14. Don't call an accused person a criminal unless he confesses or has been convicted of crime before.
15. Don't try criminal cases in your news stories; leave that to the court.
16. Give both sides; the accused as well as the accuser has a right to be heard.
17. Avoid predictions of "sensational developments" when they are not likely to occur.
18. Don't put a "mystery" in your story when none exists.
19. Remember that the truth, and nothing but the truth, interestingly written, makes the best news story.
PRACTICE WORK
1. Criticise and rewrite the following fire story:
In a fire which destroyed the plant of John B. May & Co., paint
and varnish makers, 20 East Harmon street, late yesterday, five
men who took desperate chances in escaping from the blazing
structure were injured and Mme. Celloni's famous bohemian restaurant
was temporarily put out of commission.
Mme. Celloni's, for twenty years renowned as a gathering place for Chicago's litterati, adjoins the burned building on the south. It was flooded by water, shaken by explosions and overrun by firemen, who fought to confine the flames to the May rooms.
The damage to the building, which was a three-story brick, and contents of the paint house is $65,000. The loss on paintings, decorations and furnishings in Mme. Celloni's is placed at $5,000. All is reported covered by insurance.
The injured men were employes of the paint company. Driven by a succession of explosions to the roof, they were hemmed in by flames. They slid down a rope to safety. The injured are:
Joseph Hinners, 312 North Wilson avenue; hands and face burned.
Michael Lorenz, 614 William square; hands burned, right wrist sprained.
William Gee, 6651 North Washington street; hands cut and burned.
James Green, 84 New street; body bruised and contused.
Charles Speer, 916 First street; body bruised.
The men were at work on the third floor when the alarm was sounded. The stairway was in flames and three explosions of wood alcohol tanks in the basement and minor explosions caused by the ignition of smaller containers of oil on the third floor drove them to the roof.
