The Press: Greatly Exaggerated

Readers of the New York Herald Tribune paused, with forkfuls of breakfast bacon poised, to read a story in that newspaper, and to wonder. The Herald Tribune had made a grievous error, and was eating printed words.

The inventor of Weed nonskid tire chains was not dead, as reported; nor had his wife died “penniless after husband’s fortune went to his stenographer,” as reported.Wealthy Col. Harry D. Weed was alive in Bridgeport, Conn.; and, if the conciliatory tone of the Herald Tribune was indicative, he was not only alive but “kicking.”

Readers wondered how the errors had ever reached the Herald Tribune pages. Those acquainted with the facts of newspaper life mourned for a reckless correspondent in Jackson, Mich., who had collected false facts at the wrong* Mrs. Weed’s funeral and had wired them on as truth; mourned also for a telegraph editor who had sent the story to a busy copy desk without verification; mourned too for a night managing editor whose function it is (no matter what the shortcomings of his underlings) to edit and put out a perfect paper.

There is no higher authority than the reporter on the scene. In some newspaper organizations, one major error by a reporter and he is ousted. Depending on this tradition of truth or upon the stability of their Jackson man, the Herald Tribune had let the story through, with no questions asked.

From the office of Frederick S. Duncan, for more than 20 years counsel for the Weed Chain Tire Grip Co. and its successor, the American Chain Co., came loud and speedy protest. He stated facts: The “Weed” tire chain was named after its inventor, Harry D. Weed, of Canastota (near Syracuse) N. Y. Under license agreement from him, the company produced Weed chains and paid all royalties therefrom for many years, later buying the patent rights. Colonel Weed is vigorously alive in Bridgeport and retains a close consulting connection with the American Chain Co., successors to the Weed Chain Tire Grip Co. The new concern has expanded mightily over its small beginnings, owning chain, wire, steel factories at home and abroad, and producing many allied products and numerous automobile accessories known the world over: such as Weed levelizers, bumpers, etc., etc.

The inventor was Lieutenant Colonel in the Ordnance Department during the War, was commanding officer of the Dayton aircraft armament division.

Mrs. Weed is also decidedly alive; by no means penniless. They have a home at Syracuse, another at Southport, Conn.; frequently stop at the Stratfield Hotel, Bridgeport. Their son, Robert F. Weed, married Martha Lashar, daughter of Walter B. Lashar, president of the American Chain Co., and cousin of famed Thomas Lashar, onetime (1916) Yale coxswain.

The Associated Press, United Press, other famed news services did not succumb to the false facts, nor did the New York Times, the World or other Manhattan journals. The great Herald Examiner in Chicago did, as did the Detroit Free Press, the Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Patriot, the Automotive Daily News—and TIME, the weekly newsmagazine.

*The Herald Tribune had reported the death of a Mrs. Alice Weed, widow of Beverly Weed who (no relative of Col. Harry D. Weed) was falsely named as the inventor of Weed chains.