Digital Extra: The Journal's 175th Anniversary

07.21.2004

1994. A Pulitzer for court probe

Journal chief photographer Michael Delaney was scrolling through national news stories about 3 p.m. April 12, 1994.

"We won," he said quietly. "We won the Pulitzer." He started applauding, and his applause spread through the cavernous newsroom.

In one instant, Delaney's quiet announcement wiped away what had been a day of disappointment.

The Journal, whose investigation of corruption in the state Supreme Court had prompted the resignation of the chief justice and the top court administrator, had been hopeful of winning a Pulitzer that morning. Staff members had expected to hear -- probably by telegram -- sometime around noon.

But, as the afternoon wore on without word, they went on with their day. Two top editors got on a plane for a national editors conference. Two reporters who had worked on the court stories headed out of the office to work on another story, dejected.

Alerted by Delaney's announcement, Executive Editor James V. Wyman rushed into the newsroom, where he leaped atop a file cabinet. He addressed more than 100 staffers, who had gathered. "We would like to dedicate the award to the people of Rhode Island, whose cooperation and support have buoyed and bolstered our efforts throughout."

Though a team of reporters and an editor was named in the paper's Pulitzer Prize entry, Wyman said the entire newspaper shared in the honor, including all editors, photographers and reporters who, directly and indirectly, made the lengthy investigation possible.

The investigation began with a tip that prompted a December 1992 story saying that the son of the state auditor general had worked as a Supreme Court investigator despite being arrested three times and that part of his criminal history had been erased in court records.

Later stories also disclosed: The auditor's son had stolen money from a court fund, a theft covered up by the top court administrator, and the chief justice and top administrator used a slush fund garnered from bar examination fees to pay for liquor, fancy meals and a Fenway Park outing.

The investigative team that worked on the project included editor Tom Heslin and reporters Dan Barry, Tracy Breton, Ira Chinoy, Katherine Gregg, Mike Stanton, Dean Starkman and John Sullivan.

Starkman and Sullivan, the reporters who had left the office thinking the paper had not won a Pulitzer, returned to a jubilant newsroom and a roar of applause.

"It was like the air rushed out of the room," said Starkman. "The enthusiasm hits you like a train. It was great, the really warm feeling from all those colleagues."

In the midst of the celebration, Western Union called with a telegram that had been sent at 12:29 p.m.:

"THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL-BULLETIN STAFF WAS AWARDED PULITZER PRIZE FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING TODAY. CONGRATULATIONS."