Foster Hailey

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Foster Hailey

Newspaper Reporter

Bio & Character Sketch of

Foster Hailey

Aug. 13, 1899 - Aug. 13, 1966

Age in April, 1923: 23   Age at Death: 67

Age when picture was taken: (est) 23

Foster Hailey was born in Berry, Illinois on August 13, 1899. He attended the University of Missouri’s  School of Journalism and graduated in 1924. He was the President of his Senior J-School Class.

 

After several reporting jobs, Hailey was hired by the New York Times and served in many editorial roles over a 27-year-career with them.  He was their correspondent in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

 

In 1954, Hailey won the Missouri Journalism Award and he was an eight time recipient of the New York Times Publisher’s Award for Excellence in Journalism.

 

He wrote two books including “Pacific Battle Lines” about his time spent with the Navy reporting news in the Pacific during World War II.

 

In 1965 Hailey retired to Tucson, Arizona.  Foster Hailey died in Tucson, Arizona on his 67th birthday,  August 13, 1966.

 

Character Sketch

At just twenty three years of age, Foster Hailey used his athletic prowess to quickly climb and sit on  top of James Scott’s jail cell just as the lynch mob was trying to cut through its door. He used his reporting skills to listen and write down what he heard and saw in the jailhouse.

 

Under cross examination during the Barkwell trial, Hailey was somewhat unimpressive however. He was unable to clearly paint a picture of George Barkwell’s  mob leadership and his distinct actions taken leading to Scott b's abduction from the jail. 

 

Like Misselwitz, Hailey’s “underperformance” in recollecting the lynching event in a meaningful way belies his much more distinguished career highlights afterwards.