Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1936-01-30
City Newspapers Best Selling
Stories OF 1898

Stories OF 1885
The American Press names the
best circulation building stories for
city papers for year 1885, as fol-
lows:
Bruno Hauptmann's arrest, trial
and conviction of the kidnapping
and murder Of the young son of Col.
Charles A. Lingbergh sold more
newspapers than any other news
event of 1885, according to a cross
section poll of newspapers by the
American Press.
The poll revealed the Hauptmann
case far Outranked any other story
of the year. appearing in first place
on practically all ballots, in the Sc
lection of the five best circulation
building news stories of the year.
The Wiley Post-Rogers airplane
ed next. Choice for third place
was evenly divided between the as
sassination of Huey Long and
1talo Ethiopian imbroglio.
Below those four stories there
was a marked difference of opin-
ion, twelve other stories being nom
mated for fifth place.
1t is interesting to note that no
editor included any story concern
ing gangsters or sex.
1t is also of interest that but two
sports stories-world's series base
ball and the victory of Joe Louis
over Max Baer-were included in
the balloting.
The votes revealed very clearly,
too, the difference in the interests
of the news-reading public. In the
| m1d-Western and agricultural states
| Tor example. the AAA referendum
and Weyerhauser kidnapping were
counted as outstanding circulation
setters. In the south, tropical huf-
ricanes were rated in the list. The
east, and some parts of the west,
the supreme court decision on NRA
and the gold legislation were rank
ed well up In the list.
Only two international stories
figured in the compiiation-the
Italian invasion of Ethiopia coupled
with action by the League of Ma
tions, and the assassination of
Chancellor Dollfuss of Austria.
Most editors agreed with Basil l..
Walters, managing editor of the
Des Moines, Ia, Register and Trib-
une in his analysis of the Haupt-
mann story as the best circulation
getter. Said MIR. Walters:
This trial had all the drama
that anyone could expect and it con-
cerned one of America best known
citizens. 1t had the elements of
name, tragedy, mother-loye. crime
and crime-detection, and of fight.
1t was one man fighting for his life
and one man fighting for his life
is a greater story than a whole
army 1t is called sublimation,
isn't it?''
Managing Editor Walters also
summed up the sentiment concern
ing the Post-Rogers crash, saying:
Hottest news break and single
extra must, of course, go to the Will
Rogers-Wiley Post crash. In this
also he have the elements of widely
known people and well loved man
that everyone considered his friend.
1t contained the element of trag-
edy that seems to play an important
part in some news stories. Added
to this was the shock. Ordinarily
we have found that a story mus.
build up to be real circulation
getter, but in the case of Will Rog-
| ers the climax came with the first
| extra"
N. S. Noble, managing editor OF
| the Atlanta, Ca, Constitution, ex-
pressed the prevailing sentiment OF
the editors on the Italo- Ethiopian
situation, and the bonus legislation
in this language:
1T is my belief during the last
three Or four years people of the
| United States have become more in.
terested than ever before in news
which appears to have a far reach,
ing effect not only in the presen,
but for the future. My first selec.
| t1on is the Italo-Ethiopian situa
tion. 1 find it impossible to select
| any one story but it is my belief
| that the news from Geneva on sane.
| tions has attracted the most inter
est. Certainly the action of the
| League has been startling anf
| amazing, and that reaction has beer
felt by practically everyone in this
country.
"The bonus affected so many di
| rectly and through them many more
| millions Indirectly. In addition tc
the tense struggle on the floors OF
| the house and senate, there alway.
was the suspense as to whether o,
not it would pass congress and ther
receive a presidential veto, and
| then whether or not the senate
| would override"