National Republican., 1883-05-01
A. CONVERTED PUGILIsT.
Lifo OF George king-From the Prize
Ring to the Pulpit.
From The Chicago Netus.

From The Chicago ketps
Mr.. George King, who is delivering gospe
temperance addresses in the principal cities
large audiences of the lower class wherever
he goes on account of his former career as
prize fighter. But will let him tell his own
story as he related it to me. If some parts of
his narrative are startling, you must remem-
ber truth is stranger than fiction"
"Well," said King, 81 will tell you my
story. It's nothin to be proud of at the be-
ginnin', but it's all true as gospel. was
brought up in London by decent parents, but
when was about 1S years old was pretty
good sparrer, and Ben Caunt, the champion
OF England, took me in hand. He taught me
to box and he taught me to drink, too. /
fought Harry Jones for EGO side at the Will
lam ~, Marylebone, and beat him. L then
beat Bill Cane at Jenny Shaw's and gave ex-
hibitions in the ring with ALI Walker, tho
champion. / made plenty Of money and grew
fond of drink. In one of my sprees gave
four men one crown each to borrow coffin
/ placed myself in it, with sheet around me,
and my face whitened, and they carried me
home to my mothers little sitting room. My
mother came in and began weeping over me,
when my brother entered and said: "Don't
cry, mother; it's mercy the scamp's dead.
1t would have been better If he had gone long
ago." She looked up and said: Don't talk
like that Of your own brother and my dear
boy" Just then could stand it no longer,
SO Jumped out of the coffin and frightened
them out of their wits. / seized a knife, and
would have struck my brother with it, but
my father happened to come in and stopped
me in the nick of time i rushed out of the
house, and consoed myself by getting drunk
at the Globe public house. On another occa-
sion had fight with dog. This was as far
back as 1859. In the year 1860 j had o con-
test with Jack Martin for 9l0 q side. Won
that fl0 pounds very quick, in seventeen
rounds. Then Tom Sayers backed me to
fight Patsy Murphy with gloves for 910,
at Bill Jones's, in Hanover street.
fought ffty-one rounds with him in two
hours and half and came out the winner.
On the tenth of June, 1862, was making my
way to fight another boxing match at East
street, Walworth, South London, with Harry
Perkins. AS l was making my way through
the borough passed the Elephant and Castle
public house, aud happened to go past Mr..
| Surgeons tabernacle. Just as L got opposite
looked across the road. thought, some
how, would step across and have look
what it was like, as l had never been in a
place of worship before. believed in neither
God nor devil then. The first person that
caught my eye was the preacher, Mr.. Spur
geon, and he was reading the fifteenth verse
of the third chapter of ST. John. / happened
to stop long enough to hear him read the
sixteenth verse, and directly the words left
his lips fell on my knees and cried: Lord,
save am sinner My load seemed to
have left me, and instead of going to the box
ing match 1 went straight home and said !:
Mother, God has saved my soul tonight The
next day ] met Tom Sayers, and he said !:
Why, where were you last night, Trickey {?
We had crowded house come on fol-
lowed him, and he made his way to the pub
lie house door. Inside l knew were large
number Of my companions-all famous fight
ing men. did not go in. Tom got half way
in and beckoned me to follow, but said I:
'Oh, no, no | won't go in any more; no
more of that for me- Tom looked quite
amazed, and said to the boxing men inside !:
Here he is, outside here he won't come in.'
So out they came, one after another, and stood
around me in a ring. Tom said: Now look
here, What is the matter with you, TriokeyY"
So / told them all how had changed my
principles, aud l got nothing but laughter
from all the crowd--plenty of laughter |
then sold all my boxing gloves, nay jewelry,