The Indianapolis journal., 1886-02-21
Reformers Who Have Been Freed from
Moral and Political ThralldOm.
The Former Gives Promise of Doing Better
Religious Work than. Sam Jones-His
Career as Drinker and Reporter.
Incidents in Cleveland's Career in Days
When He Was a Ward Worker.
Old Stories of Gen. Frank Wolford Recalled
by His Speech on the Fitz John Porter
Washington Notes.
EVANGELIST SAM SMALL.

EVANGELIST SAM SMALL.
Possibilities of His Present Work--His Wild
and Reckless Dissipation I'm Atlanta.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-I have Just had a
long talk with an old member of the Atlanta
Constitutions staff about Sam Small, the revi-
valist who has joined hands with Sam Jones in
the work of converting the sinners of Chicago.
and who has recently closed a long engagement
in christianizing Cincinnatiana
Sam Small" said he, has many more possi-
billties in the work he has entered than has Sam
Jones. Small is we'll educated and is better
speaker than Jones' He is about thirty six years
old, medium size, and has natural flow of ora
tory During all the time he wrote the Old 81
papers he was the hardest drinker in Atlanta.
He is an expert stenographer and made lots of
money, and he could go on spree without stint.
At the time he was converted he held the posi-
tion of court reporter at $5 600 year, and made
as much at newspaper work. although he would
not apply himself more than half the time"
"How did he come to be convertedi" asked
had been drunk two or three days. He ap-
peared on the streets at midday as drunk as
lord, and was put in hack and taken home.
A few hours later hand-bil was circulated an
nouncing that he would preach that evening.
Everybody, almost laughed at it. Sam
Jones had been preaching in Atlanta for
several days, and the people were much excited
and ready for almost any surprise, but they did
not think it possible that Sam Small, whom they
had seen hauled away drunk that day. could be
a converted man. But at the appointed moment
Small appeared. Two of his five little children
were with him, and they stood beside him as he
delivered beautiful sermon. That was the last
of his dissipation He gave up his position and
began to travel with Jones. His language is
pure and his ideas clear. Jones has good
many thoughts of real worth, and has much
force of oratory, but he has no refinement or
education. The time he addressed the people of
Atlanta, before the recent elections on the sub
ject of prohibition. he gave fair illusttaton Of
his style of speech. He told the people they
would not carry prohibition; that they could If
they would try, but they would not try; that
they blamed and talked, but did nothing. You
comes in up at Rome every once in a while 1t
has a boiler two feet long and whsle four feet
long. Every time it blows its steam is exhausted,
and it stops.'"
''Was Small good liver7"
''Yes, he kept his family we'll, but he accumu-
lated nothing and at the time of his con-
version was badly in debt. He is pay
ing his debts now. Recently he put
a notice in the Atlanta newspapers stating
that those whom he owed would confer favor
by sending in their bills. and he would
about eight thousand dollars around the city,
and has liquidated $1,000. He made money in
bulk, and spent it in bulk. I have often seen
him spend 800 in treating crowd at bar. He
would buy champagne by the case and open it
promiscu0usly, and hire q line Of hacks for his
friends on nights spree. In 1879 he was clerk
of Senator Voorhees, exodus committee. He
took all the testimony in shorthand, but did not
write out line at the time. When the commit
tee returned here Small began to get out his
work, but suddenly disappeared After awhile
he turned up in Atlanta, and it was necessary
for the Senate to send the Sergeant alarms
there, arrest him, fetch him to Washington,
lock him up in a room at the hotel and guard
him for three weeks till he 20: his work done.
It was perfect when completed, and needed not
a touch Of revision. When his friends called
upon him in his room at the hotel, they used to
slip little two or four ounce bottles Of whisky
into his pocket which bottles Sam would empty
when the Sergeant-at-arms turned his back He
made SO, 600 out Of the work, and left the city in
debt
How did Joel Harris come to succeed Small
on the Constitutionf'
II think it was in the spring of 1880 that
Small got on great bender and failed for sew
eral days to hand in his old 81 copy. Harris
was reporter on the paper, and had written
clever little pieces Of negro dialect, but he
felt that he was very weak amateure beside
Small, who is undoubtedly the best negro dialect
writer, dead or alive. After continued disap-
pointment on account of Smalrs dissipation, the
managing editor went to Harris and told him
he must write o negro sketch to take
the place of Smalls Old Si' Harris
at first refused to write It, fearing he would be
looked upon as ridiculous in comparison with
Small but at last he wrote the initial Uncle
Remus' story. It took Everybody talked
about it, and all the papers copied it Then fol.
lowed the Uncle Remus' productions. until they
have become as famous as those of Old ST.. The
difference between the two writer's is this: Small
made Old 81 talk about scientific and learned
matters, which never enter the mind Of the COM
mon negro. while Uncle Remus talks Of relig-
ion, plantation matters, and the current topics,
leaving them more plausible.
'SamISmall is kind and generous man, and
every one in Georgia has heard Of or met him.
His only weakness was intemperance. But he
is sincere in his present work. and will redeem
himself"
PREsIDENT CLEVELAND.
Incidents OF His Career in Buffalo Before He
Became d Political Ref0rmer.