lence. In December of 1875 Mr. Stearns enlarged the paper and began charging for it. The next year he sold it to W. S. Chapman, who, having conducted it during its two stormiest years, sold it back to Mr. Stearns, who conducted it through most of its career. In June 1880 Stearns sold the now declining paper to Atkinson (J. F.) & Farrish, who in August changed the name to the Portland Bulletin. Under this name the paper ran until the latter part of 1882, when its publishers gave it up as a bad job.
The personnel of the Bee in 1878 was listed in the issue of September 30: "Editorial and business department—Mr. J. J. Burnett, Mr. H. M. Clinton, Mr. J. G. Chapman, Mr. G. H. Ward. Typographical department—F. C. Baker, foreman; J. T. Hayes, assistant; five regular compositors, two subs, two in pressroom."
LIBEL AND VIOLENCE BEAR FRUIT
Chapman's new policies on the Bee were yellower than those of Stearns, and a good many "fighting words" appeared in the paper directed at well-known citizens. One such incident in 1878 led to three events outstanding in the history of Oregon journalism. One of these was a gun fight in which one of the proprietors of a rival paper, the Evening Telegram, was killed; another was the formation of Oregon's first state editorial association, nine years in advance of the one formed at Yaquina in 1887; the third was the tightening up of Oregon's libel laws at the request of this newly-formed association, which appears to have been organized with this as one of its principal aims.
A. C. McDonald of the Telegram was the victim of the homicide, committed by J. K. Mercer, assistant editor of the Bee. The Oregonian's story of the killing, published the next day, September 20, is a fine example of the leisurely way in which the newswriters of that period told their news. Under the head "Shooting Affray" it starts with the full background of the incident:
Several days ago (said the Oregonian account of the tragedy) a long article was printed in this city which attacked the private character of A. C. McDonald of the Telegram, and in a spirit hitherto unheard of in this community, assailed him on the side of man's deepest sensibilities by the revilement of his family. One J. K. Mercer, a fellow utterly without character, assumes to be the responsible manager of the publication in which the attack appeared. Yesterday afternoon, three gentlemen were standing at the corner of First and
