THE WILY WILE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 147, 18 February 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE WILY WILE.

IHE STORY OF A NEWSPAPER -SCOOP.'' Frederick William Wile, whose book? an Germany are attracting so much attention. enjoys nothing more than telling the story of one of his first journalistic "beats," or "scoops," as they call them on the other side of the Atlantic (says an English paper). Mr. Wile is an American, and was at fhe time mentioned in his story a member of tb.e staff of the "Chicago RecordHerald." "The biggest 'local story' that bad tempted Chicago news-editors in many moons," said Mr. Wile to the writer, '•was a big fancy-dress party that was to be given by one of the smartest liost-e-sos in the Windy City. This, by the way, was not long after the SpanishAmerican War. What made the store especially piquant was the fact that all the guests were to be society girls, most of whom, it was rumoured, were to wear masculine dress. As to the details absolute secrecy was maintained* the chief ambition of the giver of the party being that no description of it whatever, not even a Ist of the guest*, should get into the newspapers. Of course, these two tilings made the story just pure gold in the estimation of city editors, and heaven and earth were moved to induce somebody to vplit.' but all without avail. EVERY NEWSPAPER SENT A MAX. •'No one even knew what time theaffair was going to start," Wile went on, "and though every Chicago newspaper sent a man round to the house that night, there appeared to be absolutely nothing doing, the hostess refushing flat-footcdly to see anybody. 1 was turned down like the rest, and in company with another man from the "Record-Herald." was about to go backto the office with my tail between my l-'gs. when my companion made a remark which gave me inspiration. That winter I happened to be wearing a long fawn-coloured overcoat with big buttons, and a silk-hat. Suddenly, a>we stood there, my fellow-reporter remarked. 'ln that get-up, Wile, you look for all the world like "Jeames the footman," ' and it was that observat on that gave me my idea. "So far as I could see there was 110 one at all on hand to open the carnage doors, and I promptly made- up my mind that this should b« trn Job. It was pretty dark by now. and 1 hung around, and pretty soon, ju-t as 1 had expected, the first carriage drove up. 1 stepped forward at once, touched my hat and opened the door, and a couple of girls got out, all muffled up in opera, cloaks, and ran up the steps. 'Who are those?' said I to tlu coachman, and he mentioned the names of two of Chicago's best-known debutantes. HOSTESS NEVER FOUND OFT. " "And who have they come as!-' ' ventured. " 'One's Captain Hob-son and the other's General Gomez.' he grinned and whipped up his horses. "Soon another carriage drew up, and I repeated the operation, and so 1 went en. handing out even batch of guests, learning their names and their characters from their charioteers. "There were no end of Hohsons, 1 lemember. several Dewey* and many Schleys. Only in a very few cases did I fail. Once a negro servant from 111 side the house threatened to checkmate my li tie game bv injudicious inquiries as to my identity, but retired when I had slipped a lavish bribe into iiis hand. "To make a long story short." concluded Wile, "I got a practically complete list of the guests and of theit characters, which made a beat for tin • Record-Herald next day. So flabbergasted was the smart and secretive hostess that she came round next day to the office and asked, as a favour, to know how we got our ;nloimation. but this re piest of hers was courtenusU refused, and she doesn't know to this day." Mr. Wile has recently published a new book called "The German-Ameri-can Plot," in which is revealed the base methods of the Germans in America to embroil that country in war with. Great Britain.