The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-10-29
NEwsPAPERMAN STUFF

Charles Chaplin, who was city
editor Of the New York Evening
World at the beginning Of the CEN
tIIry, never drank, and was intoler.
ant Of others who imbibed :.
Johnny Quinn, young reporter
who worked under Chaplin, INDUCED
in an occasional glass Of beer, and
Chaplin sternly lectured him about
it Quinn became IL one day
and died shortly afterward leaving
a wife and children. The boys on
the World, knowing the family
wasn't too well off, started a col
lection, with each man giving what
he could afford. When they came to
Chaplin for contribution, he
brusquely dismissed them ). Don't
expect anything from me-" he
growled. 81 W ont encourage young
reporters who drink beer to figure
they can depend on the staff to
help their families after they dead
When all the contributions
were in, group of the boys took
the money to Quinn's widow. She
was touched by their generosity,
and tears trickled down her cheeks
"The World has the finest
men on EARTH" she exclaimed. do
you know, boys-we couldn't have
buried Johnny if it hadn't been for
Mr.. Chapin'S check"
A new assistant editor at the Reu-
ter's News Agency, in London, was
once handed a brief cable from New
York. After a perfunctory glance
at it, the lad filed it with a lot of
other material that wasn't of urgent
Importance. Those Yanks!" he
lnuttered. 'They seem to think
we're interested in their Presidents
hunting expeditions!" :. what do
you mean?" his superior asked +.
The new assistant picked up the
cable and waved it in front of him,
explaining, New York. seems to
think it's worth five cents a word
to tell us that McKmley's shot q
buffalol" The editor did a
double-take and, with below
snatched the cable from his assist
ants hand. 1t read, Mckinley shot
Buffalo" The first news OF the
Presidents assassination.
When Jack Starr Hunt was the
Herald Tribune,S correspondent IN
Mexico City, he once dropped into
a bar frequented by newspapermen
and ran into Will Rogers. They
started to CAB, and the converse
ton finally got around to Mexico's
National Lottery. Rogers asked
the newspaperman whether the lot
terry was run straight Eyes,
said the scribe, sits run by the
government" "Hey, there" yelled
Will, ARE you trying to compete
with me?"
Several years ago Alexander
Woollcott checked into a New York
hospital for observation ard one OF
the newspapers received an erron-
eous tip that he was dying. A re-
porter phoned the hospital . and
checked the report with Woollcott':
rurse, who denied it :. Woollcott
haaring the conversation, insisted or
talking to the reporter and, grab
bing the phone, introduced himself
The reporter repeated the rumor =. ;.
''Tut-tut." tut-tutted Woollcott. TN
Just here for observation" :. "Ther
you're not dying?" sked the lad
-. "Of course notl" said Woollcott
4 well" queried the reporter
what ARE your plans?"
The best of the swindle-sheet
yarns is supplied by Valentine
Williams, the former Reuters cor
respondent, in his book, "Worold o.
Action" Gordon Bennett. pub.
Usher of the old New York Herald
used to keep a sharp eye on his
correspondents expense lists. Wher
Aubrey Stanhope once returned
from an assignment in Russia, Ben.
nett checked over the expense ac-
count he submitted and struck out
an item of 500 for a fur coat