BAILEY, Edwin N. (1849-1923)

BAILEY, BALLARD, NAGLE, HAMMILL

Posted By: Richard H. Rhode (email)
Date: 12/13/2009 at 11:13:53

Bailey of Britt Dies at His Home

Veteran Editor Succumbs to Long Illness

Britt, IA., Dec. 21 (A.P.)

Bailey of Britt is dead.

This veteran newspaper writer, for more than thirty-five years editor of the Britt Tribune, succumbed to an illness of more than a year's standing at his home this morning. Death had been momentarily expected for several days.

Edwin N. Bailey, whose editorial duties ended five years ago when the Roberts Brothers took over his paper and consolidated it with the News, which had been edited previously by L. G. Roberts, was probably the most widely quoted country editor in America for two decades.

His humor, deliciously spontaneous, furnished chuckles for readers throughout the world. "Bailey of Britt" was a household phrase.

SECOND OBITUARY:

Town Mourns at the Bier of Bailey of Britt
Home Folk Shocked by Loss of Noted Editor
by Harold Andrews
(Staff Correspondent of The Register) [Des Moines, Iowa]
Britt, IA., Dec. 22 (special)

Caught in a scurrying whist of wind, a strip of ribbon pinned to the doorway of a gray dwelling on a side street whispered mournfully to the townsfolk yesterday that within the walls of that modest home was sleeping Ed Bailey, their famous country editor, a man admired by a circle of readers of his little weekly that stretched throughout the nation, admired for his wit and wisdom, and loved and treasured by his struggling neighbors as the man whose ingenuity had caused the world to beat a pathway to their little country town.

Along about 1 o'clock in the afternoon a long freight train pulled into the town, creaking and squeaking, and slowed down before coming to a full stop in front of the little depot. Being in the line of duty the town marshal, an aged and gray gentleman, bestirred himself in his chair beside the red hot stove. He gazed out the window. The tall figure of a man, his clothing in rags, squirmed out from the bumpers of a tall boxcar. Someone exclaimed, "Nab him."
Marshal Did Nothing

But other than to draw his coat over a large star that usually glittered boastfully on his chest, the marshal did nothing.

"I can't do it," he murmured. "That guy's a friend of Bailey's."

And thus Onion Cotton, tall and rusty knight of the highway and one time resident of Danville, Ohio, came into the little town of Britt unmolested by the law. Down the main street he sauntered. Coming to a side street, he walked in the direction of Bailey's residence. He reached the famous country editor's dwelling, and stopping a moment, stood with uncovered head. Then returning his tattered and punctured derby to his sandy head, he disappeared in the direction of the railroad track.

The act was significant. The president of Tourist Union No. 63 had paid his respects.

In every home of this little town where there is a member whose reminiscences stretched back to August, 1900, the gaudy and preposterous story of the fourth annual convention of Tourist Union No. 63, an event sponsored by E. N. Bailey, is being told and retold in detail today. Without a doubt the boisterous country editor whose funeral will be attended by Lieutenant Governor Hammill and other prominent men, has other and more important claims to fame - a contention of those who have read his famous weekly - but no single stunt of the man's many stunts can equal his great and lasting bit of publicity hokum.
The Hobo Convention

Back in July, 1900, so the natives here relate, Bailey, then editor of the Britt-Tribune, solemnly broadcast an announcement that he had made a bid to bring the hobo's convention to Britt. With subtle irony he published long arguments showing the advantages that would accrue to Britt if the knights of the road would name the town for their annual meeting place.

No politicians or civic boosters ever made a more strenuous campaign to procure a national political convention for their city than did Bailey make in bringing the bums to Britt. The cleverness of the idea and the publicity stunt was obvious. The idea went like wildfire. Bailey got up early one morning and found himself a national figure.
Papers Cover Sessions

The world beat a pathway to the little town of Britt, whose creamery and 1,500 population until then had never been heard of. Britt became infested with the gentry of the press. Famous representatives from the metropolitan dailies poured into the town. The Register covered the convention from beginning to end.

Nor did Bailey allow the event to be robbed of its serious aspect, and before the newspaper men knew of it, they were working for his objective, which was to put Britt on the map. The convention lasted one day, Aug. 22, 1900. Weary Willies, hearing of the good things promised at Britt through full page advertisements in his little weekly, and reproduced by metropolitan dailies, passed on the good word to other Weary Willies.

In consequence, for many days preceding the date of the convention, the back door knockers and woodpile jumpers poured into Britt. On the night preceding the convention there was not an empty barn or haymow for miles around. Eight hundred hobos infested Britt, and there wasn't a towel among them.
Couldn't Take Bath

Bailey forbade any gentleman, whether a delegate or a citizen, to take a bath. Three men were fined in consequence of violation of his order, and slum-gullion was bought with the money. Across the street were big streamers, "Welcome Tourists." Each freight train was met by the band, in which Bailey played the drum, and the delegates were escorted through the streets. The convention was held at the fair grounds. The program opened with a welcome address by Colonel Bradford, a prominent attorney, and was responded to by Grand Pipe Head Charles F. Noe of Sycamore, Ill., and Owen Cotton of Danville, Ill. They both were high in their praise of their reception.

A. E. Ballard of Belmond, Ia., another attorney, followed with a short address. Father Nagle of Garner, Ia., later parish priest here, closed the program of speaking with plans for the election of officers.

Officers elected were:

Local union head instigator, Col Tophet Anhauser Potter; chief perpetrator, Col Weary Eunique Bradford; illustrious incendiary, Frayed Erstwhile Morrow; recording angel, Elephantine Nero Bailey.

After games and various contests the convention broke up when Bailey suggested a wood chopping contest.

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