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son Tony when in 1983 he acquired Tony's 19.2-percent stake Newhall's shares under the same formula for $779,186. The
in the newspaper, which represented the family's only remain- younger Newhall needed the money to settle a debt with his
ing shares. Scott Newhall does not much like Charles Morris brother and to buy a house. By Phillips's reckoning, that stock
now, and doesn't mind saying so. Morris responds: "I like Scott was now worth $1.8 million.
Newhall. Let's just say I would not put myself in the position of "Charles was not against letting him back in," Phillips ob-
relying on him in the future." serves. "But he didn't want to give him the original deal. So I
said, 'Why don't you split the difference-$1.3 million?' "
cott Newhall's swashbuckling manner derives from a life
''No," Tony replied reluctantly. "It just isn't going to work.
S great anguish. But they also believe it was a watershed for a com-
of romance and adventure. He married Ruth in 1933, at
[At] 3 o'clock I'll announce my resignation to the staff."
the age of 19; then lost a limb chasing forgotten Aztec
Everyone who was there that day recalls the meeting with
ruins on horseback in Mexico four years later. During
World War II, he was appointed the
Chronide'swar correspondent in Europe. munity that had grown up under the
Newhalls' benevolent despotism. "It was
And in 1952 he was named Chronicle, edi- a very emotional scene," says Phillips,
tor, making him one of California's most Newhall, 1919. A town of noble blood- who took over as interim publisher. "I
powerful young men. Then in November lines. A final outpost of the Old West. The came back here into my office, closed the
1963, looking for new challenges, he town of Scott Newhall's youth. door and called Charles. I didn't know
acquired The Signal for $60,000 and what I was doing here." Over the next
returned to the horse trails of his few days, Phillips received 17 staffres-
youth. ignations, a number that later grew to
Looking to save the dusty valley 20. "Every half-hour, somebody would
from its backward ways, Newhall come in and there'd be another resig- _f
railed against the corruption of nation on my desk," he says in quiet
elected leaders, myopic views of com- disbelief. No one knew that just four
mon folk and the steely fist of his own weeks hence, the Newhall family and
family businesses, contesting the "en- a dozen departed Signal professionals
joyable mythology that this writer is would inaugurate the competing,
nothing but a stalking horse for a big twice-weekly Santa Clarita Citizen. Its
bad farming company that is plan- rallying cry was the Latin "Illegitimi
ning to take over the whole region." non Carborundum," to which Scott ]
For reasons more economic than Newhall delighted in saying: "It means
editorial in a town that could support He takes a moment, don't let the bastards grind you down."
only one newspaper, Scott Newhall chal-
lenged a rival editor in December 1965 then sighs, "The cott Newhall launched The Citizen
to a duel on Main Street. "I'm Calling You on September 11, 1988, its hap-
Out, Art Evans," he cried in a mocking future has nothing S
hazard pages produced by a hand-
front-page editorial. The rival never ful of The Signal'sformer top staf-
showed and the town was Newhall's. to do with us." fers who competed fiercely against
Over the years, as his newspaper grew their old colleagues. Their resources
from a small weekly to a 42,000-circula- were limited, their desks pressed tightly
tion daily, he zealously guarded his together. But they followed the Newhalls
domain, calling the competing Los Angeles Times "that gangling, out of unswerving loyalty, taking symbolic pay cuts of $1 a week
shaggy, gray mastodon of printed oatmeal porridge," and refer- and no guarantees as to how long the 40,000-circulation Citizen
ring to the encroaching county seat as "the great, hopeless, slob- would survive. Leading the charge, Scott termed himself a
bering super metropolis of Los Angeles." "He's a visionary," says "simple, inoffensive newspaper man who goes to work late of a
Thomas Lee, Newhall Land's present chairman. "Of all the morning with a spelling book close at hand and a flask of Geri-
people I know, he has the greatest vision of what the city can tol on his hip." But he also plunked down $1 million to make
be." But the sun is at last setting over Scott Newhall's shoulder. the venture work. And for a time it did.
Ruth Newhall, a legendary former San Francisco Chronicel pol-
ust before the end came on Tuesday morning, August 9,
ice reporter who for many years ran The Signal while Scott tilted
J And Scott himself, after winding down for most of the past de-
against windmills, held forth in the makeshift Citizen newsroom.
1988, Darell Phillips shouldered his friend Tony Newhall
aside at The Signal offices and asked once more: "Jesus,are
cade like an old clock, labored with renewed vigor. In a front
you sure you want to do this?"
No," Tony said.
be beyond the reach of booted and spurred bookkeepers who
''Well, I don't think Charles wants you to do this, either," Phil- page farewell to Morris and The Signal, he wrote: "How sweet to
lips said emphatically. With Scott Newhall busy elsewhere, Mor- cannot distinguish between mixed metaphors and split infini-
ris's representative still hoped to reach a compromise with The tives, and who cannot recognize a dangling participle unless it
Signal's respected young publisher. "is reposing a few inches immediately below the belt buckle." But
Phillips felt Scott Newhall's vitriolics were one obstacle tone- son Tony, still bound by the terms of Morris's 10-year, non-com-
gotiations. Another was Tony Newhall's insistence that Morris pete clause, could not follow them. And without Tony's ability
sell the stock back at its 1983 value. Under the original agree- to combine the practical resources of his mother and brilliance
ment, Morris had paid 1-1/2 times The Signal's gross revenues of his father, The Citizen grew hard-pressed over the next months
to buy the newspaper. Five years later, Morris bought Tony to attract advertisers or readers. 'That's the single most impor-

24 CALIFORNIA BUSINESS I Julyl989