By Robert Simonson
11 Apr 2012

	Kid Blink, as depicted by Trey Parker, in the "Newsies" film

Unlike the kind-hearted newsboys depicted in the show, the real urchins were more than willing to resort to violence to further their ends. They armed themselves with staves and sticks and attacked "scabs" — though not "the poor fellows who have no homes" and "are not to be blamed if they do anything to make a few cents," it was reported at the time. They also confronted delivery wagons from the World and Journal, successfully sending the World and Journal's circulation spiraling. "Real violence and bloodshed came frequently," reported the Brooklyn Eagle on July 20.

There was no strike-coverage blackout enforced by Pulitzer, as there is in the musical. There was no publisher solidarity. In fact, the situation was quite the opposite. "The World and Journal were losing their advertising after a couple days," said Nasaw. "The advertisers went to the other newspapers. And the other papers had a ball covering the strike."

In Newsies, the strike is resolved when Pulitzer brings the cost down to 55 cents for 100 papers, and agrees to buy back all the papers newsboys can't sell. (In the past, newsboys were stuck with the unsold papers.) In truth, Pulitzer only agreed to the latter issue. Plus, Pulitzer didn't actually buy the papers back; he gave the newsboys credit for the papers. "They won a strike in a way that no other unions which contested the newspapers could do it," explained Nasaw. "Just like the teamsters, later in the 1950s, the boys were the critical pathway between the newspapers and the readers."

Another fabrication in Newsies is the newsboy leader, Jack Kelly (played by Jeremy Jordan). The 1899 paperboys were led by a youth named Kid Blink, so called because he was blind in one eye. He was also known by the monikers Red Blink (he had red hair) and Muggsy Magee. He spoke in thick New York dialect — i.e., "Me men is nobul" — which made for good copy. Kid Blink was introduced at a rally at New Irving Hall on Broome Street on July 24, 1899, as "our master workman," the New York Times reported at that time. The "Newsies" film featured a minor character called Kid Blink, but the leadership duties were taken up by the fictional Jack Kelly, who had 20/20 vision.

As for other characters in the show (spoiler alert here!), Joseph Pulitzer did not have a daughter reporter, let alone one who was involved in the strike and fell in love with its newsboy leader. And while Theodore Roosevelt was indeed Governor of New York at the time, he did not get involved in the dispute. "He was certainly not going to march and align himself with Hearst and Pulitzer," said Nasaw. "They were Democrats."