My story finished, I went out and sat on my
own stoop and said ahem! in my turn in as many aggravating ways
as I could. They knew they were beaten then, and shortly they
had confirmation of it. The report came in from the precinct at
2 A.M., but it was then too late for their papers, for there were
no telephones in those days. I had the only telegraph wire. After
that they gave up such tricks, and the _Tribune_ saved many cab
fares at night; for there were no elevated railroads, either, in
those days, or electric or cable cars.
On the other hand, this enterprise of ours was often of the highest
service to the public. When, for instance, in following up a case
of destitution and illness involving a whole family, I, tracing
back the origin of it, came upon a party at which ham sandwiches
had been the bill of fare, and upon looking up the guests, found
seventeen of the twenty-five sick with identical symptoms, it
required no medical knowledge, but merely the ordinary information
and training of the reporter, to diagnose trichinosis. The seventeen
had half a dozen different doctors, who, knowing nothing of party
or ham, were helpless, and saw only cases of rheumatism or such
like.
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