Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-03-28
Another Penii tent Thief

The most persuasive Of the $ Eviden-8
ces Of christianity is the fact that i
makes good men out Of bad men. What 1t
reply can the honest doubter make to
this fact? There is now working IN
New York City a successful philanthro-
pist, who, five years ago, was one OF the ne
most expert thieves in the country. He
was made what he is by the Christian
religion. q
His mother was an abandoned wona-
an and his father a thief. Born IN the
atmosphere of crime, he took in the art
of stealing with his mothers milk.
Training and an acute mind made him
place among the most successful
thieves. This SO grati6ed his depraved
ambition, that during forty-six years he
devoted himself to crime, Thirty SIX
years he lived in prison. He was an old
| acquaintance to the wardens of Black
wells Island and Sing-Sing. :.
"We1l keep your cell warm for you.
Mike. for six weeks. You'll be back by
| that time, said the warden of Sing Sing
prison to him, as he left it, five years
| ago T..
The discharged convict smiled, as he
tossed back all Cali right. sir!" and has
| tened to his old haunts in the city.
But one day the Master met him, Il,
the person of an earnest Christian man,
and through his teachings the old jail
bird found out that he was not only a
bad man to his fellows, but a sinful man
before God. Then he discovered. that
the Master had come into the world to
seek and save such reckless, outlawed
men as himself.
The two facts terminated in his heart
until they made him q new man. de
abandoned his old crimes, but his heart
went out towards his old "pals." The
active brain, hitherto used to plan rob-
berries, began to devise a way in which
he might save those who should be turn
ed out of prison, homeless and friend
less.
He laid hold of two controlling ideas.
II must" he said he said to himself
shave home to which / can take the
men I would save A discharged con-
vict turned loose into New York City
must steal to live. And every man
help musS earn what he eats"
When this ex-convict laid out his
plan for saving his ''pals, he had not q
cent in his pocket. But he pawned his
coat, and with the proceeds hired a
room in that part Of the city where
thieves resort. Entering this little
asylum, he locked the door, knelt dow n,
and laid the constitution and by-la WIS
of his society before God.
mo discharged prisoner" ran his
VOW, ssshan be turned from this room
SO long as there is space to shelter him.
ono man shall eat a second meal in
this room till he has earned it."
! The beginning was small and the
plan simple. Yet Mike has sheltered
/ eleven hundred discharged convicts,
many of whom he has led into new
life by persuading them to become
servants of his Master.
The little room has given way to a
building that cost forty thousand dol
lars. All prisoners know '*Michael
Dunn's House of Industry" They also
know that when discharged from prison
they will find there welcome, home,
and aid wherewith to begin better life.
But they must earn what they eat,
for Mike believes that industry is the
first step to honesty. Such are the
legitimate effects of Christianity on
heart and life.-Youth's Companion.