Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 67

GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE Sunday, June 27, 1965 E-3 Turnbull, Kline, Minahan Founders of Press-Gazette fa l( 'Cs4 tion of the Oneida Golf and Riding Club, imd li is prudent guidance pulled it through the Great Depression. Turnbull Is Credited With Saving Packers Major credit for the success of the Green Bay Packers has been given to Curly Lambeau and George Calhoun (A. B. wanted it that way) but both were quick to admit that Mr. Turnbull 'g interest and business sense saved the struggling club more than once.

While Curly schemed for touchdowns and Cal beat the publicity drums, A. B. worried about the dollars. An example of his Scottish prudence that never failed to get a chuckle from his family was his careful eye on the weather gauge. He had taken out rain insurance for Packer home games, and every Saturday night before a game he carefully placed a kitchen pan on the back porch to catch any rainfall.

It he had to confront the insurance adjustors he was going to provide his own proof. A BROAD-MINDED MAN, A. B. was an ardent Mason and Shriner as well as a strong supporter of the Norbertine Or-der and St. Norbert College.

It was at his request that the Rev. Dennis M. Burke, president of the college, officiated at his funeral services. If Mr. Turnbull had a boiling point it was seldom reached.

He simply had no use for eruptions of temper, anger or violent language. A cheerful, gregarious man, A. B. had a ready smile and a friendly word for everyone but he chose his friends with great care. Once he had accepted a friendship he was intensely loyal but demanded the same loyalty in return.

He had a long memory and never forgot an injury. Beneath his friendly exterior, A. B. Turnbull had an inner core as tough and unyielding as steel. Except for his own patience and courage under great physical pain in his last years, he never showed it much, but anybody who ever struck that core and bounced off was not likely to forget the experience.

Victor I. Minahan John K. Kline Andrew B. Turnbull By JACK RUDOLPH rtu-Gtiatt Stiff Wrlftr The combination of an Irishman, a Scot and an Irish-German has broad potential for brewing up storms. When all three are strong minded, aggressive, stubborn and highly articulate men, hurricane warnings would seem to be in order.

Yet, strangely, in the long association of John K. Kline, A. B. Turnbull and V. Minahan as co-founders and builders of the Press-Gazette, the explosions never occurred.

The incendiary qualities of their personalities (which, for all the apparent similarities, were quit different) were balanced by intelligence, self discipline and great mutual respect and confidence. Even more Important, and possibly the key to their close cooperation, was their keen sense of humor. Inevitably, they argued. But because all were devoted to the same cause and had a high regard for each other's integrity and good sense, they always found a common ground. Once a decision had been made, they closed ranks and supported it whole-heartedly.

Kline Was Striking, Impressive Personality Of the three, John Kline is the most difficult to assess today, not only because he has been dead 35 years and his memory has faded, but also because he was not easily approachable in the first place. Not that he was unfriendly on the contrary, he was a warm and generous man but he was basically shy and hid the fact behind a facade of dignity. A prematurely grey, strikingly handsome man, Mr. Kline had all the physical attributes to clothe that pose. Tall, slender and ramrod straight, he was an impressive figure.

Nobody ever saw him especially women without looking twice. He was precise and meticulous in everything he did, his mental processes being just as meticulous as his grooming. His favorite term was "competence" and he demanded it, both of himself and everyone else. He could not tolerate incompetence in any form and his standards of performance were high. Possessed of a keen, well trained mind, he never went off half cocked.

Before he expressed an opinion he studied the subject thoroughly and was sure of his ground. ONCE HAVING TAKEN a stand-which he invariably expressed in unequivocal terms he held his ground. Yet for all his stubborn insistence on never cutting corners, he was reasonable in his fashion. You could change his mind but you had to have a stronger argument than he did and you had to express it firmly and persuasively. If he had a betraying weakness it was a volatile temper.

He could blow his top emphatically, but his flareups usually subsided as quickly as they kindled. His temper and his dignity were powerful weapons to keep people at a desired distance. Men liked and respected him but they never took liberties. 1 Mr. Kline was a highly competent editor who had come up from the ranks and he knew his business.

The men who liked him best were those who worked with and for him because they knew that if he never let a mistake pass he never missed a good job and was as quick with his praise as with a to the very end, and it was just after a plunge that he suffered his fatal heart attack. V. I. never got over a boyish love for ice cream cones. Not a day went by that he didn't have one or more cones or ice cream bars, and he got a lot of satisfaction out of licking a cone during important business conferences.

Inexperienced when he first sat in the editor's chair, he left it as a highly respected and influential newspaper executive, known throughout the profession for his sympathy for the underdog. He was a success as an attorney and as an editor, believed in people living their own lives and making their own mistakes. His mistakes he kept to himself. ANDREW B. TURNBULL, last survivor of the colorful triumvirate, was a neat balance wheel between the personalities of his associates.

As meticulous as Mr. Kline and as gregarious as Mr. Minahan, he was as proud as either, in addition to which he inherited strong Scottish traits of patience and conservatism. The physical handicaps of the last 20 years of his life may have obscured his earlier enthusiasm for sports and the outdoors, but he had been an avid bowler with a hefty 190-plus average, shot golf in the low 90s and was a duck hunter of the same breed as his hunting companions, Ben Masse, "Snick" Gross and H. A.

Macpherson. His interest in golf led him to spearhead the organiza carefully concealed glee was doubly enhanced by the sight of his mother-in-law, and ardent prohibitionist, fuming in the back seat. A NON-DRINKER although no teetotaler, he detested the Idea of prohibition so strongly he actually assembled an extensive wine cellar which he rarely touched. Although he never ran for political office after an early defeat in a bid for a judgeship, he allowed his name to be put up as a "wet" delegate to the state convention which voted for repeal of the 18th Amendment. Unlike most unadulterated Irishmen, he never indulged in displays of temper and his family does not recall ever hearing him swear.

At the same time, he could react violently, as he demonstrated during World War I when he was almost court-martialled for firing off a protest directly to the Secretary of War when he was bumped off a troop transport on the eve of sailing for France. Warm Family Man, Enthusiastic Traveler If he had his dislikes, his enthusiasms were just as warm and open. He married late, and his family ranked above everything else in his life. He finally made it to France before his war' was over, fell in love with the country and visited it several times in later years in fact, he was an inveterate traveler and ready to go at the toot of a locomotive whistle. He loved the water, boating and swimming and spent as much time in or on the water as he could.

Despite a failing heart, he continued to swim Three Men Left Marks in Community combine them into the Press- A. B. Turnbull A man with a wide range of interests and a voracious reader, he was particularly interested in American and English literature and collected a valuable library of rare first editions. After his Gazette in June of 1915. Elected president of the Green Bay Newspaper he continued his successful law practice.

of declining health in 1953, although he remained as the paper's executive vice president. Mr. Turnbull moved to California in 1955 but maintained an active role in the management of the Press-Gazette, becoming president of the Green Bay Victor I. Minahan Was Second Editor When Mr. Kline died unexpectedly at the age of 55 the mantle of editor fell on the shoulders of Victor I.

Minahan, whose experience in journalism was as small as his predecessor's was large. Mr. Minahan was a highly successful attorney with a brilliant, incisive intelligence that enabled him to grow with the editorial job. A rigidly independent Irishman who never gave the slightest indication of caring a hoot for mass opinion, V. I.

was a highly complex individual, unpredictable in many ways and full of seeming contradictions. Some of the latter, though, stemmed from a puckish sense of humor that delighted in the silliness of situations. He once sat quietly for several hours without uttering a word of protest or cracking a smile while customs officers practically took his 16-cylinder Cadillac apart on the suspicion that liquor was hidden somewhere in its innards. His During World War I he grad 1884-1960 A native of London, where he was born Feb. 26, 1884, Andrew B.

Turnbull was the last survivor of the three men who founded the Press-Gazette half century ago. At uated from the first Officers Candidate Course at Ft. Sheri death his library was moved to California by his daughter, who built an exact duplicate of his Newspaper Co. after Mr. Mina Green Bay library in her home the time of his death on Oct.

17, 1960, he was the principal stock han died. An Active Sportsman In his earlier years Mr. Turn- holder in the Green Bay News dan, 111., and was commissioned a captain ol field artillery. He saw combat in France in the last days of the war, after which he returned to Green Bay and his law practice. In 1918 he married Mrs.

Bertha Bush Torinus, a widow, of there. V. I. Minahan 1881-1954 Victor I. Minahan, who suc paper Co.

although he had retired from active management a few months earlier because of bull was an active sportsman and a fine bowler, hunter and golfer. He took an early inter his health. Educated in Windsor, est in the affairs of the Green Bay Packers, serving as presi ceeded John K. Kline as editor of the Press-Gazette and held Battle Creek, Mich. His children by the marriage were Mrs.

John M. (Mary) Walter and Victor I. Minahan now pub Mr. Turnbull came to the United States at the age of 15 to work for $3 a week as an office the post for almost 25 years, was born in Chilton, June dent of the corporation from 1923 to 1927 and as a member of the executive committee and board of directors for many years. boy with the Detroit News.

In 2, 1881. He was a youneer bro 1905 he went to the Bay City ther to the prominent Green Bay Times as office manager. Mr. physicians and surgeons, Drs. A progressive paralysis that lisher of the Appleton Post-Crescent.

John B. Torinus, present editor of the Post-Crescent and former executive editor of the Press-Gazette, was his wife's son by a previous marriage. Closed Law Practice gradually curtailed his activ Official Bulletin Boards Were First Newspapers ities caused him to go into se Turnbull became a United States citizen in 1914. Associated With Kline In 1907 he moved to Duluth, Robert E. and John R.

Minahan, and the founder of the law firm of Minahan, Minahan, Minahan and Duquaine. After graduating from Osh- clusion the last years of his life after returning to the city After the sudden death of Mr. from Los Angeles. His death to become advertising kosh High School and attending Kline in 1930 he closed his law practice and became editor of manager ot the Duluth news was suaaen aunougn not unex-Tribune but shifted to a similar pected. post with the Saginaw Daily Mr.

Turnbull was a founder News a year later. It was in0f the Oneida Golf and Riding the newspaper, a post he held until his death of a heart attack at his summer home near Egg Harbor, Aug. 5, 1954, at the age of 73. Club and its first president reports of two dramatic murder trials in Yorkshire. Butter published "Newes from Spain" in 1611, and when the "Weekly Newes" appeared he immediately brought out a rival quarto sheet named "Newes from Most Parts of Christendom." Then occurred what probably was the first consolidation of rival newspapers.

Butter and Archer formed a partnership and called their publication "Newes of the Present Week." news bulletin to be published regularly was a German publication, the "Avisa Relation oder Zeitung," first printed in 1609. Then came the Antwerp "Nieuwe Tijdingen" in 1616. In May 1622 appeared what is now conceded to be the first real English newspaper, "The Weekly Newes from Italy, Germany, published in London by Nicholas Bourne and Thomas Archer. As early as 1605, however, an Englishman named Nathaniel Butter had published tion of news in all countries before the invention of printing was by the slow process of word of mouth and by private letter. Town criers, couriers, traveling peddlers and runners were sources of news.

Gossip was more important, but perhaps no more reliable than it is today. After the discovery of printing, pamphlets or single sheets announcing some item of news were often issued. It is now generally supposed that the first pamphlet or In the days before printing the earliest equivalent of the modern newspaper was the public announcement custom observed during the Roman Empire. Posted up on bulletin boards, the notices were copied by scribes for dispatch to provincial subscribers. The Chinese as early as the Seventh Century employed a similar method to give notice of official decrees.

From a practical standpoint, however, the dissemina serving from 1928 to 1933. He was interested in numerous community civic and social ac For many years Mr. Minahan Stevens Point State University (then Stevens Point Normal), he received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1901 and settled in Green Bay. He quickly established a reputation as a brilliant trial lawyer. Free Press Founder In 1914 he headed a syndicate which founded the Green Bay Free Press in competition to the long established Gazette.

When had a wide variety of local in tivities, and was a director of Saginaw that he began his long association with John K. Kline which resulted in their coming to Green Bay in 1915. From 1915 to 1930 he was treasurer and business manager of the Press-Gazette. Upon the death of Mr. Kline he became general manager, a position he held until he resigned because terests and was a charter mem ber of the local American Legion post, which he served as post commander in 1920-21.

He the Peoples Trust Savings Bank and the Bank of Green Bay. John K. Kline served on a number of state commissions by gubernatorial the rivalry had nearly finished appointment and was a director 1875-1930 both papers he joined with John of the Kellogg-Citizens National John K. Kline, first editor and.K. Kline and A.

B. Turnhnll rdv r. iui 1 1 cl I ly tVCdl Newspaper Firm Makes Impact As an Industry a co-founder of the Press-Gazette, was born in Bristol, April 16, 1875, and died in Green Bay at the age of 55 on Oct. 23, 1930. At the time of his unexpected death from influenza he had been editor of the newspaper for 15 years, during which time he became one of the best known journalists in the Great Lakes region.

By JOHN DOYLE Press-Gazette Staff Writer The Green Bay Newspaper whose products are papers and hours nf air timp i a mil- He originally intended to be lawyer and studied at the Uni-l'1 PurlnS versitv of Indiana, but left col-iVf $L3 in fayr" lnto i (the community and with net 1 i worth listed at about $2,056,000, to take cub The company, which nublishes a job as a reporter on the Indianapolis Sentinel. By 1903 he had risen through the posts of reporter and telegraph editor to assistant city editor. Editor at Saginaw In 1903 he went to Saginaw, where he became assistant to the editor of the Saginaw Daily News. In a change of ownership in 1912 he became editor, a stockholder and director. While in Saginaw he became intimately associated with Andrew B.

Turnbull, the advertis- not available locally, but area firms are used to transport them. Heavy Local Purchases Major items purchased locally include telephone and telegraph service and maintenance, power, light and gas, and vehicle purchases and maintenance. Wire communications costs average about $16,000 annually while power and heat costs are estimated at $17,600 per year. Local firms also benefit from the P-G's use of 11 company-owned vehicles and a number of contract txueks. The and triple A-l rating (the highest) is based in part on the company's recent steady growth.

The payroll has more than doubled from about $635,000 in 1950 to the present $1.3 million-plus. The number of employes has risen from about 150 in 1950 to the current number. Officers of Firm The officers of the corporation are: E. L. Everson, chairman of the board; Daniel C.

Beisel, president and publisher: J. I. Robishaw, treasurer; Leo V. Gannon, secretary. the Press-Gazette and operates radio station WJPG annually, produces well over 16,800,000 "units" of "manufactured products." These consists of the number of papers printed and the number of hours of airtime per year.

Based on averages, the P-G prints 16.8 million papers per year, including 13.9 million-plus daily papers and 2.8 million-plus with its Sunday edition. WJPG broadcasts 6,935 hours a year. lip! lip nrw1 .11 11 hi ing manager of the News. In 19 hours each day 1915, in association with Victor Over 250 Employes i. iviinanan, ivir.

mine ana Mr. Turnbull came to Green Bay Producing these "units of production" are over 250 regular employes, including over 80 union members. In addition the P-G employs about 50 part-time workers and over 500 carrier boys. where they purchased and combined the rival Gazette and Free Press into the present Press-Gazette. Active in Community- As editor of the new In addition to the pavroll, and Following is a breakdown of Mr.

Kline spearheaded drives -support and promotion of com-mployps by department: Edi-for many civic improvements munity projects, the paper is a 30; advertising depart-anrl developments and took an large taxpayer (Dun and Brad- ments riispfitch, 36: WJPG, Hctive part in a wide variety of street lists the company's net 17; circulation. 43; mechanical cultural, social and fraternal ac-tangible worth at tivities as well as his editorial land a heavy user of services work. He was a close student and supplies (engravers, pressmen and compositors), 78: photography, proof reading, 10; maintenance, fulltime correspondents, and accounting and business, 21. of foreign affairs and an early authority on the League of Newsprint and ink the raw materials used to produce the paper's finished product are F. Walnut at N.

Madison Press-Gazette Address Since 1924.