There is a class of publications whose lives depend upon their successful appeal to vicious instincts. According to the later significance given to the phrase of M. Dumas, these publications are the demi-monde of newspaperdom. Journalistic prostitution furnishes real prostitution with a large part of its sustenance. There are several phases of it. The least harmful is the frankly vicious phase represented the papers of the Police Gazette brand. The most insidious phase is represented by those papers that cloak their sensationalism with moral pretensions. Such a paper largely concerns itself with police and divorce-court records. Its best head-line reads in effect: “Testimony Unfit for Publication; It Was as Follows:” It may attain distinction by selling a few of its columns to thieves and libertines for assignation purposes, or by the light-hearted realism which animates its description of the underwear of a prominent actress. “Sensational” is the mildest epithet applied to such a paper, because it occasionally dallies with politics, or heads a subscription to purchase piano-lamps for starving infants. Its spirit is so insecure and debased that, in comparison, the editorial spirit of the New York Sun is positively one of lofty morality.

Reprinted from Puck, March 22, 1893.

She Vindicated Herself.

Miss Mamie Gannon, of Jersey City, attacks reporter Lenhart with a horsewhip for traducing her character in his newspaper. [more]

The session of the Jersey City Board of Public Works had just opened the other night when a tall, fashionably attired young woman advance to the railing. Her pretty face wore a scowl and her dark eyes fairly snapped. She stepped close to the desk occupied by George Lenhart, a local reporter. Her voice trembled with excitement and rage as she addressed him, He had scarcely time to reply when from the recesses of a light wrap she drew a cattle whip and struck him twice. Several men crowded forward and restrained her. An instant later she darted forward and exclaimed, “Explain yourself. How dare you publish anything about me?” He was silent, and again her whip fell in his head. Janitor Conway seized her and led her down stairs. Lenhart demanded protection, and informed the President of the Board that he would hold him responsible for any injury he (Lenhart) received. The young lady was only partially pacified. When she reached the foot of the stairs she wept with anger as she cried, “Through the scurrilous article my friends have cut me, and I’ll cut him.” With this she turned before she could be intercepted and returned to the meeting room, where she plied her whip again. This time Lenhart caught hold of the whip, and in the struggle for its possession he dragged his assailant violently against the rail. Her cry of pain incensed a number of men in the lobby, and they, with expressions that boded ill for the reporter, crushed against the rail dislodging it. Lenhart retreated to the rear of the chair occupied by Commissioner Carr, who protected him from further violence. Lenhart made an effort to draw a revolver, which exasperated some of the men.

The young woman is Miss Mamie Gannon, just out of her teens. She is the daughter of a well to-do coppersmith. Several months ago Miss Mamie and her sister were arranging a party on an elaborate scale. Their father was in the habit of giving them their allowance of packet money in checks. It was on the eve of the party, and the checks were only for the usual amount. They corrected his oversight by altering the amounts of the checks to a larger sum. The story was heard a few days ago for the first time by Lenhart, and he publish a sensational story in the extent of a column, suppressing the names, but so minutely describing the young women that their identity was clear to everyone acquainted with them. Last Saturday night week Lenhart was decoyed into a saloon and he as pummeled by a champion of the young ladies, Raymond Gilchrist, son of ex-Attorney General Gilchrist and Hickey, the saloon keeper, for conspiracy. The accused furnished bail. Lenhart was recently assaulted by Thomas Jacobs, clerk of the Board of Works, for sever criticisms.

Reprinted from The National Police Gazette, October 16, 1886.