Idaho Semi Weekly World

A NEWSPAPER'S EXPLOIT.

How a French Reporter Beat His Rivals in a Noted Murder Case.

Two veteran newspaper men, one of whom was formerly connected with the New York Herald bureau at Paris, were talking over old times a few evenings since in the presence of a Tribune reporter. They drifted into a comparison of the work done by American reporters with that done by those on the other side of the Atlantic, particularly in England and France.

A number of brilliant exploits were recalled, notable among them that of a Tribune reporter in meeting a ship-wrecked sailor on Lake Michigan, the only survivor of a terrible disaster, and successively keeping him secluded from other interviewers until his story was published in the Tribune. It was agreed that American reporters have a keen scent for news and are more skillful in their methods of getting facts than any of their foreign brethren.

"But," remarked the former correspondent of the Herald, "the French reporters are not slow. The feat accomplished by the reporter for a Paris paper at the time of the great Troppmann murder case was agitating France, will compare favorably with any on record. The reporter was sent to Cernay, where Troppmann's father lived.

Upon his arrival he called upon the Justice of the Peace and the Commissaire de Police, asked them to follow him to the Mairie, took his seat in the Judge's chair, and with unparalleled audacity ordered the Garde Champetre to bring the assassin's father before him. The dignity and imperiousness assumed by the reporter repelled any question as to his authority. When the father of Troppmann was brought before him he interrogated him as though officially commissioned to do so. The result was that it was learned that the son had written to the father on the eve of the day of the crime.

" 'Monsieur le Commissaire, go to the house of the witness and seize those letters,' commanded the reporter.

The functionary obeyed and the letters were brought. The reporter found they contained unquestionable evidence of Troppmann's guilt. He copied them carefully but quickly and solemnly. He then handed them to the Justice and told him to seal them and preserve them safely for future use. He put the copies in his pocket and dismissed the court.

It was now only a little after noon and no passenger train would leave for Paris till evening. That would make the report too late for the next morning's issue of his paper. To make matters worse he met two other reporters who had just arrived from Paris. Then he had to do something to keep the news from them and at the same time escape to Paris. A happy thought came to his rescue. They had not eaten since morning. He told them he, too, was half starved. If they would go to the inn near by and order a good dejeuner with plenty of wine, he would join them soon.

They were ready to accept the suggestion. As soon as they were out of sight he jumped into a wagon and had himself driven rapidly to the station, where, after much urging and undoubtedly some financial persuasion, he succeeded in getting aboard a luggage-train which was about to start. He caught a regular train at the junction some distance from Cernay and reached Paris late at night. The first page of his paper had been made up, but the importance of the news he brought was such that the page was reopened, and the next morning Paris was made acquainted, through one paper only, with the indisputable evidence of the guilt of Troppmann."-Chicago Tribune.