The Passing of the Newspaper “Scoop” [excerpt]

     Within the last 20 years there have been three “scoops” of an international character presented to thle [sic] American people, none of which brought credit to the newspaper publishing them. One of them was the heralding of the death of President McKinley. Following the attack upon him by the assassin Czolgoz at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, McKinley hovered between life and death, while an anxious world prayed and waited for the Divine verdict. Then one evening the newspapers served by a certain press association suddenly burst forth with extra editions, announcing the death of the martyred President, with all the touching and sorrowful details of the last summons. For a brief period the whole country was rent by grief over the report. And then came the extra editions of the newspapers of the rival press association with the story that McKinley still was alive, and that hope was held out for his recovery. The newspapers which carried the story of his death were deeply humiliated and offered excuses and apologies for their error. But it was a long time before the false report was forgotten by the public, even though McKinley’s death followed within a short time after the journalistic faux pas.