The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-11
SOMD NEW BOOKS.
The History Of a River ThloG.

known to fame as great prelates, or profound
theoloeians, or heroic h..asiouories, or, in still
other ways, :. ccsnel champions.
JEREMIAH MCCAULEY was one OF the rouRhs OF
New York he Is nov a reformed preacher il
Water street, and he has just got out tie book
about himself, under the title OF Transformed;
or, The Historp Of a Rtror 1hief Briefly IOid.
Jerry" is Of IRISH birth, and came OF criminal
stock. His father was a couuterfeter I'm Ire
land; and "a ~ tnis coust.-j5 a iuaitlvc from
lust's. gerry had no schooling IN his boy hood,
and WAS a wicked trckstcr from his e rliest
years. He was harshly treated by his own peo-
pie and the world, aud he took revenge On DO h.
His first memories are Of Singing things at his
erandmothors head when she was Frustrated in
pr=yor, ana Of getting cursed by her for these
unseemly interruptions. As a lad In this city,
he was as great rogue as one Of his years could
be. lie associated himself with two other lads,
who earned what they could. and stole the rest,
TO supply their daily wants. They had boat In
the river, plundered the vessels which they
boarded in the night time, sold their ill-eotten
goods, and, with the proceeds, reveed In the
vilest dens OF Water street.
He soon learned the arts which gave him no
toriety as prize fighter, aud rose rapidly
through various grades Of vice and crime TIL he
became terror and nuisance In the Fourth
Ward. At the age OF nineteen he was arrested
for highway robbery lie saws he knew
thing OF the criminal act OF which he was
cused, but was nevertheless convicted, pro
nounced guilty. and sentenced to fifteen years
In Sing Sing When handcured, he had burn
Ing desire to wreak vengeance on those who
were responsible for this injustice. and his ride
up the river In tho cars TO sing Sing was the
saddest hour Of his life. Fifteen years." says
he, "nfteen years OF hard labor In prison TO look
forward TO, and all for a crime I was innocent
Of "a the babe unborn" when he passed be-
hind the heavy stone walls, and was shut up In
his cell, he had time for gloomy reflections.
Yet, when put to work he so demeancd himself
for two years that all the keepers and guards
spoke well Of him. lie then suffered from III
ness for two or three years, and became at times
uneasy and intractable, for which he underwent
severe punishment, that only hardened him
and filled his heart with murderous Intentions
toward the man who put him in.
He had been in prison some Ave years, when,
upon entering the chapel for religious service
one sunday morning, he was astounded to see
on the platform ono Of his old confederates In
sln-Orvillc Gardner, better known to fame AZ
awful" Gardner-who, having turned from his
evil ways, was carrying the glad news among the
people who had been his criminal companions.
Jerry and Awful" had been associated In many
a dark deed and wicked pleasure and when
Awful talked to the conyicts. with tears In Ills
eyes, and told them n was only little while
since he himself had taken on the stripes which
they were then wearing, Jerry was com pletely
overcome. Ho returned To bis cell, drearer on
Sundays than on other days and, as the prison
ers were marched through the hall, they took
with them their plate OF dinner" and went of
to pass the day in solitude.
IA oh ali h..t To-
had learned to read during his imprisonment,
had showed the Bible up the yentlator when he
FIRST incarceratod. lie took 1t out, beat the
dust from 1t, began to read II, and found It in
tenscly Interesting, though he had supposed IL
TO be dry, dead 'hing, 1t only for priests and
saints. He was fascinated by II and night after
night, when daylight was gone, no stood no at
his grated door to read by the dim light which
came from the corridor. He went through II all
twice, and was particularly astonisnod at the
book OF Revelation, which ne wished to be-
lieve, but could not understand. AT last, one
night, no tried to pray, but could not. lie
struggled to do II, but could not. He threw
himself on his knees, jumped up again, pros
trated himself once more, and yet AGAIN sprang
up, crying for divine mercy. The fearful con-
nict went on for three or four weeks without
relief His sketch Of his conversion Ia simple
but picturesque. With hands tightly cllsped,
and ewes closed, he fell upon his knees on the
hard stone floor Of his cell, aud seemed rooted
to those cold stones. lie determined to remain
thus all night, implorng forgiveness, till he
called to his work In the morn
ing. he sweat rolled OF bis face, and
his agony was intense. In time his cell seemed
nlled with heavenly light aud soft fragrance ;
he thrilled with exul alton as he beheld the up-
lifted cross. and he felt hand laid upon his
head by one VITO said, my son, thy sins are
forgiven" As he clapped his hands and shouted
with Joy, one OF the guards came along tho cor
ridor, and, after demanding to be told what
was the matter, took out paper, wrote down
the number Of the cell, and threatened To re-
port hin in the morning for misconduct. But
Jerry did not care for that, and the guard must
have been negligent, for Jerry escaped without
punishment From that time, life was all new
to him. Work was nothing hard fare nothing
scowls and harsh words nothing. He was
happy.
when he got the chance, he began TO tell his
fellow convicts. He told his friend Jack Dare,
who had been the leader OF revolt In prison.
Jack sneered at him, repulsed him, spat at him,
lifted his hand to strike him, and told him he
was playing II bold game TO get out. but Jack
also was soon converted and even the keeper
was clad that such a desperate character mad
got religion, and would give no more trouble
For two years thngs went on thus. All that
time Jerry's cell In Sing Sing seemed to him
ike heaven, and he did not care whether he
ever got out. TN one day he found himself pray
inc to get out, and the prayer was soon answer
ed by his receiving pardon from the Governor
after having been incarcerated seven years and
six months, or about half the period Of his sen.
tence.
On reaching this city he felt lonely and for.
lorn. He could not go back to his old haunts OF
companions, ana he knew no Others. He kept
steadily away from the Fourth Ward, that he
might avoid temptation. But In his solitude he
took glass OF lager bier, upon which his old ap
| petite was awakened his head got confused
his downfall was begun, and from that time he
| plunged Into liquor, and drank II daily The
devil got the upper hand he forsook religion
and he was n wretched man as he again entered
on career which he is unwilling to describe
| II was war time, and he went into the bounty
business picked up men wherever he could nnd
| them, made them half drunk, and coaxed them
| to enlist. lie thus made great deal of money
| but became sporting man and spent IL. lie
went back To his river life, bought stolen good,
from the sailors, and cheated them in all sort;
| OF ways. When he got troubled In mind he took