The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-08-22

Benefits Herald, another penny paper. Bennett
led the pack in shouting "Hoax!' and was the
first to name Locke as the author.
But the Sun did not Immediately confess how
II had fooled not only its own readers but al
most the whole scientific world Finally on
September Is it printed long editorial discuss
ing the moon stories and mentioning the wide
spread interest they had aroused. It said:
"Some persons of little faith but great good
ture, who consider the moon story as il is vul-
carly called, an adroit fiction OF our own, are
quite of the opinion that this was the amiable
moral which the writer had in view. Other
readers, however, construe the whole as an
elaborate satire upon the monstrous fabrications
of the political press of the country and the vari
Gus genera and species of its party editors In
the blue goat with the single horn, mentioned
as it is in connection with the royal arms of
England, many persons fancy they perceive the
characteristics of a notorious foreigner who Is
the supervising editor of one of our largest morn
ing papers" This notorious foreigner" was
James Gordon Bennett, born in Scotland, who
had shocked not only the conservatives Of New
York but some Of his journalistic contemporaries
by the sensationalism Of his Herald.
The Moon Hoax" had the curious effect Of
spelling a promising tale by destined to
become of Americas greatest writers. Edgar
Allen Poe had started fanciful tale of similar
nature under the title Of Hans PfaaI." But
when he found that he could add very little TO
the minute and authentic account of Sir John
Herschel," he tore up the second installment Of
his story. In later years he took pleasure in
picking TO pieces the Suns moon story. He
wrote:
THAT the public were misled even for in
slant, merely proves the gross ignorance which,
10 or II years ago, was prevalent on astro-
nomical topics. And yet it was, on the whole,
arpSr IN he uav ofS -of
merely popular sensation-ever made by any
similar fiction either in America or Europe.
From the epoch of the hoax, the Sun shone with
unmitigated splendor Its success firmly estab-
Hshed the penny system throughout the country,
and Through the SUM consequently we are in
debted to the genius Of Mr.. Locke for one Of
the most important steps ever yet taken in the
pathway of human progress"
If Poes estimate is correct then Richard
Adams Locke is deserving of better than the
obscurity into which his name has sunk except
when occasionally his famous hoax is recalled.
He was born September %, 1900, at East Brent,
Somersetshire, England and he was descendant
of John Locke, the famous English philosopher
of the Seventeenth century.
Locke educated by his mother and by
private tutors until he was nineteen when he
entered Cambridge. As a student there he be-
gan his writing as contributor to the Bee, the
coming interested in the experiment n democ-
racy which was being tried by Englands erst-
while colonies across the Atlantic, he founded
the London Republican to spread the doctrines
of the new democracy. But London was cold to
his publication and after little while he sus-
pended it.
Devoting himself to literature and science he
next established a periodical called the Cornu-
copia. In the meantime he had married and
when the Cornucopia failed after six months he
resolved TO seek his fortune in America In
1882 accompanied by his wife and daughter, he
came TO New York and went TO work for Col
William Watson Webb of the New York Courier
and Enquirer. While covering the murder trial
OF religious fakir named Matthias the
Prophet. Locke became acquainted with Benja-
min r. Day, the founder of the Sun
Finding that Locke was the best reporter
there. Day hired him 10 write series Of feature
stories on the religious fakir for the Sun As
result Webb discharged him for working ION
the side for the lowly penny rival of his paper
and Locke was glad TO 90 to work for Day as
an editorial writer on the Sun at SD week
After the Matthias trial ended If was rather
dull time for the New York newspapers So
Locke went to Day with plan for stirring up
something and Day readily agreed to what his
star writer proposed The result was the moon
story OF century ago, perhaps the most famous
hoax OF all time and certainly the most impor-
tanL FOR, II as Poe says. it firmly established
the cheap newspaper in this country then Ameri-
cans, who enjoy the benefits derived from this
university OF the people as the newspaper has
peen called. can remember gratefully Richard
Adams Locke.
eWess.za Newspaper Union-