Evening star., 1936-03-22
By John CIaeatt Proctor


prised to find that the genial treasurer
of the National Press Club. Charles
Alexander Hamilton, had rounded out
his S0th year of life on March Is, just
passed-and it happened to fall on
Friday, too, though the chances are
that this fact did not prevent this
worthy member Of the fourth estate
from enjoying his anniversary day
Just as much as he has enjoyed the
many that have gone before.
Mr.. Hamilton came here from Erie
County, N. Y. in 1882, at q time when
many of the Civil War correspondents
were still active and in their prime,
and, no doubt, he could tell many in
teresting stories Of the days when he,
as young man of 81, first represented
the Buffalo Express in the press gal
lery at the Capitol, and, quite likely,
sat close to that other early corre-
spondent, John Boyle, who began his
work with the Charlotte Observer in
1877, and both today are still going
strong and representing outside news
paper interests.
Washington was probably a lucky
place for Mr.. Hamilton to come to.
since even before the Civil War and
during and subsequent to this event
so many brilliant correspondents have
represented papers here. Many of
them afterward became distinguished
in political as well as in other lines,
and because of this fact it is always
interesting to the old-timer to glance
over the early members Of the press
gallery and note the men-and women,
too, for that matter-who were really
outstanding news gatherers OF that
period.
Take, for instance, Whitelaw Reid,
who in 1864 represented here the Gin
cinnati Gazette, and in following years
also took care of the interests Of the
Western Republican, with Offices in
Newspaper Row. on Fourteenth street
opposite the Willard Hotel. Later with
the New York Tribune. he became
managing editor, and finally its
editor in chief, and gained financial
control of this paper in 1872. In 1892
he was second on the ticket with Ben
tamin Harrison and was defeated by
Grover Cleveland and Adlai E. Steven
son. Previous to this he had served
as Minister to France, where he ne
gotiated valuable reciprocity treaties. =,
At this time George w. Adams, who
became one of the owners OF The Star
in 1867, was representing the New
York World; U. H. Painter, the Phila-
delphia Inquirer; Charles Lanham. the
Journal of Commerce, and John B.
McCullagh, the Cincinnati CONNER
cial. Though rather young for such a
responsible position, yet Mack" as
he was called, is said to have been the
original interviewer.
RACK in 1895 Frank 6. Carpenter
IL then and for number of years
one of The Stars most interesting con-
tributors, said about this unique
journalist:
Born in Ireland, he began his life
work as printer in st. Louis. rising
from the case to the reporters desk.
He was a mere boy at the outbreak OF
the war, but he at once went to the
field as a correspondent, and before
long was stationed at Washington,
sending out news from that point.
EFT WAS two years after the close Of
the war that he did his first great
work as an interviewer. He was at the
time correspondent to the Cincinnati
Commercial, and as such he made
tour through the South, writing up
the conditions Of the different States.
During this tour he surprised the press
by a three column talk with Alexander
H. Stephens at his home in Georgia.
It was the first interview Of the kind
.ver given to the public, and the prom
inence of Mr.. Stephens as ex-Vice
President Of the Confederacy and the
striking ideas which Mr.. McCullagh
ELECTED from him created a decided
sensation"
Continuing, Mr.. Carpenter writes:
"I had a long chat the other day
with Mr.. McCullagh about some Of
his early newspaper experiences. Dur
ing 1t I asked him as to his first great
interview. He replied:
"'I had. you know. good letters OF
introduction, and these gave me cor
dial reception. I met Alexander II.
Stephens at his home in Georgia. He
lived near Crawfordsville, in an old
fashioned, two-story frame house,
which he called Liberty Hall. There
was q station near the house. and I
supposed that I should find tavern
there where I could be accommodated
during my stay. When I got of the
train, I found nothing but an old
shanty kept by a Negro woman. I
asked her II she could tell me where
Massa Alec lived. She showed me the
house, and, leaving my valise with her,
I walked up through the great lawn
filled with forest trees and knocked at
the door.
"'A moment later I met Alexander
Stephens and presented my letters.
He insisted upon my coming at once to
the house. I remained with him for
three days and had several long talks
with him. He discussed many matters
relating to the South and gave some
striking views as to emancipation and
the Negro. He told me that he would
have emancipated his own slaves long
ago, but that he did not know how
they could be taken care Of. He said
that his plantation would not raise
enough money to support them, and
that they had long cost him more
than he was able to get out Of them
They did not leave him at the close OF
the war, and he had many Of them
still with him at the time Of my visit.
"UHAT other things did you tall
4" of, Mr.. McCullagh?" I asked
"A great many was the reply. One
OF my questions, ! remember, was as to
what he considered the greatest Of our
state papers. His reply was:
""There are two of our state papers
which consider the greatest of all
One is Thomas Jefferson's second
inaugural and the other is the second
inaugural of Abraham Lincoln"