AFTERNOON STORY- History of the States-Item GOOD READ

For almost a decade a green hardback has haunted my "to-read" shelf though I always put off perusing it. After all, how interesting could a history book about a newspaper can be? Surely it would be full of confusing transactions of ownerships and management shifts.

Well the book does have that...but it also reveals a cast of characters who ran some (more on this on a second) of New Orleans' daily papers.

Today's Times Picayune is a combination of a number of mergers and acquisitions over time. As I don't have the book in fornt of me, I believe today's entity is the combination of AT LEAST the following: the New Orleans Democrat, the New Orleans Times, the New Orleans States, the New Orleans Item and the Daily Picayune. But don't swear by the above.

The book does contain some interesting city history, especially regarding the old Lottery and the "Who killa de chief" case (the murder/assassination/killing) of New Orleans Police Chief David Hennessy and the lynching of Italian suspects that took place afterwards led by some of the city's leading citizens. You can bet a king or two of Comus has sicilian blood on his hands.

References to the late great Lafcadio Hearn, the manner in which newspapers operated, the way they employed to further the self and political interests of publishers and the behind the scenes moves that led to the TP being bought out by SI Newhouse are also covered.

The book is out of print but easily available at out of print book stores (Beckham's in the Quarter has copies) and can be had for less than $10. The book reads quick and while the transaction histories can be confusing (especially as they contain individuals with the same surname) it sheds some light about how New Orleans' lone standing daily came to be and provides some information on the current publisher, Ashton Phelps (who I've only encountered during candidate interviews- and as I've never been endorsed by the TP those exchanges have not gone well).

Though the States-Item now only exists on microfilm, its history is worth reading.