DARING FEATS OF SHARP REPORTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 55

DARING FEATS OF SHARP REPORTERS.

When a really enterprising newspaper reporter feels a burning desire to put himself in possession of certain facts, and such possession is at all possible, he will not allow much to stand in his way. Somp most daring teats have been thus performed, a few of which are here related The facts are sec forth bluntly ; with the legitimacy, or otherwise, of such business the writer has nothing to do. A few years ago the central figure in a notorious scandal suddenly decamped. When he went away he locked up bis office and took the keys with him, and it was generally surmised that inside this office were books and papers which would throw considerable light upon the affair. For some reason, which did not appear to be understood, the police did not force the door, but pur. a seal upon it lest it should be tampered with by anybody else. The public anxiety as to the contents increased, and at last a reporter determined to take the matter into his own hands. He procured the services of a locksmith, went to the office, declared himself to be a detective officer, broke the seal, and with a skeleton key opened the door. He spent two or three hours inside the room, and to his delight discovered a number of documents which had everything to do with the case, and which he knew would make excellent "copy." He made hurried notes of their contents, and then took his departure. It was deemed wisest not to pub lish the results of the expedition immediately, but- .to wait a day or two. What the feelings of the police were when eventually they were published- may be imagined? but for reasons best known to themselves no action was taken against the paper. ■

In another case somewhat similar, "but more daring; the reporter did not get off so well. It was in connection with a celebrated murder, which completely baffled the detectives. It came to the knowledge of a reporter on an evening papei, however, that on a certain day one of them had prepared a report upon it, and, moreover, was walking about with it in his pocket. He made up his mind that he would get hold of that report at any cost. First of all he, with some difficulty, discovered the detective, and having done so, followed him up and down, waiting for a favourable opportunity to carry out his plans. At length it came when the officer was in a quarter, of a very low character, which was crowded at the time. The reporter espied a man who was notorious for not being particular what he did, told him that in the detective's coat-pocket there was a blue paper which he wanted, and promised him a sovereign if he would bring ifi to him at a certain place in half an hour. He brought "it ! The reporter rushed off back to his office, and his paper made a great score by printing a copy -of the report, which was then sent back to the police station. But the matter did not end there. The police had a pretty good idea which man on the paper was responsible, and determined to make it warm for him. They forbore entering the office, but relays of policemen kept watch at the entrance night and day, intending to arre3t him as soon as .he made his appearance. The man inside got wind of thia intention, and very naturally stayed inside:- .He slept there on a sofa the first night, again, the next, and again a third. Still the police remained outside, and the case was becoming desperate. On the fourth night the proprietoi entered the office and said something else would have to be done. He gave the reporter £50, and told him to get out of the country as fast as he could. Some women's clothes were procured, and in this disguise he managed to get out, made his way to Liverpool, and sailed for New York, where he stayed several years. The police took no further action in the matter, and at last, when the whole thing was forgotten, the man came back. Once, on the occasion of a great disaster in the North, it was realised that a certain, man was the only one who could give any information upon a certain important point in connection with it. There were two or three evening papers in the town, and at midday a reporter on one of them sought him out and obtained the desired facts.

This, however, did not completely satisfy him, for he wished to prevent his rivals from getting at the man. Two or three dodges which he attempted with that object failed, and at length he had recourse to a desperate measure. He procured a drug, invited his man to have some refreshment, and, when his back was turned, put the sleeping stuff into his . glass. An immediate excuse for leaving him followed. The trick succeeded, for when the other' reporters arrived upon the scene to their dismay they found the man asleep, and all efforts to wake him failed till it was too late to do anything that day. The trick which had been played did not leak out till long afterwards. There was, some time ago, a tragedy which for a period presented a great element of mystery. A man had been shofc dead, apd a woman had been wounded at the same time, but not mortally; so sha was taken to an hospital. The Question!

was whether the man had shoe the woman and ihen committed suicide, ci whether it ,was the other way about. It was supposed that the police knew, but they would not tell the. papers a single word. A reporter, however, determined to ascertain the truth. Reporters were not admitted to the ward in which the woman lay; but this one dressed himself up in his best style, and walked straight in, ascertained which ward it was, and proceeded boldly to the bedside, taking care to drop casual remarks to the nurses on the way, which led them to believe he was a doctor. At the bedside there was a policeman and & nurse. The former he ignored, and to the latter he put questions as to her treatment of the patient. He examined the woman, felt her pulse, made use of a stethoscope, with which he had provided himself, and finally ordered a different treatment and diet to that which had been in force ! Then, in an off-hand sort of way, he questioned the woman as to the exact details of the tragedy, and got her entire story. The policeman supplemented it with something that he knew; but warned the "doctor" against saying anything about the affair outside. At this point the reporter caught sight of a real doctoi advancing in his direction, and made an excuse for leaving, promising to return in the evening to see how the patient was getting on. When they saw the afternoon papers they realised that he never would return.