A Famous Newspaper.

Otago Witness, Issue 224, 28 May 1896, Page 52

A Famous Newspaper.

The death, at tbe ripe age of 82, of Mr James Chalmers, of Wistburn, Aberdeen, who for 40 years conducted the Aberdeen Journal, the oldest newspaper in Scotland, recalls some interesting incidents of tbe early days of that pu^l ; c tinn, wbich was founded by bis graqdTLe flint, ia-uts came out with a dfS'jriution of the battle of Culled mi, which had taken place 100 miles to the north-west only two days before. This as a piece of newspaper eHsarprisa w*s not surpassed for over 100 years. The. .old Chalmers — who, by th« w*y, served his apprenticeship in London along with Benjamin Frtnkliu — was an ardent Boyaliot, and naturally the account which his paper give of Cu'.Uvrien w*s by no means pleasing to tke ctisoottjfited Jacobites. Accordingly, on their way south after their rout they Kid siege to the Journal office, and forced the inmates to flee for their lives. Chalmers escaped by a back window, spraining his loj{ in so d •!",?, aud made off southward. IWrln'n*, <b* B „'■ ■>' D"\ two miles away, lie -ieat to take s'u It i i« •> O'it ouss. What was his dis'imy to find i". l'uil of Jacobite Goldisry ! Unaware of his identity, the men treated him kindly, and inquired how matters went in thd town. "What," they asked, "is that rascal Chalmers doing ?" Their frightened viait»nt reHiaed enough presence of mind to reply that he was still printing the Duke of Cumberland's manifestoes, Ou that tome of the soldier* went down on their knees, and wi'h drawn dirks swore to have Chalmers's blood whenever they could catch him. Unwittiugly, they then allowed their intendod victim to eso*pe, and he joined the King's army, of whioh he was appointed nn assistant commissioner.