Bismarck Tribune, Aug. IL, 1886
the article reads:
STANLEY Huntley, who died in New
York last Friday, was perhaps az
bright writer as had been connected
with the American press. He is best
known as the author of the Spoopen-
dyke papers, but these sketches were
by no means his best work. His best
work was done in his capacity Of re.
porter on the various papers he
served at different times. He had a
nervous, but charming style, and he
gave q delicious freshness and
pungency to even the dryest and
hackneyed subjects. There was never
IA brighter newspaper interview than
the one he had with Mrs. Agne.
jerks in the columns of the Washing.
ton Post. His interview with Sitting
Bull, done for the Chicago Tribune
was another great piece Of work; SO
was his interview with r. B. Hayes
in 1876. But it would be an all day
task to attempt an enumeration OF
the brilliant accomplishments Of this
singularly gifted man. Huntley was
as erratic as he was smart. The
son Of wealthy parents, he despiset
money; reared in the best society, he
spurned it and satirized its people;
he was disagreeably conscious Of hi
own powers; he was woefully sus
picious and jealous; he was as mer.
curial as Frenchman, and as com
bative as an Irishman-withal ht
was an generous to a fault, ant
though he could be sarcastic ant
sneering as the most cynical cynic
he was at times az charming com
panion as one could hope to meet.
: He had remarkable conversations
powers, q remarkable memory and !,
remarkable fancy. In his persona
characteristics he seems to have re
sembled Edgar A. Poe; he had fond
ness for the outre, the bizarre, tn
whimsical. He was by fits and start
convivial and melancholy. Naturall,
therefore. while he had many admir-
.ers, he had few personal friends
Huntley was never robust man, bu
he might have lived for many year
for all his high-strung nervous
temperment-had It not been for hi
! excesses. It is seldom that ma,
|. combines such weakness and sue