Biography of a Story

Plague of every magazine publisher is the plagiarist. Last week Liberty, nickel weekly, announced in an editorial:

"Every magazine, at one time or another, probably has had The Gold Bug or The Murders in the Rue Morgue sent in with some of the names changed, and has sent the fraudulent manuscript back as a matter of course.

"The August 16 issue of Liberty contained a story headed The Biography of Loar, by Parker Bloser. It was a good story and well liked by a lot of people who read it. The trouble with it was that Mr. Bloser didn't write it.

"Miss Zona Gale wrote it several years ago and called it The Biography of Blade. It appeared in Century Magazine [now defunct], in a book published by D. Appleton & Co. . . .

"Then, of course we received a flood of letters. The friendliest was from the person most injured--Miss Gale herself, who even offered to help the misguided Mr. Bloser to straighten things out! She sent us a copy of the following note:

" 'Dear Mr. Bloser -- Various people have called my attention to your use of my story, The Biography of Blade. . . . I am deeply interested to know what caused this use of the story on your part. I wondered if I could interpret it to my publishers or to Liberty. . . . Naturally in a story which involves me so many times I feel deeply concerned to know how it could have been used in this way with you -- and especially why. I suppose this will be taken up with you by the usual avenues, but if you care to talk it over with me and give me your own attitude in regard to it, I shall be glad to try to clarify the matter in any way that I can to the Appletons, who hold the copyright -- if you would care to have me do so.

Faithfully yours,

Zona Gale Portage Wisconsin.

"The most irate letters were from authors whose offerings we had rejected."

Writer Bloser, 26, a teacher of penmanship, was arrested, charged with obtaining money under false pretenses. According to D. Appleton & Co., he insisted he wrote the story himself when in school many years ago. Miss Gale expressed her belief in Bloser's innocence of deliberate plagiarism. Bloser made a financial settlement with Liberty, received a suspended sentence.

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