A SMART REPORTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1271, 6 January 1883, Page 4

A SMART REPORTER.

Journalistic energy and dash are certainly not falling x>f, if the following story, published as a •' solid fact," by one of our New Vnrk contemporaries, he a true one. Only this oi her day, it seems, tliti ciack repovtcrof a Brooklyn evening paper was sent by an eatly train to Plaiufi 11, New Jersey, llieiv to witness an execution appointed to take place that morning, '.'pon arriving iit his de tina: ion !'e found that the cviniii.nl was not to be htngid until mid-day, an airangtmcnt aitjgethi'r incmnpatibli' with the despatch ' of his report in time for inso.t'.on-in ■,his paper, issued at i p.m. H<, therefore, hurried oil'll the sheriff, nn:l, ■ after pointing out that he should be a loser of ten dollars if the man unci r sentence were not turned off brfoire 12 p'clock, implored that olliiial to give the orders that the "ceremony" should take place an hour eailier. At first the sheriff flatly, and even with some lu.'.ijiu-.tijn, v''fused to entertain so unusual a ;>.- t :est; but the .reporter, i no less persuasive than persevering, coaxed him into promising that he would authorise the change of hour if the person chiefly concerned could he induced to consent thereto ; for, he added, the sooner the job was over and done with, the better, he (the sheriff/

.- should be'pleased. Tlio reporter was , then admitted without delay to the ' J condemnedcell, where he biieflj' explained his wishes to its occupant, Drinks were freely partaken of, and the reporter made himself so agreeable that presently the doomed prisoner volunteered the statement that" he did not mind being himgrd an hour ;before his time to oblige so pleasant a fellow." 'J'his magnanimous offer was forthwith notified to the sheriff, who gave the necessary directions; anil the man was banted at 11 instead of 12, ;;. thereby enabling the Ernoklyn rel|'porter to get off a full, true, and particular account of the execution to his .paper in time iov tho 2 o'cluck issue.