Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 41, Number 205, 15 July 1916 — Page 10

TH KiCHMOisD ?ALLADi.V& AJnD SUlN-XLLEGXii. SATURDAY, JULY 15, ia'io

Strickland Gillilan Writes Letter to Editors in Convention in City

GILLILAN RECALLS DAYS SPENT AS CITY EDITOR WHEN NEWS WAS SHORT

BY 8TRICKLAND GILLIAN. Looking out the window of a Penn- : sylvanla day coach about to start for : New York, Harrisburg and Gehenna, It looks like "one o' them days." The , sky Is overcast, a chill Is in the air, t and an Intangible feeling of Inertia 1 about all nature. It is one of the days when nothing at all could happeneven In as big a city as Baltimore. And the atmosphere of things takes me back irresistibly to old days of shoe-leather work on the streets of Richmond In pursuit of the elusive (and sometimes illusive) local story. It Is the kind of a day when if anybody were thoughtful enough to die. he would be such a thorough nobody that the barest statement of age, disease and time of interment would be all the story would carry. One was not allowed even to name the doctor who assisted in the demise, no matter how long you'd been wanting to hand that doctor a wallop. Clipped from Exchange. In vain, on such a morning, when a fellow had neglected to provide "timecopy" ahead, would the city editor-eporter-whole-thlng go through the New Castle Courier, the New Paris Mirror, The Eaton Register and The Winchester Herald 'for something about somebody from Richmond. A personal about Will Quigg or Elmer Lebo or Charley Nesbit or any other regular traveler would be swiped eagerly. Appellate or supreme court decisions that had not the slightest bearing Qn anything local or, so far as I could understand it, any bearing on anything t had ever heard of, f would be scissored and pasted and j foxily headlined so that some of the I readers would think it was interesting and curse their own stupidity for not : understanding those things better. Getting Local Color. One specialty of those dull days (excuse me "them" days) was to clip a ! thrilling story about some total ! stranger and headline It (always with ; a double or triple . head) "He Was . Known Here." In doing this we took a long chance that maybe somebody among the seventeen thousand or so of Richmondites had heard of the fellow before, and were sure that no one person In the town would be absolutely sure that everybody else didn't know the victim. It was at such times, also, on "one of them days," that we always got busy bringing another railroad to town, or straightened out the line between Cambridge City and Greenfield. That was always good for two or three stickc at least. The fearful curve that took in Knightstown and Raysville was an eye-sore and a godsend to us who were compelled to get out somei thing every day that should bear a slight resemblance to a newspaper, at a distance. Sometimes it took a lot of distance and the resemblance was very slight. Sworn to Secrecy. It was usually our luck on such days to have some ponderous attorney take us into executive session in the back room, dismiss his stenographer, if her had one, and give us an earful of hot stuff of the kind always characterized by Sam Whitesellas "devilish good readin' matter," and then, when he had spilled it all, swear us to secrecy until the story should break'. It was as cruel as rowing a boat out to within reach of a drownins man and then saying to him: "Isn't this a pretty boat?" and rowing away without him. On such days reporters yearned to see each other. Each one thought: "This day can't be as rotten as it seems. 111 bet a horse Demas or Charles Neal has something big hid out." Gouge Out Court Decision. Then a fellow would gouge out a court decision from the Indianapolis 1 Journal, or a he-was-known-here tragedy from the Logansport Pharos, get into hid cravenette and beat it down utrert. uneasier than a hen on a hot griddle. He would see one of the other fellows, give the signal whistle nnd a council would be held. Every "TORT" PENS Pear Sully: You pay you want me to write up something about a lot of city editors 1 who are coming here to sponge off ' the town for a couple of days. I am ! plad to do to. I think they ought to ! be written up. I know a couple I still think ought to be hung. By the way, I have a perfect right to write up city editors. I had the misfortune of being one myself once, ' and if they have a banquet for the poor fishes while they are visiting here I'm going to horn in on the eat3 as an ex-officio. I can't boast of having held down the city desk on the best paper in the world, but for one year I presided over the local room of a Journalistic I abortion which was declared to he, and rightfully so, by no less an authority than the New York "Life,' 'the "Worst Newspaper In America." It is a source of no little satisfaction to me, however, that this same paper, the second oldest in Indiana, was rescued from the untimely fate it was headed for on high through my own initiative, and that it is today one of the best dallies published in Hoosierdom. The newspaper in question is the Richmond Evening Palladium and I am still connected with it. i It wasn't much trouble for me to play an- active part in winning for that Palladium of other days the title i 'Life" bung on it. I was ably assisted from tho editor down to tho ap

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one would solemnly lift his right hand and swear that he hadn't a qualified thing. Worst day he ever saw bar none. And each of the other fellows would go away only half-satisfied, 6ure the others had Irredeemably perjured themselves and that a big scoop was writhing around the inner recesses of the other offices, waiting for press time. And if 6omehting big did break and we did lie to each other, and if the others got sore and said so, how we vould try to seem innocent and say, "O, that thing! Huh! That didn't amount to anything. I just wrote that because there wasn't any news to write." t - Snoop Around Offices. We would go to the depot and snoop around among the railroad offices, never getting much except that some traveling passenger agent or freight agent had been to todnw, or that Laura Gaston had gone to New Paris or somewhere to give a much-needed music lesson, that Dr.' J. R. Weist had gone to West Manchester to cut off a leg for a friend, or that H. H. Yawky, agent at Olive Hill, was in town. Hot stuff, eh? If we could succeed in flimflamming John Humphrey out of a segment of mince-pie, life was not in vain, however. And sometimes we would gather a pertinent personal or a lodge item or something about the United Presbyterian church, by dropping in at Jones' Hardware store. There was police court as an always lively hope. Snoot Murray, Jim Allen or somebody else was always a cheerful prospect, and, now and then Alfred Clarkson Underhill got hold of a bargain-counter lumpy-jawed steer and had to have it explained anew to him why it shouldn't be peddled for beef. Martin Justice would come 'up from the south at break of morn" and accumulate jugged joy until he would have to be taken in and cared for. Somebody would blow the safe in Weber & Holzapfel's junk emporium, or Jim Quinn would run amuk and scare his family. Little Stories Help Fill. None of these was a big story, but they all helped to fill. Then the city offices sometimes helped a little usually a fearfully little. But when Charley Swain or Harry Winder was in office, we were always sure of some good stories neither of those two ever ran out of material and each could tell a story marvelously well. We didn't print their stories. They were good stuff, but not news. We would stop in at all the law offices sometimes at the banks, always at the undertakers' shops, visiting unduly long some times with Walter Doan, Harry Shaw or Dory Hunt. Anybody inclined to be cheerful drew us as a magnet draws a cambric needle. Heaven knows our jobs were dismal enough, and we needed cheering. When things grew unbearable, especially if the temperature registered twenty-five below, we would assemble at Charley Price's and solemnly and ceremoniously "open the season" with bumper dishes of icecream. And, incidentally, I've never eaten any better ice-cream in the twenty-years or so since that time. Reporters Went Together. The trip to the court house was an event usually indulged in in a bunch. We went from the offices of Lon Marshall and Tom Newkirk on the first floor, to the circuit court room in the third floor, and didn't miss anything we didn't have to miss. We used to waste a lot of time gathering real estate transfers in the recorder's office, until Tom Newkirk took pity on us and made them out for all of us, on his machine. If anybody knew a good story he went to the treasurer's office and asked for Ben Myrick, and sprung the yarn. Results were gratifying. 'And how we did imagine and pad

and stretch the stories that would bear it, and how sore we were when the person who had registered at the morgue of any of the mortuary parlors was an insignificant fellow! How we gloated (in a perfectly sinless CONFESSION T TICKET prentice. We always succeeded in making a box of "news" plate last us at least a week, so it wasn't our fault if our 307 subscribers did not learn by heart all the plate stuff we used. I particularly remember the three weeks our boss was out West visiting relatives. We made the box of plate received the day of his departure last us the entire three weeks. His return was the signal for my departure. I had the nerve to ask him for three weeks wages, a total of $30. When he recovered from the shock I drew the can. Later I got R. G. Leeds interested in newspaper work and he bought the paper, or rather he bought the name. There wasn't anything else to buy. Ray White, clever writer, wonderful aTrtlst and carver in ivory, and as happy and witty a little cripple as ever brought sunshine into the world, read one day in "Life" an offer of $103 for the best article submitted on "the worst newspaper In America." With such excellent material at hand as the Pal, then in the heyday of its putridness, he gleefully exclaimed, "that hundred Is mine."-With the aid of a couple of drinks White produced a tickler that even gave a laugh to the Joke-saddened editor of "Life." Lord, what a time we had getting rid of that hundred, Having qualified as a city editor, please slip me a tleket to the banquet. LovinglVi W, R, Poundstone, P. S. Don't forget the ticket, Sully.

Ye Old Timers

Oh for the good old days of the past , Days that were far too happy to lastWhen "stories" flowed in a constant stream From men who produced ream after ream, For "copy" came from a pencil then And the fertile brain of the old-time men.

From Parker, and Kline, and old St. Sam "Thunderbolts" hit like a battering ram ; And Blodgett wrote as he sat and dreamed Of things that only to him "seemed" ; And sage advice thru the sanctum door Flowed on, while printers cussed and swore. And Charlie Neal, so free from guile, Spoke and wrote in a solemn style, While Harry Daniels, Gates and more Kept the wolf from the kitchen door By tearing about on a constant hunt . For something fresh for a newsy "stunt." Strick Gillilan wrote from day to day Merely to draw his measly pay, But oft in, the dark and gloomy night His midnight oil was burning bright, As he composed and to him came That Flannigan stuff that won him fame. And Demas Coe, now old and grey, Has been on deck for many a day ; He's wrote for the Enquirer, Pal and News, The Item, Register, Times reviews; He's seen them come and seen them go Like a mountain brook must onward flow. And when he's passed to the other shore, And presents himself at St. Peter's door, Before his pass is yet approved Before the gates have even moved He'll, have St. Peter a handing out Every old thing he knows about. " Yes, the newspaper men of this old town Were good as any they bring around, And the things they did in a modest way Are bearing good fruit this very day, And we bow our heads for those who've passed To the long, long sleep all reach at last. L. A. Handley.

way) when a murder story broke! How we did hope, when we got a good story, that it was a scoop, and how we would write the story, quickly and then go and lean against a telephone pole on the corner and try to look utterly discouraged and hope the other fellow would come along and see us and be thrown off the scent! O, what innocent cherubs we were, on "one o' them days"! I've been through a lot since then who hasn't in that lapse of time? that is probably a good deal more important than those happenings or failing-to-happen were. But the days when I tramped the streets in Richmond as my own city editor and whole staff of reporters are more indelibly stamped, on my alleged mind than are any of the things that have since" transpired. And I can't imagine anything that could occur now that would thrill me as deeply as any piece of real news would have thrilled me on "one of them days," especially if I had a fair reason to believe it was "a scoop." FACTS ABOUT CITY WHICH WELCOMES VISITING EDITORS Richmond claims a population, of 30,000 souls. Richmond is the seat of Earlham college. Richmond is the home of the Eastern Indiana Asylum for the Insane. Richmond is within three miles of the Ohio state line. Richmond is known as the Quaker city, being a stronghold for that denomination. Richmond was the home of Daniel G. Reid and William B. Leeds. Richmond Is an art center, being the home of John E. Bundy, Charles Clawson, Baker, Girardin and other celebrated painters. Richmond is motorizing its five fire companies. Richmond is fhe thorn in the flesh of the public utilities commission having at least one case pending all the time. .Richmond is the home of the only weekly newspaper for children in the state, "The Junior Palladium." The Richmond High School Orchestra has no equal in Indiana. - Richmond initiated the state health day, the state good roads celebration and is now arguing for full time health officers. Richmond's Commercial club is responsible for the establishment of the state penal farm. Richmond's commercial club espoused the founding of a state. organization of commercial organizations. Richmond was the only small city in the United States to have a transcontinental telephone demonstration. Richmond is a good city In which to live. SAYS LEVEL BRIDGE WOULD RAISE VALUES S. E. Mills, leader of the advocates for a level bridge at the citizens' meeting yesterday, declared that a high level bridge would increase the value of property in the court house district. He quoted Ed Kemper, real estate man, as having said that he would like to hea d, a company to purchase all the property in the court house district at its present value in case he was assured that a high level" bridge would be constructed. The Mannlicher-Careano riffle carried by the Italian soldier is six inches longer than the British rifle and four ounces heavier.

DEMAS COE TELLS HOW "STRICK" STARTED ON ROAD TO FAME BY WRITING POEM AT COUNCIL DESK

STRICKLAND W. GILLILAN. Reporter, Journalist, Editor, Humorist, "Statesman." He was all of these while his Richmond career was under way. Eliminate the first and last classifications and his success was of the first rank. As a reporter, however, it was "ranker", and as a member of the city council, his only statesmanship job, it was the "rankest." Gillilan did not honor Richmond by "being born" here. Neither did he "come" to Richmond. He was just sent over her from the Hostermann Publishing company's plant at Springfield, O. The aforesaid Hostermann Publishing company jerked Gillilan from amidst the bull briars of Southern Ohio, in or near Athens county. He evidently had something on somebody connected with the Hostermann outfit, for they gave him a job without knowing. When he reached the Hostermann plant in Springfield the outfit held a mass meeting in the way of a remonstrance. Unloaded on Richmond. It was suggested to the head of the firm that as it owned a newspaper in Richmond (The Telegram) that was in the last throes of an agonizing death struggle, it would be well to send the Athens county importation over here to end his struggles with that of the newspaper. Gillilan came. That was on October 14, 1892. He bagged at the knees and he carried a pasteboard suitcase with a strap around it. There was a good deal of sympathy expressed for the Telegram that afternoon by dther newspaper men who saw Gillilan as he came, to town. That night there was a big political meeting in the old Grand opera house. It was a Republican gathering and Gillilan was assigned to cover it. The Telegram the next day contained a three-column story. It was a real story, too, but there was not a thing in it concerning the meeting. It did not even mention the political party's name. Toward the last the speaker was mentioned, but that was all. Find "Slant" to News. Readers of the Telegram, however, found a new 'slant" to the news from that day forward. Instead of dieing the Telegram bristled again with real vigor. Gillilan demonstrated within two weeks that he might step on a piece of news and not know it, but convinced everybody that if presented with a news .story in such a manner that he finally recognized it as such, he could polish it off in a fashion that left him alone in the field. He was sometimes referred to as a "newsless reporter," but he had ten followers where other newspaper scribes in Richmond had one. The Palladium took him over while the Telegram was napping one day. Then the Palladium began to stride, and It had the call on everything callable. Gillllan's humor, always bubbling over, was given opportunity to take form while on the Palladium staff. In fact, he was the entire staff himself. , Tried Practical Humor. He tried practical humor when he announced himself as a candidate for council from the Sixth ward. Had it been mayor or congress, or anything else, it would have been just the same, of course he wai elected. He never worked at the Job, however, during the two years he drew pay for the position he held, but he made life bearable, in fact, enjoyable, for his fellow councilmen and for the newspaper men who were compelled to be on hand. It was at a session of council one night while matters of importance

Sketches

Typewriter Snapshots of Palladium's Guests, Recognized as Indiana's Best Arbiters of the City Desk.

WILL R. EMSLIE. Yes, that Is Mr. Emslie of the Logansport Pharos Reporter, who was elected president of the Indiana City Editors last January. Yes, Mr. Emslie is the modest looking gentleman with the iron gray hair. Will R. is not much on flattery but he has ideas that are worth while and what is more he knows ow ,to carry them out. The new Mrs. Emslie beat the Indiana association to it and elected Will as her leader before the editors realized his true worth. C. T. JEWETT Inability to get advance information from Mr. Jewett of the .Terre Haute Star as to whether he intended to wear his Stetson and carry a cane, makes it rather difficult to prepare this biography. In addition to being vice president of the association, Jewett is the dean of city editors. He can point to more COULD DISGUISE C. & 0. BRIDGE John Mueller, bridge engineer, at the citizens meeting yesterday described a method by which the C. & O. trestle at the east end of the. Main street bridge might be disguised in such a manner as to add to the appearance of the bridge, in case a slanting structure is erected. Large cement or stone leadways could be constructed, he explained, and them some false sides erected. were under consideration that Gillilan turned the trick that was the start of his fame, and likewise his fortune. He produced "Off Agin, On Agin, Gone Agin," and showed it to newspaper friends. It was actually produced in less than half an hour, being of the same rapid-fire variety of all of Gillilan's effusions. Sent to Big Magazine. It was so thoroughly enjoyed that his friends suggested that he offer it to some of the "big magazines." It went to Life, and was accepted and paid for within a few minutes after it reached the managing editor.

Mobiloil

M4 A grade for each

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From

big newspaper men and say, "Yes, be broke in under me as a cub," than any other city editor In the state. K. J. SULLIVAN No, he does not claim that it Is auburn. He admits that he is a "red head." In fact K. J. Sullivan, Alexandria Times Tribune, and secretary of the association, has achieved fame as a member of the Indiana "Red Head Society." Sullivan is also one of the few city editors who drives his own automobile. He is an enthusiastic and untiring booster of the association. A. C. HINER "Doc" Hiner, the William McAdoo of the association, ordinarily guides the destinies of local and telegraph copy on the Rushville Republican, which by the way ranks among the best of the small city dailies. From that time on it was easy sailing. The newspaper bunch in Richmond knew from that moment that Gillilan's days were numbered in Hoosierdom. He tarried a while in the state, however, going to Marion first, and then to the Pacific slope, where he made his presence felt on Los Angeles newspapers. Then he jumped back across the continent to Baltimore, where he furthered his fame as the humorist of the American. The lecture field had been beckoning for several years, and Gillilan finally surrendered and still is at it. He has never got so big that he forgets Richmond. WTien within a hundred miles In any direction he drops in for a day or an hour, and he hunts up his old newspeper associates the very first thing. LIBRARY REMAINS OPEN Although readers are more anxious for light reading during the summer than any other time, there is not much difference between the summer and the winter demand, for books. ESSE ARE YOUR HOUSE HOLD GOODS IN SURED? If not, phone us and we will see that you ari givca proper --- n. Dougan, Jenkins & Co. Phone 1330. Cor. Eigr" and Ma!n Str I3T2 Palladium Want Ads Pay type of motor

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A genuine service station Here you will find courteous attention, prompt, accurate repair service; a full line of the best-by-test accessories and honest prices. We have, awaiting your call, a copy of " Correct Lubrication," a handsome and instructive booklet that you will enjoy. It contains the complete 1916 Gargoyle Mobiloils Chart of Recommendations as published by the Vacuum Oil Company, the recognized world-leaders in lubrication. We have in stock the grade of Gargoyle Mobiloils that is scientifically correct for the motor of your car or motorcycle. Try it and learn the economy and pleasure of correct lubrication. McCONAHA'S GARAGE 418-420 Main St Phone 1480

Life

Hiner makes a wide circle of friends wherever he goes. , SOME OTHERS By right of election to the executive committee the following have their names printed . on , the. letter heads at least once:. B.. H. Hawkins, New Castle Courier: ' John Conner, Seymour Republican;. Morris Lei, Evaneville Journal News; H. T. Sullivan, Palladium. Hawkins is the unfortunate man who inherited the Katherine Winters story from G. Walter Ratcliffe. But we're banking on Bret. . John Conner is the happy individual who ran away from one of the meetings to take Mrs. Conner' on a honeymoon trip. , Morris Levi holds his job at Evansvllle because the Journal News publishes the stuff the people like to read. Ask Morris about those stories. Morrisson-Reeves library continues its regular .schedule of hours throughout the summer, and the librarian states that no fluctuation in patronage is noticed. . Doing Good. A woman can do a tremendous; amount of good when she tries. Here is an instance and there are many such. - Mrs. F. F .Smith. Gloversville, N. Y., writes: "I feel it my duty to write and tell you what Chamberlain's Tablets have done for me and for many others that I have told about them. For over three' years I have been troubled with my liver and have been under the doctor's care most of the time. I have tried many other medicines, but have not found anything that- helped me as much as Chamberlain's Tablets." Obtainable everywhere. Adv . ' CLOTHES OF DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER TAILORED FOR HIS MAJESTY 'The American Gentleman." The Most Complete Stock of Summer Wear for Your Approval. Dry Cleaning and Hand Pressing. CARL C. YOUNG. TAILOR Room 1. Palladium Rldg. PHONE 2675. Work Called for and Delivered. it!-

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