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

Many an episode transpires tn
newspaper offices, the details OF
which would make good reading
the stories were ever written. But
inasmuch as they for the moss
mart have something TO do with
the manner or method o. getthns
sOrne story that was difficult 90
Obtain. the activities of the report
er or executive involved IN the
matter are not considered news
and are never told.
one of the most bizarre tales In the
annals of Montana newspaper circles
mas to do with the manner IN Wnlcn
the old Montana Daily Record OF dsl-
ena. aided by q tomato can Sounuel
on a telegraph instrument, covered
the story of the death Of President
william Mckinley, following the at
Tack uuon him by an assassin early IN
September, 1901 The Montana Daliy
Record was served by news service
called the Publishers Press, the hecor9
being unable to obtain the AsSoclass Ns.a
Press report because 1t was morning
naDer. and the morning FRANCHISE OF
the A p was already held by the
Helena Independent. ,z
THE two offices were located on
broadway In Helena, almost directly
across the street from each other.
Newspapers Were Alert
President Mckinley, shot at 4 O'Clock
I'm fine afternoon Of Sept. 6, while at
lending the Pan-American expoS1Llon
Al Buffalo, NJ Y, fingered Tor q week
and died at 2:15 a. M, eastern sesAL aS
dard time. on Sept. -. The wires OF
ali news services were held In readiness
to carry the story of the presidents
death. as his condition gradually grew
more hopeless during the early eve
ming of Sept. IL. The two hours dlI-
ference between eastern and nounCsan
time gave the western morning news vs.
papers ample time to prepaIe Aor ,, %aio
srforv Of the presidents deatn, Wnlcn
q Became ali too apparent. was almost
sure to occur during the nlgnt.
while bulletins were coming every
Seuy minutes telling Of the presidents
Condition and recording gIaousSS
ssntino the Publishers Press wire OF
sha Osilv Record failed utterly. LEON
shaw. for many years past Int eenc s-....
MANAGER of the Billings GazegCe, Was
the operator on duty. Albert a Law ~
Sa1e managing editor, ana john ".
T1srl.s fine telegraph editor, went next
door to Peterson's saloon 10 ges q
drink While they were on tne SCrecI'
thew could hear the sound OF the Deie
r-ray,h instrument IN the independent
Editorial rooms through the secohu-
floor open windows.
They returned to the Record olIlcs
and conferred with shaw; nsLLy
Yaeger. business manager OF tne hScs
ord was called from bed ana hurried
SScSr5g,fown he was a stenograpner,
and formerly had been court r.
ssortes- ne and Shaw stood on the
eesyrt1 across the street from the moe
S1endent. building. AS the story OF Ine ]
Presidents death flashed over tne AS
Isolated Press wire in the lndepenuenss /
office, Shaw IN the street DeloW 49, lc'. Il
n in a low voice as Xaeger VooA ~
Tcu1 II, shorthand. A tomato can useo
ss a Sounding board on the A. r
telegrapher's instrument mads %ie
tScIrer easily heard across the street.
Derks Hawkins and other members
Of the record crew stood guard 70 gave
an alarm to Shaw and Jaeger us
covery seemed imminenS. 49, Fosh
AT 12:15 mountain time, tne e IlssSm
~ fhe presidents death came. shaw
and Yaeger remained on the JoD long
enough to get a well-rounded sgOry
S1afore returning with q complete story
of Mr. McKinley's death, .pNloineo
from the Associated Press wires.
Derks sim In News Game
Of the crew who pulled that stunI,
Hawkins died several years 80 II
Portland, where for many yeSrs nC w
an editorial writer on the OTegonlan.
TerSs 4 now and has been for many
go +I,e Snorts editor of the Salt
- Tr.,.JI,,rs Wager retired year or
~ 400 after having been for many
wears assistant governor OF the IeueLaa
reserve bank at Minneapolis. A1Der nls !
newspaper experience ne was eneaeou I
IN fine banking business IN Helena ]
y. .auyistown and Great Falls before &C |
eentinr the federal reserve bank post.
fS1riI1o this period when the Mon !
ANA DaIlv Record and the Helena In {
5ssesnrendent were fighting 1t out LOT /
dominance In the morning 1ieio, tn S
I'D Helena Herald, later consolluaSeso
with the Montana Daily Kecor a 80 ~
5scord Herald. held the afternoon AS
.ociated Press franchise The Daly I
9ecord served only by the publishers '
1900 which was a report reWrlCteL I
rom the st. Paul newspapers, 1aLeu t
n sllppIv all the needs OF tne papeSss I
'or short stories, and the RECORD ,s SAL {
lad been helping itself freeiy 70 msrlio
,,,a afternoon and republishing them. {
THE editor Of the Helena Herald az n
hot time was Charles T. Shearer, one 4
y t1,a most resourceful ana capaoie q
'ewsnaner men Montana has ever nae. Il
IL later and for many years was euleoL a
nd manager of the old Bugte Llsel o
fountain. now the Butte Post, taking 4
~ a. NJ that publication when 1t was .
'0tN of the states most widely known Il
ooney losers, and IN period OF years a
,Ioci1c ft In the front rank OF prOIik- a
BE newspaper properties OF Montana n
Shearer Bats Trap
Tired of having the Daily Hecoso 8
alfering telegraph news from I.s b
olumns, Shearer one Gay sTs . ,,, = e.
or his morning opposition. he WIZ Ct
news story which was unusuany al p
ring. although it had no word o. "
nth in it. he dated 1t to indicate us Il
lace OF origin as an eastern cay. Ct
vhen set IN type, the story was only Il
'ol1t lines long. But concealed IN eacn
ne was q word which formed q part r
an eight word sentence winch to II
N
aagMamFaH m EeAM ~ NJ