The Press: New .Face For Chicago

New Face For Chicago

On the sixth floor of the Chicago Daily News building, in the office from which the late Publisher Walter Ansel Strong used to look out across the Chicago River, a new occupant, big, sandy-haired and florid, made himself at home last week. Beaming with pride, he alternately jumped to the telephone, plugging one ear against the shriek of tugboat whistles to catch words of congratulation in the other, and strode happily through the flower-decked reception room, the Victor F. Lawson Memorial board room, with its walls and fireplace transplanted from the founder's home. He was Col. William Franklin ("Frank") Knox, president of the thriving Manchester (N. H.) Union & Leader, until last winter general manager of Hearst publications (TIME, Dec. 29). He was proud because he had just become president & publisher of the potent and respected Dally News, succeeding Publisher Strong who died three months ago (TIME, May 18).

First floral offering to be delivered to Col. Knox was a large basket of chrysanthemums—about $25 worth. Who could have sent it? His good friends Senator George Higgins Moses or Col. Hanford MacNider? Publisher McCormick of the Tribune? William Wrigley, Jr.? Adman Albert Davis Lasker? Or even "W. R." (Hearst) himself? The Colonel grubbed eagerly through the bouquet for a card, found none. Then he became aware of a sly smile on the face of a rotund, grey-haired man standing near. Boomed the Colonel: "You old sonofagun! I knew it was you!" and the other man waddled off contentedly.

The "son-of-a-gun" was Theodore T. ("Ted") Ellis, onetime publisher of the Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette, partner of Col. Knox in buying control of the Daily News from the Strong estate for (reputedly) $2,500,000. It was understood that Mr. Ellis supplied most of the cash (from a fortune estimated near $8,000,000). Knox & Ellis had the support of Rufus Cutler Dawes (brother of the Ambassador) and Chairman Joseph Edward Otis of the Dawes-controlled Central Republic Bank & Trust Co., both of whom were named directors of the News last week.