Editing Edwin Grozier (section)

== Career ==
Grozier began&nbsp;his career in journalism, as a reporter at the ''Boston Herald'' and ''The Boston Globe'' from 1881&ndash;1883. He then spent a year, serving as Governor [[George D. Robinson|George D. Robinson's]] private secretary (1883&ndash;1884). Grozier returned to the newsbusiness in 1885, as private secretary to [[Joseph Pulitzer]], and later as city editor of the ''[[New York World]]'', (1887) and managing editor of ''[[The Evening World]]'' and the ''[[Sunday World]]'' (1889&ndash;1891).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QG59C0aM-3MC&dq=Who%27s+Who+in+America%2C+Edwin+atkins+grozier&pg=PA446|title=One Thousand American Men of Mark Today|date=1916|publisher=American Men of Mark|pages=446|language=en}}</ref>

In October 1891, Grozier purchased controlling interest in ''The Boston Post'', at a time when readership was low,&nbsp;with a circulation of less than 2500; the paper was on the verge of bankruptcy.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="obit" /> However, in less than 25-years, Grozier grew the paper into the largest circulation morning newspaper in the country.<ref name=":1" />

=== Advertising and  public relations ===

In 1909, Grozier launched a public relations campaign aimed at increasing readership. He purchased 700 [[Assistive cane|walking canes]], and sent them out to 700 New England towns where the ''Post'' was published. The top of the African ebony, gold-tipped canes, were stamped with the words, "Presented by the Boston Post to the oldest resident of ... (name of town)." The Board of Selectmen in each town were to be trustees; ensuring the canes were presented in a ceremony to the town's oldest living man. The custom was expanded to include a community's oldest women in 1930. More than 500 towns in New England still carry on ''The Boston Post'' Cane tradition with the original canes they were awarded in 1909.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-05-13|title=Secrets to a Long Life From Holders of The Boston Post Cane|url=https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/secrets-long-life-holders-boston-post-cane/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=New England Historical Society|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Boston Post Cane Committee {{!}} Charlton, MA|url=https://www.townofcharlton.net/229/Boston-Post-Cane-Committee|access-date=2021-01-02|website=www.townofcharlton.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Boston Post Cane|url=http://www.pelhamnhhistory.org/index.php/boston-post-cane|access-date=2021-01-02|website=www.pelhamnhhistory.org}}</ref>

Under his leadership, the ''Post'' became the leading U.S. newspaper in advertising volume, and advertisers recognized the ''Post'' as an opportunity for increased exposure. One Philadelphia advertising agency noted that the ''Post'' was the only paper published in the morning. Zain Advertising, launched a 10-week ad-writing contest with the ''Post'', in an effort to engage and educate the public on the importance of advertising. Three hundred prizes were awarded each week for the best advertising suggestions on 24 products. Two grand prizes, $500 and $1000, were awarded at the end of the campaign; over 500-thousand entries were submitted over the 10-week period.<ref name=":1" />

=== Notable reporting ===

==== Richeson murder and execution ====
The New England Historical Society wrote of the coverage of the 1911 murder of Avis Linnell by [[Clarence Richeson]], saying, '"the crusading newspaper editor of  ''The Boston Post'', Edwin Grozier, brought him to grief...[putting] his reporters on the story. They found Richeson bought cyanide from a druggist in Newtown, Mass...the ''Post'' demanded a police investigation into the death of Avis Linnell."'<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-06-22|title=Avis Linnell, Murdered by Her Minister, Inspires 'An American Tragedy'|url=https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/avis-linnell-murdered-minister/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=New England Historical Society|language=en-US}}</ref> Richeson ultimately confessed, and was executed.

==== Charles Ponzi scheme ====
In 1920, under the leadership of his son, [[Richard Grozier]], who had been day-to-day head of the paper since 1920, the ''Post'' won the Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service after exposing [[Charles Ponzi]] as a fraud.<ref name="Zuckoff">{{cite book|last=Zuckoff|first=Mitchell|url=https://archive.org/details/ponzisschemetrue00zuck|title=Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend|publisher=Random House|year=2005|isbn=1-4000-6039-7|location=New York|author-link=Mitchell Zuckoff|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The 1921 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Public Service|url=https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/boston-post|access-date=2021-01-02|website=www.pulitzer.org|language=en}}</ref> The newspaper expose covered individuals with political and financial ties to the scheme. Many community members, including authorities, did not believe the allegations, made during the papers investigation, until "the bubble burst," leaving millions of dollars in public money lost, as a large Trust company failed.<ref name=":1" />