National Republican., 1883-08-28
A cur1ous EVANGELIST.

An Ex-Convict Ina the Character OF Saver
OF souIs--Thc Strange story OF the Life
OF the Chief OF the Union scouts I'm Vir-
gInia.
A queer looking mortal arrived in Cincin-
natl the other day. says the Enquirer. Under
the travel stained duster he wore was suit
Of regimental blue, and his shirt was of the
same hued flannel. Hung around his body
was a strange looking leather pouch and a
leather tubo which was not unlike police
mans billy. A black slouch hat made up his
outfit. As he walked up the street from the
Grand Central depot, with the brass
buttons on his clothes shining
brightly, he created no little interest as an
object of curiosity. He was unshavcn, and
his mustache was rough and cut short. The
eyeglasses he wore failed to hide the twinkle
Of d bright pair of blue eyes when he noted
the attention he was receiving. From the
leather pouch he was carrying he took out
well-worn Bible, and, stopping in his walk
until crowd had gathered around him, he
began scriptural reading, citing passages
from the holy book as he continued his
strange way.
The man was Edmund Randall tho ex-con-
vict evangelist, who has spent eighteen years
of his lifo among tho slum in endeavoring to
reclaim that class of degraded beings which
| are to bo found TO q greater or less extent in
every community in tho civilized world
Weighed down by the knowledge Of crime,
Randall found and sought reliefin confession.
Conviction followed, but the two years he
spent in prison were years of comfort to him,
for behind the bars he learned to love the
Master and he made up his mind then and
| there to work for Him with heart and soul
until called to his final account. Among
the lowly he has kept his word. Randall is a
native of Virginia, and during the years of
Late M bA xyaa Of
scouts of the union army in the "Old Domin-
| ion." His crime was committed in Martins
burg, Berkely county, w. Va, where, in 1865,
he forged the name of both his father-in- law
and brother-in-law on n note on tho First
National bank of that place for $3.50. 1t was
not until year later, after he had renewed
| the paper several times, that he unburdened
himself of the secret which haunted his every
step. The money was paid him before he
was convicted, and he was sent to prison at
Moundsville, w. Va, on the eighth Of juno.
1867, to serve out two years sentence. For
! good behavior there several days time was
knocked off," and he left the dungeon
free man on tho twenty eighth
of May, 1869. During confinement he
preached to his fellow prisoners. and he has
kept up the practice ever since he left the
shadow of prison walls behind him. During
his incarceration his wife sought and obtained
q divorce from him, though they had always
lived happily together, and three children
had been born unto them. A singular coin
cidence in their cases was that his wife, too,
became worker in the cause of religion,
and she worked zealously until her death,
which occurred in September last. OF mis-
children two are dead. The third-a boy Of
about fifteen-is living at home with his
grandmother, at Martinsburg.
In the tube-liko contrivance mentioned Mr.
Randall carries quantity Of white paint
and it is habit of his to inscribe in public
places Scriptural text. On fence near the
workhouse he painted yesterday this verso
"Sin lieth at the door" There is nothing
however, to identity this evangelist as the
one who painted directly beneath q patent
medicine sign the words: prepare TO meet
thy God" The county Jail was the first
place visited by the worker yesterday, and he
was cordially welcomed by the "gang" there
He could sympathize with them in theii
misery, because he had once paid the penalty
for his wickedness garbed in convict's rags
| THE beauty of this work is that no church
can reach the people to whom preach, was
the remark of the queer looking genius to al
Enquirer man who struck his trail yesterday
"The classes to whom l speak are nevel
drawn within the doors of q sanctuary. Why
when l went down to Bucktown this morning
and saw the people there from ten-year-olt
bootblack up to the gray headed man, al
headed straight for damnation. 1 saw that IN,
field for work lies there. For over seventy
five nights preached at Smiths block in Co
lumbus. The first night the prostitutes ther
all hocked to their windows, and L was inter
rupted not little, but before l had ceased IN.
work the meetings were all largely attended
and were as quiet as they could possibly bav
been"
This evangelical work is carried on by sub
scription and Mr.. Randall exhibited littl,
book which bore the signatures of Gov. Eos
ter and many other notables to be found IL
the capital city Of the Buckeye state. From
the jail he went to the work house, where Ii,
left scriptural cards in every CELL He say
he expects to spend months here, and he will
hold three meetings day-at 10 in tn,
morning, 3 in the afternoon, and 7:3t
at night. At 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon he spoke to the tough habitue
of the barrel houses in the Sixth street mar
ket space. He detailed his prison expert
ences anda sympathetic beat found place in tht
heart ofnearly every one ofhis auditors. They
nearly all had been there, or deserved to be
By the side of the speaker was a drinking cuJ
of tin, on which were painted the words
Every tongue shall swear" Randall viii
invade Rat row before he quits the town. II,
proposes to carry the Testament into place
where it was never before found.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.-Mr. G. II. Hur
man, president of the Peoples bank, testife
to the value Of Browns Iron Bitters for re
lieving Indigestion.