The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-24
Ex-Convict Durant Tells
the Tabernacle Folk
Good Stories.
CHURCH GROWLER RUSHERs
He Was Corrupted by the New
York Legislature---After Prls-
on, Its a Tough Hustle
for Bread.

AL lmuenseIy large congregauton az
the Tabernacle last evening listened to
two reformed drunkards who are now
engaged in the mission work in New
York city. They were Mr.. H. E. Durant,
an ex-convict, who served short term in
the New York State Penitentiary for
stealing watch, and Mr.. Wolcroft, an
ex-bartender, who dispensed liquors be-
hind the bar for twelve years.
Mr.. Durant, although advertised to tell
how he found himself in prison, did not
during the course o f his sermon aIlude to
the crime for which he was sen fenced.
1t is said he yet claims he isinoncent of the
crime, but while drunk the watch was
found on his person, and he himself
thinks under the circumstances there is
no use proclaiming his innocence to the
world. He is q comparatively young
man, almos at full of originality of ex-
preston as Sam Jones or Sam Small, but
he has never cultivated his talent. His
youthful appearance won for him the
sympathy of the audience, and his earn
est advocacy of the cause OF Christ ap-
pealed to the admiration of all Christians
present.
HIS PROFITS IN MISSION WORK
Mr.. Wolcroft related his twelve years,
experience behind the saloon bar, and
told how, after conversion, he invested
the last thirty-seven cents he had in the
world in the purchase of a gross
OF lamp wicks, which he peddled
around through the New York
tenement houses. and now, by thrift and
energy, he has built up lucrative trade,
the profits of which he spends
in his mission work. He related
his experiences as a missionary
among the prisoners on Blackwell's
Island. He attributes the cause OF ninety
nine per cent Of the vice and crime to the
nf and Efnrffad a er0rH Ehrfa
tians of the Tabernacle by declaring:
It's mainly the fault of you church
people. You rush the growler too often
Many of your children learn to become
drunkards in your own homes
Il have oftentimes pictured to myself, y
said Mr. DuraDt, the ex-conYict, ssin a
prison cell, what one must feel like
standing before an audience like this
preaching about Christ, never thought
Icould do such a thing. prayed God to
give me such privilege. He has granted
my request. thank God was sent to
have been saved. MY friends. 1 am NOT
doing this to gain notoriety. 1t is not
pleasant to exhibit prison stain. I0nly
hope to bring some one to Jesus. The
story of my life teaches q lesson.
BEGAN AS A PAGE.
In 1873 received an appoin tfnent as o
page boy In the New York Legislature,
aud was reappointed in 1875. Il was the
greatest school was ever in. l was boy
in years, a man in experience, before 7
had been there two years. became in
terested IN those New Torh city ~ i;;iiss..is ii;;is.i
clans. They always had plenty of money.
and If they sent You on an errand with a
$40 bill they seldom asked for the
change. / was from the rural district.
/ imagined money must grow Jon the
streets of New York, and all you had to
do was to pick it up.
<f.o<
and needed my help. But she was q
proud woman. She never thought when
she secured me that position as page boy
she was damning my soul Somehow /
had strong desire to try my fortune in
the whirl of metropolitan life.
1.-TWO weeks after / reached New York
my friends, who had strong political
pull, secured me a position in the Depart-
nient of Public Works at salary of
81, 200 year. pictured to myself what
a nice little home | could make for my
widowed mother / commenced by send
ing her $50 at d time. But by and by
began to get better acquainted with boys
and to know greater number of them
soon found must be good fellow if
/ wanted to hold my position. / must be
! "a man among men, The allowances
was sending my mother were growing
beautifully less each Time. Couldn't
bear to hear my friends say, He's no
plenty of time on my hands. $"
DOWNWARD CAREER.
Il had nothing to do but draw my sal-
ary. A few weeks more found me
steady patron of the race tracks at
Sheepshead Bay and Jerome Park.
drank with the boys, and when some one
would say, Gentlemen, come take 9
drink my name was sGentlemen'
every time. | was dude, with a gold
watch ana big chain. The hallowed as
sociations of that home in Albany were
already forgotten.
.sOne night received letter from my
mother asking me for S12. She was q
proud woman, who wouldn't let her pow
erty be known, even among the friends
in church charity societies.
stWell, / was somewhat boozy when
received the letter had pretty good
load on, TO use buns expression; yet
knew had been neglecting my mother.
had some thirty odd dollars in my
pocket | put Sl2 in an envelope and
started up the street in search OF a lette
box.
MOTHER FORGOTTEN.
AHalf a block away from the house
met one of those so-called good fellows,
'Hullo,' ne said. Been looking for you
everywhere, old fellow. The boys are all
over in G-'s having good time.
4 'sWell, went with him. A man who
throws himself away on drink in most in
StdHCcS udS d DlS ucdEps uub HU WILL
power. AS soon as got inside the door
the bartender said, .Hullo. Haven't seen
you in a dogs age
ssHe had seen me there that same morn
ing. Milk punch was my favorite drink.
Indeed, ] called for 'em so many times
that in some places as soon as entered
the bartender would Immediately begin
to shake All knew | was good for q
", if once got started. A fellow with
more money than brains ordered a bottle
OF wine did the same. We
all got into u heated discus
sion, Money s1fted through my hands
like water through sieve. BY and BY
my pockets were empty. Out came the
envelope. got home that night, as I
usually did, right .side up with care.
How. as usual, never knew. And it was
awfully pleasant to have some friend tell
me next day, Well, you made g fool OF
yourself at so and sos I wasn't there
at all. %, but you were I don't re-
member il. Come, have a cocktail and
tell me what did And then stood ay
the bar and got drunk on cocktails, and
was in for another days booze.
Returning home that night found :
telegram awaiting me. My landiady,
good old soul, who had been almost
mother TO me, sat up for me that night,
Something unusual, Mr.. Durant sAe
said, for you to receive telegram.
thought it might be important, 80