Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-05-25

vealed the source from which the
Record had obtained the story.
The Record swallowed the bait, hook,
line and sinker and clipped the item
and reprinted 1t on its first page. The
next day the Herald printed 1t again.
In blackface capital letters, beginning
at the upper left and running slaunch-
wise to the lower right, appeared these
words: This Story Was Stolen From
the Helena Herald, one of the blacked
I'D words in each line. The red-faced
j Record crew laid off the Herald stuff
after that.
At that particular time. Shearer,
with short staff and keen competi-
! ton, was doing two mems work. He
not only wrote all the editorials, but
gathered a large part of the local
news. A few days after the story show
ing up the Record as a pilferer OF the
HeraId's columns for much Of its tele-
graph news, the Herald telegraph ed
itor, In an effort, presumably, TO be
Of help to Shearer, offered an editorial
for the Heralds columns. Shearer read
It, and finding it acceptable, printed
1t in his paper. A day or two later
while looking through some exchanges
a couple Of weeks old, he was Mortified
to find the "gfft" editorial had been
copied word for word from an eastern
publication. He lived in suspense for
several days fearful that the Record
editor would discover 1t also. The theft
was never discovered, however, and as
the days passed Shearer's blood pres
sure returned to normal except when
he recalled the stupidity Of his as
sistant, who, in an effort TO tighten
the load, placed the Herald In the
same position for attack from the
Record which that newspaper had oc-
cupied In the matter Of telegraph news.
After the Record and Herald were
consolidated into the Montana Record |
Herald, Shearer remained with that
newspaper for some time before going !
to Butte as editor Of the Inter Noun
tain. When the Inter Mountain was
renamed the Butte Evening Post,
Shearer remained with 1t for several |
years before retiring. He now lives In
Los Angeles.
While Shearer was editor of the
Helena Herald and the three-cornered
fight was raging between the Herald,
Daily Record, a member OF the staff OF
the latter pulled another "boner''
which brought down upon its head
not only the jibes of its contempor-
aries, but loud outlaws from the read
ing public.
The story That Didn't Happen
There had been friction between
state. and a big get-together meeting
had been arranged to take place at
the Broadwater hotel at the Broad
water resort three miles or so out OF
Helena, which it was hoped would serve
to restore party harmony. The then
United States Senator Thomas II.
Carter was to be the principal speaker:
The Montana Daily Record planned
complete coverage OF the AFFAIR ana
to that end a copy Of the speakers
was obtained in advance.
The reporter assigned TO the story
went through the speech, wrote his
lead, paid a glowing tribute to the
committee for the COM
Dleteness Of its work, praised the hotel
for its part IN the affair,
and turned In his story hours before
The time set for the beginning OF the
meeting. Then he went about his own
affairs on what really amounted TO q
light Off
In the meantime terrible electric
storm, accompanied by terrific rain,
broke over the city Of Helena. The
electric lines were down and the street
ar service was suspended. 1t was inn
,ossible TO reach the Broadwater hotel
without the street car service, so at
he last minute the committees IN
barge Of the political meeting called
he whole thing off for the time being.
But NOBODY told the montana LAZY
Record about the postponement, ana
hat newspaper came out the next
morning with a complete and elabor-
tie story Of the meeting which was
ot held and the full text Of harmony
peech which had not been delivered.
ne reporter who was Responsible for
he slip is now one Of the highest paid
ewspaper men In San Francisco.
Journalists Teamwork
Mai. Herrick Swan Of Billings, for
lerly and for many years member
I the staff Of the Billings Gazette.
here he served In every capacity
,om reporter to managing editor, was
ne central figure In many amusing
tuati0ns in news gathering during his
lng term OF service.
In 1922 when the Billings and Great
ais high school football teams were
ulay Ia Butte for tine state cham
IonSallD. Swan wms sent 90 Butte by
le Cassie 90 00wex the game. he WIS
a A. a.