William Theodore Evjue, the firebrand, muckraking owner and editor of the successful (circ. 40,181) Capital Times of Madison, Wis., likes tough, independent reporters who are not afraid to talk back to him. Reporter Cedric Parker, 42, had measured up to the boss's standard almost too well. In his 21 years on Evjue's staff, Parker had earned a reputation as a crack reporter by such stunts as storming into tough gambling joints one jump ahead of raiding policemen. Reckless, hard-drinking Reporter Parker had also earned a left-wing reputation as a local C.I.O. official who had faithfully followed the Communist Party line.
In 1940,...