Chapter 22 Bonnie and Clyde

Colin pondered as he sat at his desk, holding a steaming cup of coffee. He wondered if transitioning from publishing The Messenger to selling coffee would reshape the patterns of the Time Shard itself. Of course, the notion of completely shutting down the newspaper and solely focusing on coffee sales seemed exaggerated.

Nevertheless, it had become imperative for Colin to alter the composition of The Messenger, steering its content away from the animosity directed at Hoover. After all, he needed to address the pressing matter of what direction the newspaper should take and what its focus and content should be in the aftermath of this change.

In particular, Colin felt a momentary bewilderment when considering the unique nature of faith. The rhythmic sound of keyboards resonated through The Messenger's office, where the typesetters diligently worked to complete the typesetting before the weekly publication day. John, engrossed in his task, couldn't spare much time.

However, little did John know that his boss, Colin, was once again contemplating deviating from the established path of news development for The Messenger. Colin had employed tactics such as marketing through hatred, targeting individuals with animosity, and dividing the audience, which had brought some success to the newspaper. The circulation of The Messenger had risen from a few hundred or a thousand copies during its lowest point to around seven thousand copies, especially with the popularity of the ballads. Last week's circulation had nearly reached the milestone of ten thousand copies, setting a new record for the newspaper's highest circulation in history.

John could still vividly recall the image of the old rotary printing press emitting smoke—a sight he had never witnessed during his tenure at The Messenger. It symbolized the newspaper's popularity. Achieving such a feat, especially during the Great Depression, was remarkable for a local newspaper like The Messenger.

It was expected that if Colin proposed the idea of changing the newspaper's reporting, John would be the first to oppose it, despite being the one who initially found the content too ruthless.

"... Winslow Kellogg, the renowned zoologist and Associate Professor at Indiana University, has halted a five-year-long animal experiment," read the latest report. "It is reported that nine months ago, Winslow initiated a reverse experiment to investigate whether raising animal offspring among humans would result in greater intelligence and human-like behavior."

"In order to conduct this experiment, Winslow Kellogg personally chose a female baby chimpanzee, aged only 7 and a half months, from the zoo. He named her 'Gia' and raised her as a companion to his own 10-month-old son, Donald."

Throughout the entire experiment, Winslow strictly adhered to the experimental protocols. Starting from Gia's first day in his home, he and his wife, Lula, diligently measured various data such as weight, blood pressure, and height, and observed their natural reactions to the outside world.

Colin sat at his desk, searching through the old newspapers before him, hoping to find inspiration and direction.

Unfortunately, the majority of the news content in those old newspapers couldn't provide much assistance.

Moving his gaze away from the report on the chimpanzee adoption experiment, Colin continued flipping through the newspaper in his hands.

"Bonnie and Clyde - Unprecedented Fugitive Lovers!"

"...According to the information provided by the police, there is currently a confirmed connection between this couple and the robbery incidents involving four small businesses and banks. They are dangerous criminals who have managed to escape multiple times. Citizens who come across any information about their whereabouts should exercise caution and refrain from taking impulsive actions..."

Bonnie and Clyde, the notorious couple, had their wanted notices published in numerous newspapers.

As a case that emerged during the Great Depression, the story of Bonnie and Clyde had acquired an exaggerated significance through mass media. In fact, in 1967, their story was adapted into a film titled "Bonnie and Clyde," depicting the encounters, love, robberies, murders, and escapes of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow during the Great Depression.

However, Colin had a clear perspective.

The so-called "exploits" of Bonnie and Clyde were magnified by the media, creating a public image that far surpassed their actual abilities.

Even after Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot dead by the police, their death scene attracted a large crowd. Fanatics attempted to seize anything they could as souvenirs. Someone took a piece of Bonnie's bloodstained skirt, while others collected locks of her hair.

According to the coroner's description, chaos reigned when he arrived at the scene, with some individuals even attempting to sever Clyde's ears.

The news of their deaths caused a sensation nationwide when their bodies were returned to Dallas. Within hours, tens of thousands of people flooded the small town with a population of only 2,000, hoping to catch a glimpse of the remains of the legendary fugitive couple. Consequently, the price of beer in local bars nearly doubled, with a usual 15-cent beer now being sold for 25 cents.

Clearly, people from all walks of life are similar when it comes to joining the crowd.

Moreover, overseas responses to this incident were even more fanatical and frenzied in some ways.

However, the story of Bonnie and Clyde was not Colin's main focus.

In fact, to his knowledge, the "career" of this couple was relatively short-lived, and the extensive media coverage ultimately sealed their fate.

In 1934, just two years after the reports surfaced, the notorious couple was captured and fatally shot.

Even in death, their wishes to be buried together were not fulfilled, as they were laid to rest separately in two different cemeteries.

On the contrary, what concerned Colin was the amplifying effect created by the media surrounding the entire incident.

During the Great Depression, people had limited means to receive news.

Aside from television and radio broadcasts, newspapers were the primary source of information. Due to the wealth disparity, the lower and middle-class populations heavily relied on newspaper reports.

As a result, the influence of mass media reached unprecedented levels during this era.

In fact, individuals from this period, particularly the homeless and unemployed, often passed their time reading news and books in libraries.

Even if their primary motive for being in the library was seeking shelter from the wind and rain.

_______

Join my P@treon at https://www.patreon.com/salted_fish to support me and read advanced chapters, we are 25 chapters ahead of Webnovel