Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-06
HOWELL GARDNER.
The Evangelist and Ex.Pugllist
Laid at Rest.
Funeral Serices-Prile Fighters and BOwery
Sports MingIing VIII Church peO-
pIe-BiIIy noGIoy's Tribute.


markable scene that the Rev. John Roche
looked upon when he stood in the pulpit
of the South Second Street Methodist Epis.
Copal Church TO conduct the funeral SER
vice over the remains OF the Rev. Howell
T.. Gardner, evangelist and eTpugilist, who
died from injuries received by the explo.
sion on the steamboat Riyerdalc. Nearly
all the members OF South Second Street
Church were present, but seated with them
were many o.d time sport" and modern
"sluCCcrs.' The old timers were present
to see last oI me COmrauc OF Iormer aHys
who was once known as
"HorribIe Gardner
The younger sporting element had heard
Howell Gardner preach sunday nights III
Blly MCGIOrys and other places OF unsav'
ory reputation. Just beneath the living
aud above the dead preacher there was
rcriCCt embank kment Of !,Oral pieces. The
central piece was massive anchor, with
the words EOL forgotten inscribed be-
LealL il. 4 mild.eyed young class'leader,
who was acting as usher, explained that
this piece had been sent by "a gentleman
ramtd MCG,Ory-I think Mr.. William Nc.
Glory is the Eame' ii proved, in fact,
tLat the iIoral piece which bad the place OF
loror on the altar was from none other
thsn the rcGOubtable Billy, OF Hester street
fame
Women were at the service who, per
baps, felt strangely out OF place in that
Methodist congregation. IEey had met
Houel! Gardner while he wasipursuing
Ills Midnight Missionary iabors
in New York. and had learned 10 respect
and almost reverence him. Som" Ol these
women sobbed aloud while the service was
in progress They were quietly dressed
aCst Of them, and their general appear
a,.rr vas IN no way rtmaTkih g. Hr SuIth
:. Nllrn. mn u!d South Second street sun
dav ,ChCo. lOv. Who is now ,he 'All Night
Missionary Of the Florence Night MIs"pn
IN R,eeCh,r Street. sa.t yesterday WuIIg
seated in the gallery ui he church tha,
Cr,y three weeks ago liOweI! Gardner had
induced girl not Yet T. years old. 10 fo'
sake the ne 0f s.r gh" had Just entered
on. He did great deal of good over our
way. said Mr.. Alien, and his death ~ q
great loss 10 US.
Sta ed in front Iew were the
Dead Preachers Three Brothers.
Orville Gardner, also an eT-pugilist and
evangelist, whose career as the notorious
Awful Gardner Of twenty-five years ago
.
Elijah Gardner and FreebOrn Gardner.
One Of the most solemn yissges in the
church was that Ui Rocky Moore, the
ex.rUgllist II guess he feels pretty bad,
whispered veteran sport in the doorway.
"lou can bet that Rocky amt forgotten
how Howell Gardner trained him for his
fight with Joe CDbUrn.' The BOwery and
Hester street crowd we're also present IN
forcr. but We few Of the church people
T.. l.. n1f -..ll Il aala a nj
quiet in their manners. Among them
were Andy Kelly. Jack COnroy, who Is
Billy McIEiory's pet Singer" the big o.
b" and CAME They listened With
wonder 10 the CALCULATIONS OF Glory be II
God, etc. that seemed 10 come in an un
usually solid chorus from the amen cor
neT.
In fact the proceedings resembled rat
rirg revival meeting than
Funeral service.
! The Rev. Mr. Roche, bad evidently been
informed as 70 the character Of portion
! OF lis audience, and he seemed determin
| ed. il possible, 10 catch some OF the sinful
souls while he had the opportunity. H'
slowed how Howell Gardener resisted nj
| temptations 10 strike out with his prae
! ticed fists in moments OF anger after hi
| conSersation. His ChristIanity, said he
! "gss more muscular than his phys!cs
manhood. Graca reigned rather thar
hate"
! Praise the Lord for that shouted a
emphatic brother, and other brothers an
sisters cried out, Yes, praise the Lord.
There's more philosophy" continued tn
preacher, in the powers OF Divine gtae
| in It's action on the human soul, than any
one can compute"
| R.miniseenses OF the ConyeYsisa
OF Howell and Oryille Gardner were given
The preacher also told funny stories in
revertntial tone. He referred 10 the lar
that Howell Gardner was not An educate
man, and said that many preachers in th
Methodist church were even illitefate. n
remembered one evangelist who seeing th
passage The Lord is en- austere N tn.
took il TO mean that the Lord was IN oy
termsp, so one day when he was prescain
to an assemblage OF oyster dredgers he too
as biz mott appropriate text the wo'd
The Lord is an Oystermsn, and shove
how the Almighty dredssd for souls, jn
as the men before him dredgsd for Oyster,
The choir sang "pm pesrsr my nome
Heaven TO 6ay than ever I've osen oeIore,
and 1T the close of the service the o'sahi,
played ysyy softly the hymn, hseeP ,
Jesus" while the crowds hIea Pc. ~
rofsn. The remsins Sefe tssen "'e"A
y. J.. Tor irtsrIneEt
.c,.nI and son iHaI A>ssis.
Ev..,yrtLE I,D.. ssptsn'he' 5-hne'
L. II,--s,, T,..j NE. cha .ts. sikiei ityi