Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1892 — Berkman in Chicago. [ARTICLE]

Berkman in Chicago.

The crank who assaulted Mr. Frick at Pittsburg, Berkman, or “Count Orlowitz,” as printers all over the country know him, was a “sub” on the Chicago Herald for a short time during the summer of 1890, He was not only a mystery but Was also the laughing stock of the craft, especially the members of it employed by the Heraid. His odd sayings and curious blunders were told and retold wherever compositors congregated. One story of the “Count’s" eccentricities will never die, and printers have regaled many a group of reminiscent typos with it, not only in Chicago but in Eastern cities. It so happened one hot night in ’9O that “the Count Orlowitz" was given a set of extra cases. About midnight the foreman had occasion to ask: “What gentleman is fixing up that pied ball score?” At the time the foreman was at the end of the room farthest from Berkman. But Berkman, yielding to that unconquerable desire to talk which everywhere made him conspicuous, immediately replied: “I don’t know, sir; I cawn’t see from here. ” “l am not speaking to you, ” said the foreman. “Well, I’m talking to you, see?” replied Berkman. Another peculiarity, and the one that brought about his discharge from the office, occurred one night after the Herald boys had won a hot fame of ball from some other of the city newspaper nines. He was put on about 9 o’clock by the pitcher, who had just set several good-sized “takes.” The pitcher was all ball play that night and made errors in tris composition. However, the two or more thousand ems set was ample remuneration for the sub’s pains in correcting them, bnt this Berkman declared to be a rank injustice. “I’m a printer,” he went on, “not a blooming blacksmith,” and he refused to make the corrections, which he claimed was a direct departure from all recognized rules. The more he looked at the proofs the angrier he became, and finally he seized his coat, collar, and necktie, and darted from the office in a terrible rage. He never came back again. The ominous warning somehow got to his ears that the foreman was waiting for him whenever he might come looking for work or pastime. The fellow always had money, however, and would lend it freely—-that is, if the borrower showed any inclination of engaging his services.