The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-10-08
. After Many
Years
Dramatic Career of
BENJAMIN Russell
Colonial Leader Came
Up the Hard Way
Became a Voice Crying
In the Wilderness
BY Z 7. SHORT

tnAlutuCc sttItls 10 nave Deen Inc
Massachusetts, Centinel, which.
with companion publication.
The Republican Journal. made its
appearance March =. 17s4.
The publishers were William
Warden and Benjamin Russell.
Like many of the early newspaper
publishers, they were printers.
Both were Interested in the affairs
Of government. Both were well
equipped by education and expe-
rience. Russell particularly had
background which qualified him
to become a dominant influence
In the new nation. His story is so
interesting that 1t is worth re-
viewing.
Russell's preparation for a
newspaper career began on the
morning Of April 10. ITS. when
the British troops marched
through Boston on the way 10
Concord to destroy military stores
and military supplies. When the
troops appeared the Boston school
master said to his pupils. Boys.
the wars begun and you may rum"
Among those who took advan-
tage of the opportunity to run
was young Benjamin Russell.
With other boys, he went across
the river to Cambridge Common
TO watch the troops pass. Then
they waited for night and the
return of the troops, intending
TO follow them back to Boston.
In the meantime the bridge mad
been destroyed. The only ferry
was Communicated to carry the
troops over and the boys were
obliged to stay on the Common
all night. Young Russell received
q thrashing because he did not
come home.
Assembling of the New England
militia brought great many
officers to Boston who wanted
boys to run errands and do chores.
Young Russell became attached
TO Gen. Putnam's headquarters
and was in the army three months
before his parents knew where he
was.
One day, while he was assist
ing several soldiers to carry pro-
visions to Gen. Putnam's camp. his
father and an uncle drove up
In a chaise. Both jumped out, and
after expressing their relief at
finding him, young Russell's father
gave him what he said was "the
hardest flogging ! ever had" A
conference over what to do with
the boy ended in taking him to
Worcester, where he was appren-
ticed to Isaiah Thomas, printer.
During the first year of his APP
premiership, Russell, with fellow
apprentice, slept in the attic on
the rags that were taken in from
time to time for the papermaker.
Not only the apprentices but the
master himself frequently made
their meals in the office on bread
and milk bought pennyworth
at time"
The night after the Declaration
Of Independence was read in Wor-
cester the whole community
turned out to celebrate. Punch
and ale flowed freely. Russell and
many of the other boys became
tipsy and awoke in the morning
to find that they had enlisted as
volunteers in the American army.
There must have been a scarcity
of labor then as there is now, for
Thomas, the employer, angrily rep
fimanded the boys. He said he
could not conduct his business
without them. He took steps to
have the enlistments Cancelled on
the grounds that the boys were not
is years of age, and young Rus
sell went back to his apprentice
ship.
A few months later, Thomas,
the employer. was drafted In the
Continental army. Like many an
other even in the year 1912.
Thomas thought more of his bust
ness than he did of his country
and sought a substitute.
Young Russell, anxious TO get
out of an irksome apprenticeship
at least for a time, volunteered
TO take his place. Thomas accept
ed. and there then began for Rus
sell a series Of experiences that
matured him beyond his years.
He was one of the guard that
accompanied Major Andre to the
place OF execution and saw the
sentence of the court martial car
ried out. He accompanied Gen
Putnam to New York and was
there when the American army,
with Gen. Washington al Its head.
took possession Of the city and
the British flag was replaced by
the American emblem
At the expiration Of his mill
tary service Russell completed his
apprenticeship, but in the mean
time did some writing and made
n number Of ANONYMOUS contribu-