The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-21

1T,
FRANCIS S. STREET.
The telegraph has told you long ere this of
the death of another millionaire Christian
philanthropist. who, like so many truly great
men, began his career a penniless, friendless
boy. Francis S. Street is known to the world
only as the rich and successful publisher Of
the New York Weekly. To Brooklyn he was
known as a benevolent, pubic-sprited citi-
zen. To the Baptist church he was known as
mighty man in Israeli" ever ready with
hand, heart, tongue or purse to aid in its
good work. To hundreds of poor and strug-
Cling young men he will ever be known as a
faithful counsellor and generous benefactor.
Mr.. Street was bern in this city in 1881, the
son of a sea captain. He was
forced by poverty to become an
errand boy in a grocery store when
only twelve years old. At nineteen he Sc
cured job at $40 week as book-keeper in
the New York Dispatch Office There he re-
manned six years, and formed an intimate
acquaintance with another employee on the
same paper, Francis S. Smith. At last the
two young men, at the age of twenty-five,
bought the nearly defunct Weekly for $40
600. Smith became editor, and Street bust
ness manager. That was little more than
worth 81, 250,000 in government bonds $l45,-
600 in real estate and left to his wife his one
half interest in the Weekly. valued at $780,
900. His fortune was derived almost entirely
from the paper. He was for many years the
superintendent of the largest Baptist Sun
day-school in Brooklyn. He gave literally
to missions, churches, schools, and all de-
serving applicants for charity. But so UNI
ostentatious was he that even his own family
did not know one-ha,f of mis- good works.
A form of beneficence much practiced by
him was to loan capital to poor young men,
enabling them to start in business. As soon
as they had become well-established and pros
porous they paid him back, but he never ac-
cepted interest on the loan. In that way he
often put out at one time sums aggregating
several hundred thousand dollare, and did
incalculable good.
MoNCK, THE MIRACLE-MoNGER.
The 'Rev. Dr." Monck, who pretends to
heal ali diseases by the laying on of hands in
the name of Christ-and in consideration Of
"a pecuniary remuneration-has been turned
out of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and
now holds his Sunday services in the Grand
Opera-house. Going there last Sunday l
found the building crowded with perhaps
5000 persons. Monck is cunning, sinister
looking Englishman. After preaching an
alleged sermon, full of ribald blasphemy, he
called a number of patients" upon the
stage, to be healed. They were a queer lot.
One was a man stone deaf"
You can't hear a word or a sound, can
your Monck asked him.
No." replied the deaf man, promptly
Then in the name of Christ, ears, come
Open" cried Monck, slappng the man on
each side of the head, and adding; Now,
can't you hear me?'
''EhP' quered the man.
GLORY to Christ, he's cured" shouted
Monck, and hustled him off the stage. The
next patient was an old woman who had
dyspepsia so badly that she could hardly eat.
Stomach, get we'll! Christ orders you to!''
cried Monck, slapping her on the abdomen.
Now, she's cured" he added, and led her
off. The third was buxom
young Irish girl, who had rheumatism
in her knees. Up under her skirts went
Monck's hands, and manipulated the refrac-
tory limbs for five minutes while the boys in
the gallery yelled themselves hoarse and
nearly all the decent people in the house
withdrew in disgust. Finally he declared
her cured, adding to her, in an undertone,
that to have the cure made perfect she would
better call at his office next day.
So he went on through score of cases,
and next day published an advertisement in
the papers saying he had at that service I'm
simultaneously and permanently cured, in the
name of Christ, 300 patients whom the doc
tors of the city pronounced incurable."
You will observe that Monck is a vigorous
preyaricator.
This man began his career as a butchers
boy in England. Then he went to Surgeons
college, studied theology a little, and was
licensed as a Baptist preacher. Then he
went over to the Congregationalists, and got
s. III
was also a trustee. On account of some
Irregularities the other trustees at last
locked the doors against him. A few nights
after this, the church burned down. Monck,
as trustee, tried to collect the insurance in
advance of the other trustees, but failing,
left the place. He next turned up as
Spiritualist.. The jugglery of his ''seances"
other peculiar experience he left En-
gland and came to this country He
is working the miracle racket" pretty sue
cessfully in Brooklyn, for hundreds of peo-
pie are fools enough TO go to him for healing,
and he collects round fee from every one.
NEW EDITOR OF THE TINES
George Jones has surprised everybody by
his selection of a successor 10 John Foord as
editor of the New York Times. Everyone
supposed he would promote Noah Brooks or
Howard Carroll, or some other member of
the staff who had acquired prominence. In
stead, he selected young Charley Miner, the
youngest and least-known man on the staff
Miller was graduated at Dartmouth ten
years ago, and was the poet of his class. He
secured place on the local staff of the
Springfield, Mass. Republican. and spent
four years there. Then he came to New
York, and got on the Times as third assist
ant news editor. at $lS week. After a year
or two at that, ne was set at compiling the
weekly edition of the Times from the daily
Then he began writing editorials. He has
rot shown any notable talent as a writer, but
is good manager, bright, wide-awake, pro-
eressive, and will doubtless sue
coed in his exalted position. He has
already effected one good change, namely:
the shortening of editorial articles. They