The Washington times., 1934-09-25
Sensed Excitement

Sensed Excitement
I should have sensed the
crackIe of excitement the minute
entered the city room. Hud-
died about Mr.. w., the assistant
managing editor, stood couple
Of gentlemen from the COM
posing room. In wild confusion
on the table in front Of him
Sprawled q tumble Of glOsSies
and clips from the mOrgue. The
circulation manager walked in,
spoke quietly to the editor, muir.
INJURED something about special
rum" and walked out again.
Bright-eyed young men, their
ears glued to telephones,
Scrawled notes on paper in front
of them. Others hammered
away at the typewriter. An as
sistant city editor barked an
order to the heavy-Set chap
standing near him. MIR. S., city
editor, studied typewriter frag-
ments In front Of him.
AS / say, 1 would have sensed
the excitement, but the truth OF
the matter is the activity in the
city room on this particular
Thursday afternoon differed not
q whit or a whittle from other
Thursday afternoons, or Monday
or TUESDAY or Wednesday after
moons, for that matter. The
circulation manager is usually
walking in or out, the assistant
managing editor is perpetually
fuSsing over pictures and clips
and layoutS, the assistant city
editors bark orders, the bright
eyed young men make notes and
pound away at typewriters, and
the city editor studies type.
written fragments.
The calmness and methodical
efficiency with which this, the
biggest news story in years, was
handled in the city room OF the
most widely circulated evening
newspaper in the country, would
have disappointed the feverishly
imaginative gentlemen Of the
cinema, I think. No Storming,
fuming managing editor shout.
ing at the city editor, no pell.
nell, back-and-forth rushing Of
wildeyed reporters with the
brims of their fedoras snapped
down over left eyes, no bursting
in of the pampered star reporter
with beloved: stop the press.
I've cracked the Lindbergh mys-
terry"
What happened was some.
thing like this:
Early in the afternoon there
came an anonymous telephone
call. "Be ready" was its i'm
port, "for a break in the Lind
bergh story"
Telephones Buzz
Almost simultaneously, two
more telephones tangled clamOr-
Ously for attention. Veterans
John Crosby and Frank Cor
man Journal headquarters men,
were calling. With practically
identical messages. The Lind
bergh story was about to break.
1t was significant that Frank
Fay, in charge Of the Depart
ment of Justice in New York,
was at headquarters. A few Sec
OndS later, George LittlewOrth,
assigned to the Nassau district,
phoned, excitement in lis voice.
"Be prepared for a Lindbe :gh
break" He had been talking to
Harold King, the inspector Of
detectives, who had drawled: Il
wouldn't be surprised if the
worlds biggest story is about to
crack, fellow"
What about?". asked Little
worth eagerly.
King shrugged his shoulders,
looked up at the heavens, and
murmured great day for avia-
ton, don't you think?" And
that, believe it or not, was clue
enough for astute Mr.. Little
worth.
Now came action. Still calm,
unruffled, as if he were han
ding the obituary of a respected
merchant, the city editor began
to direct his field forces. Young
men hoped to the phones. One
endeaVored to establish tele-
phonic communication with
Colonel Lindbergh on the coast.
Others got into communication
with authorities and Lindbergh
principals in Hopewell, Wash
ington, Chicago, and New York.
A reporter was dispatched to
round up John Perone, the cab
driver, and talk to him. The
morgue was rummaged of every
available clip and picture. The
composing room was directed to
be ready to rip up the front page
for a complete makeover.
Again the enterpriSing MeSSrs.
German and Crosby were on the
phone. From detective friends
they had wOrmed out the most
important news angle thus far
the identity Of the nan who
had by this time been in the
custody of the police for So
hours. Bruno Richard Haupt-
man. And just as important
his address.
Photographers and reporters
were rushed to the Hauptmann
home in the Bronx. They were
to photograph and interview the