EDITORIAL DIFFICULTIES TIN TEXAS.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 155, 22 July 1892, Page 6

EDITORIAL DIFFICULTIES TIN TEXAS.

The following editorial notice, pinned ou the door of the “ Sunken Valley Daily Record ” office, Texas, U. S., gives a lively picture of the difficulties attending journalism in the Southern States “ The proprietor of the “ Sunken Valley Daily Record ” regrets to have to announce to his subscribers that the paper will not be issued to-dajg owing to the sudden decease of the editor, Mr. E. J, Coker. Mr Coker was sitting in his office yesterday, engaged in his editorial duties, when Colonel Ralph M’Gec suddenly burst into his room and addressing Mr Coker as ‘ You pie-bald dog walloper, demanded to know what he meant by alluding to him 'Colonel M’Gee) as a ‘ whiskey-absorbing, poison-purveying importation from Dublin , in last Friday’s issue of the Record. ” Without giving Mr Coker time to reply, he fired four shots at him from his six-shooter, the last of which struck Mr Coker in the mouth, killing him instantly. Under ordinary circumstances, the proprietor would have no hesitation in characterising this as an unprovoked and dastardly outrage on a defenceless man ; but as Colonel M’Gee has since called at the “ Record ” office, and in the handsomest manner possible offered to “ serve any dog-erned paper spoiler on the staff in the same way,” he feels loth to criticise too harshly the rash act of a man evidently labouring under a strong sense of injury. The proprietor has arranged with a gentleman (16st 41b) from * down East,’ who will in future undertake the editorship of the “ Record,” and who hopes by firm but moderate use of the revolver, to cement and bind those bonds of mutual respect and esteem which have so long existed between the “ Record ” and its subscribers. The charge for announcing births, marriages, and shooting parties remains as heretofore.”