Page:Newspaper writing and editing.djvu/57

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L.—Oh my, that's too bad! He was a nice old fellow and Mr. Williams thought a lot of him.

R.—What was his name?

L.—Mr. Williams called him Uncle Frank, and when he introduced him to me after he came to, he called him Mr. Dutcher.

R.—Do you know where he lived?

L.—No. I don't think he lived in the city because he didn't come here often, and when he came to, Mr. Williams told him he oughtn't to come all the way alone.

R.—Do you know what his business was?

L.—No. He looked like he had some money.

R.—When was it that he fainted here?

L.—Let's see. It was about three weeks ago, I guess.

R.—Did Mr. Williams have any relatives in the city?

L.—I don't know. I guess not. He came from up state somewhere. He only lived here since January. He didn't like the city very well. He said he couldn't sleep.

R.—Thank you.


The reporter then stops at the drug store on the next corner to find out whether or not the name of Frank Dutcher appears in the city directory. No such name is to be found in this directory or in the telephone directory. As no more information is apparently obtainable, he returns to the News office and reports to the city editor what he has found. The city editor tells him to write about 500 words playing up the girl's part in stopping the train, and saying that the man is "supposed to be" Frank Dutcher.

Putting the Facts into the News Story. The story that the reporter writes is as follows:—


By jumping to the subway tracks and waving a red lantern before an oncoming train at the risk of her life, Miss Annie Hagan, in charge of the news-stand in the subway station at 65th St. and Western Avenue, saved a man, supposed to be Frank Dutcher, from being crushed to death as he lay unconscious across the tracks. The