Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 111, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1899 — Lickin’ the Editor. [ARTICLE]

Lickin’ the Editor.

A Young Man Essays the Time Honored Custom, Without Brilliant Results. Bnt an Untimely Interference Deprives Him of Some Good Forcible Discipline. z The experience of “licking the editor” is one that is pretty sure to come to all newspaper men, sooner or later. No matter now fairly and kindly an editor conducts his paper, there is sure, sometiipe to be some conceited tough who, no matter what transgressiones he may commit, and no matter how insignificant and disreputable he may be personally, yet who has such an exalted idea of his own importance that even the slightest reference in the papers to his bud breaks, is taken as a mortal insult to be wiped out only by “doing the editor up.” Thus last Friday afternoon, Homer Babcock, a young man of excellent, family and bright prospects, but who is making a very bad start in life so far,’went into the Strickfaden’s bowling and pool rooms, and insisted in getting into a game of pool then in progress, but to which the other parties objected. Now young Babcock had been playing a good deal and paying nothing for some time, and Mr. Strickfaden had issued orders that he was not to be allowed to play any more until he paid his bill. Louis Keyser, one of the room keepers approached Homerand told him not to trouble the other players who did not want him in their game, and also informing him again, as had been done several times before, that he must pay his score before playing any more. Babcock then called Louie a G—d— dirty s —of a b—h,” and repeated the remark, with even worse variations, several times. Louie did nothing in return except to order Homer to leave the place, telling him several times, but Homer did not go, and Louie, not wishing to have any trouble, went away and resumed a game of pool he was engaged in. As soon as his back was turned, young Babcock raised the heavy cue he had in his hand, and made a rush for Keyser. Some one shouted to Louie to look out and he turned quick and with his own cue struck Homer a good rap on the head, knocking him down, which was no more than he was obliged to do in self defense and not nearly as much as young Babcock deserved. The Republican Saturday exen. ing, instead of giving Young Babcock the scoring and exposure he deserved made no mention of the affair, except the following entirely harmless and good natured paragraph-

“A young fellow had his head mistaken for a billiard ball in the bowling alley yesterday. At least a billiard cue came in violent contract therewith and the young fellow’s head had to go to the doctor’s for repairs.” Instead of coming around and thanking us for letting him off so easy, as any man with the least idea of honor would have done. Babcock biowed around that he was going to pound us up and then leave town on the night train. He appears to have been watching for us j and as we were nearing home about 8 o,dock, Saturday evening, with our arms full of books and papers, he approached from behind, and began striking us on the head with an umberella, he being too cowardly to fight with fiats, and having no more effective weapon present. In spite of being taken at such disadvantage, we soon managed to get hold of our wbnld-be pulVeriser and had him on his back in

the ditch, and was sitting astride of his carcass. Just then Luke Turner and M. F. Antrim came along and knowing nothing of how badly Homer needed a few thumps to make him good, they 00k us off and let Homer get up. He at once showed the kind of stuff he is made of by saying he would finish us, and going off into the street searching for rocksWe gathered up our parcels, and started for home. In the meantime Homer had loaded np with rocks about the size of goose eggs and as we approached our door be brew one, from a safe distance or himself, and with such force that it made a large hole through a wire screen of the door, and deeply indenting the door beyond. Such a stone, thrown with such force, would easily kill a man if it struck him on the bead, as evievidently he hoped it would do.