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386:, one of Sheppard's lawyers, later wrote that "Seltzer used his newspaper like a club, ordering politicians around like minions and intimidating everyone who disagreed with him. If Seltzer was roused, he would spread a personally penned editorial across eight columns of his newspaper, seeking to grind some unfortunate dissident under his heel".
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in 1973, Seltzer moved with them. Seltzer died in his daughter's house on April 2, 1980, at the age of 82. Seltzer's living relatives at the time of his death included his daughter, two siblings, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His son, Chester E. Seltzer, who was also a journalist and
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published a series of front-page editorials, some written by
Seltzer himself, alleging Sheppard's guilt and pushing for swift, punitive action from the local authorities. The stream of editorials began with the July 20 article "Somebody Is Getting Away With Murder", written by Seltzer himself. The
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struck with editorial might, even if it meant using a sledgehammer to crush a gnat. Overkill could be rationalized because the cause was just, for the little guy. Anyone who tried to play outside these rules or who was perceived as looking down on his mostly blue-collar readers, Seltzer enjoyed
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under his leadership as a "fighting paper" that "fought like hell for the people". During his editorship, Seltzer was the subject of "glowing" profiles in the national media, which emphasized his civic mindedness, his flamboyant public persona, and the freewheeling atmosphere of the
178:, was "a frequently unemployed carpenter and a totally unsuccessful writer of romantic short stories". The family lived in poverty during Seltzer's early years; when Seltzer was 12 and in the sixth grade, he dropped out of school to work as an office boy at
397:. Seltzer argued that he was convinced the Sheppard family was involved in a conspiracy to get away with murder and that he personally wrote the editorials, instead of passing them off to one of his employees, out of concern for the safety of his staff.
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profile of
Seltzer, "No civic campaign can get off the ground without his support, although no worthy cause... ever lacks it. For more than a decade nobody has been elected mayor or carried Cuyahoga County for governor without the backing of the
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magazine, "No crook in public office has slept well in Louis
Seltzer's regime, although many a crook in private pursuits has doubtless slept like a baby". According to later writer James Neff, "When local government did not function, the
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published another front-page editorial, addressed directly to County
Coroner Sam Gerber: "Why No Inquest? Do It Now, Dr. Gerber". A few hours after the editorial was published, Gerber ordered an inquest. And on July 30, the
138:, Seltzer emphasized the public service aspect of the paper and "vigorously developed the notion that his reporters were watchdogs for the public over political and governmental affairs". He also gained a reputation as a "
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as a police reporter, and became a city editor in 1916. However, Seltzer felt he lacked the experience for the position and resigned after three months, switching to the role of political editor.
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184:. Although his father started to earn money as a writer about a year later, by then Seltzer was successful enough at his own job that he refused to quit and return to school.
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Seltzer vigorously developed the notion that his reporters were watchdogs for the public over political and governmental affairs". According to a 1950 profile of him in
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played an important part in bringing the city such things as downtown redevelopment, a municipal zoo, bridges, highways and parks along what was once a dilapidated
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newsroom. More recently, Seltzer has received both unfettered praise, and some criticism for his handling of certain stories, particularly the
Sheppard trial.
187:
At the age of 14, Seltzer met Marion
Elizabeth Champlan, and the pair were married when they were both 18. Shortly after getting married, Seltzer moved to the
127:, Seltzer became one of the most powerful and most well-known citizens of Cleveland, earning the nickname "Mr. Cleveland". Under Seltzer's leadership, the
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gained the largest circulation of any newspaper in Ohio and cultivated a reputation as a "fighting paper" that "fought like hell for the people".
222:, Seltzer became one of the most well-known and most powerful people in the city, earning the nickname "Mr. Cleveland". Under his leadership the
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gained the largest circulation of any newspaper in Ohio, and cultivated a reputation as an advocate for its readers. Seltzer described the
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158:. Seltzer was the subject of both glowing praise and harsh criticism, particularly for his extensive coverage of the trial of
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in 1966, Seltzer occasionally wrote columns for suburban newspapers and also published a collection of character sketches,
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published an editorial entitled "Quit
Stalling – Bring Him In". Sheppard was arrested on a murder charge that evening.
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Advisory Board from 1956 to 1968. When
Seltzer's wife died in 1965 he moved in with his daughter, Shirley Cooper, in
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364:, in his 1964 ruling that Sheppard did not receive a fair trial, partially blamed the media, particularly the
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in that it emphasizes
Seltzer's rise from relative poverty to professional success via persistent hard work.
368:: "If ever there was a trial by newspaper, this is a perfect example. And the most insidious example was the
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718:"Chapter 26 of "The Years Were Good," the Autobiography of Louis B. Seltzer, Editor of The Cleveland Press"
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and was personally involved in numerous civic and charitable endeavors. According to
Seltzer's obituary in
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that Sheppard did not receive a fair trial because of the negative publicity he received in the press.
292:" for his use of the paper's influence to help the careers of numerous local politicians, including "
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109:(September 19, 1897 – April 2, 1980) was an American journalist who was editor-in-chief of the
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372:. For some reason that newspaper took upon itself the role of accuser, judge and jury". The
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to work as a reporter, but was fired shortly thereafter. After a short enlistment in the
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later received harsh criticism for their handling of the case. Federal district judge
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Seltzer was born on September 19, 1897, in Cleveland, Ohio, on the west bank of the
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428:(1966). He continued to associate with more than 50 organizations and was on the
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Dr. Sam Sheppard on Trial: The Prosecutors and the Marilyn Sheppard Murder
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in 1956. The memoir, which Seltzer published himself, is written in the "
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53:
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The Wrong Man: The Final Verdict on the Dr. Sam Sheppard Murder Case
654:"The silence of the good allowed the unfettered plunder of the bad"
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and his own personal involvement in the case in his 1956 memoir
304:, also mayor and then a U.S. senator, and Supreme Court Justice
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123:, from 1928 until his retirement in 1966. As editor of the
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536:"Louis B Seltzer Dies, Editor, Civic Leader in Cleveland"
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Crimes and Trials of the Century [2 volumes]
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Seltzer emphasized the public service aspect of the
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768:Bailey, Frankie Y.; Chermak, Steven (2007-10-30).
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741:DeSario, Jack; Mason, William D. (2016-12-22).
339:doctor, was accused of murdering his wife, the
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515:. Indiana University Press. pp. 405–406.
796:"Crusading Seltzer was Compassionate Dynamo"
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747:. Kent State University Press. p. 6.
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684:Bailey, F. Lee; Rabe, Jean (2008-03-04).
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288:Seltzer also gained a reputation as a "
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652:Morris, Phillip (September 17, 2010).
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218:in 1928. During his editorship of the
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586:. Random House Publishing Group.
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265:"Kingmaker": Political activities
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635:"Crusader in a Pink Shirt"
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389:Seltzer defended the
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166:Early life and career
156:United States Senator
476:web.ulib.csuohio.edu
407:The Years Were Good,
401:Later life and death
285:taking down a peg".
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174:. Seltzer's father,
107:Louis Benson Seltzer
25:Louis Benson Seltzer
824:The Years Were Good
800:lakewoodhistory.org
540:The Washington Post
395:The Years Were Good
379:Sheppard v. Maxwell
344:following day, the
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727:2016-12-22
665:2016-12-23
553:2016-12-22
482:2016-12-22
449:References
413:" mold of
325:See also:
88:Journalist
85:Occupation
46:1897-09-19
548:0190-8286
290:kingmaker
259:Lake Erie
140:kingmaker
117:Cleveland
54:Cleveland
641:: 25–26.
93:Employer
438:Spencer
77:Spencer
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