The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-14
IMPRISONED THIRTY-FIyE YEARS.
REMARKABLE CAREER OF NEW MISSIONARY

REMARKABLE CAREER OF NEW MISSIONARY
ANOTHER WATER STREET MISSION.
Water street for its length and population bears a
bad reputation but If the founding OF missions in it
is to redeem it it ought to be redeemed very shortly
1t has three missions now, all doing necessary and
successful work. and Mr.. Michael Dunn has opened
another at No. 311, where he hopes to
convicts like himself and help them into honest and
Christian lives Michael is q man about ffty-two
years of age and thrtyve Of those years have been
spent in prisons in different places. His experience
has taught him that what convicts need most
when they leave prison is little human
sympathy and little help toward honesty. Their
great temptation is that they obliged through
lack of these to seek the help and sympathy Of
thieves and "fences" who encourage them in their
old courses and hence they rarely out of prison
unless they become exceedingly expert in crime. 1t
is yet year since Mr. Dunn left Sing Sing. where
he had been incarccrated four years and more Cor
stealing box Of dry goods from store and driving
OF on wagon with the property. He had previously
spent three years in the same institution for other
crimes. And while he did many things tor which he
ought to have been sent there, he wholly inno
cent he says of the crime for which he sent up
rest of thief and while the detectives knew that
he innocent they pushed him through that
they might obtain the reward
Mr.. Dunn has had peculiar experience. He was
brought up thief by his parents, and ut eight years
of ago he received q fogging and fourteen days in
jail little later he logged again and inpris-
oned for three months and third time the punish
ment Of both kinds WAS doubled But it did not
make him honest. Before he was thirteen years of
age he criminal in Van Dieman's Land when
Sir John Franklin OF North Pole fame governor
There he spent seven years OF his life. Ten more
years spent In Australia five years in Gibraltar
three years in Moyamcnsng, Philadelphia, aud two
and three-quarter years in Boston. This the hard
est term Michael ever served and where he received
the most iahuman treatment. He spent period
also in solitary confinement in Northampton, England
where, ut the age OF thirtytwo he learned to read
and write. He has visited various parts OF the world
a soldier and sailor, and yet he says. in all his
travels and imprsonments he has been only week
sick. When he came out OF prison the last time, in
February 1878, it with the determination take
the life of notorious fence who had been the chief
OF sending him up. But one day he wandered
into jerry McAuieys mission, in Water street, and
told his mind to him AS he would not have done to
another Jerry gave Dunn good advice
by following which he became Christian, and
for the last nine months he has done mission work
among ex-convcts for tho New York Prison Asso
citation. He knows the value OF honest sympathy and
how much criminals who seek TO reform need it. But
he does not propose in his Home" in Water street
to support number of men in idlcness. He will yet
cloth and flannel goods and set those al work
make and mend for themselves. He will get such en-
ploynent he outside for such he has tested
ana can recommend, and BY helping each man little
he will teach them to help themselves in honest
them to knowledge OF the Lord Jesus Christ who
alone keep them. Donations tor this mission
may be sent to the of this Office for Mr. Dunns
work In Water street.