Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-12
Unloaded at the Door of Rev. +. Z.
DOnehOO, Pastor of the Eighth
Presbyterian Church.
TAKEN FOR A POLICE DEPARTMENT
By Men and Women Who Wish Him 70
Correct Many Evils They Emphatic
ally Declare to Exist.
THE TALE OF WOE OF A POOR CHINAMAN
Who Hasnt Money Enough to Permit Elm to Go Homs t.
ses His Dying Wife

W nen heV. Il. Ii. OonenOo, OF tne Elgnbu
Presbyterian Church, West End, returned
TO his home after his morning services, yes
terdav, he found two Cinnamon, Ye Light
and Sc Quinn, anxiousiy awaiting for him.
They were in peck of trouble and had
come from their Second avenue home to ask
advice from Father" Donehoo, as be has
often been called.
Ye Light has learned that his wife in
China is sick unto death, and wishes to visit
her. Though in this country 16 years, he
has failed to become man of means, and
has not the s., 900 specified by law to insure
his return to America. He was home five
years ago, and says he has a son he has never
seen.
Mr.. Donehoo told Ye Light he would see
what could be done to help him out of his
difficulty, and again turned to his books and
papers in his snug little study, only to be
once more interrupted in few moments by
a man who called to consult him regarding
'an evil that should be corrected" As the
latter gentleman was about to leave . DIS
PATCH reporter dropped in. Mr.. Donehoo
was reading letter at the time, and as the
reporter entered, handed the missive over
to him, saving, Read this" The letter ran
as follows:
Sample of Mr.. Donehoo's Mall.
Dear Sir Mr.. Donahue / rite theas lines to
you to let you know that poker room is open
again up in CHARTERS township and there is
one going on rite over the street nowen as the
fishing Club and another in IS row acoss
from IS store their are boys from 14teen
men fifty years of age frequent them
rooms and their is still worcer
hole going on down in the house above bar
Der shop nown as a beer Club their they are in
their from Monday morning till Sunday night
and some of the beer Club members and what
goes in to them poker rooms are neglecting
their homes every day are week you would not
believe one half what is going on the con-
stable knows ase well ase any one going in
them but he don't pay any attention to them.
That is all at present yours CITIZEN
This letter was but one of many of like
nature that Mr.. Donehoo has received from
people all over the citv-men and women of
all grades of society-calling his attention
to police, charitable and multitarious affairs
of both public and private nature.
Bothered by Bores All the Time.
Even as the reverend gentleman spok on
the subject letters on police matters lay be-
fore him, but be would not permit of their
contents being made public. A day before,
be said, he had gathered up pile of letters
and burned them, and is at a loss many
times to know what to do. Chatting further
on the subject he said:
That letter you just read was probably
the result of part took in making public
a well-known poker resort. That is only
one Of many such letters, however. 1 get
letters from all over the city about poker
rooms, the abuses ofpublic offices, and every
manner of reform in the world. People
seem to think they have only to write to me
and the evil-doers will be made to correct
their wavs.
''I get numbers of letters about families
in want and people in trouble. For instance,
I got letter about a woman in the old part
of the city, who told such a pathetic tale
that felt impelled to look the matter up.
I did so, and found that the woman needed
nothing to make her comfortable-she
probably wrote the letter herself"
But how is it that so many people write
to vou?" was asked.
"Well, l am connected with the prison
society and come in contact with many per-
sons of that class. and they tell ue their
troubles. Again. L was once connected with
the charity work of the city. Oh, / tell you
] hear some strange tales sometimes. People
even write to me FOR advice on personal
matters.
Showing Him Where He's Wrong.
That's not all, either. Here is a letter
in which the writer attempts to convince me
that some points i'll my last sermon are not
correctly taken, and wants to show me the
error of my way. Here's another from a
man who wants me to Jump on an existing
evil, as be thinks, in nv next sermon"
"Not long ago / received 4 letter from an
old man down in Butler county who wanted
me TO write to him, and l did so, to please
HIM.
What do I do with the letters? Oh,
WE'LL if they are anonymous, merely throw
them into the waste basket. Again, where
] think they are bona fide appeals l some
times look into them and try to help the
persons.
Sometimes people in Pittsburg and
Allegheny send letters to me, telling me
they want me to call on them, as they have
revelations to make concerning something
or other. Do l visit them? Well, if L
think can really help person 1 some
times answer them. but / can't make calls
and attend to the affairs OF everyone.
'Oftimes, l am made the confidant of
women who have gone astray, and hear
tales about men and things that tell Won
W0uiu MAKE SJdIlllHE TeNeldIlOnS IN print.
never ask confidence, but BY coming in con-
tact with the people, with a desire to neip
them, have had their confidence placed in
me.
Doesn't Pose as Police Department.
IF | should undertake all the reforms
that people ask me to. / should be crazy,
and things would be turned upside down
generally. ! am not a reformer, a confessor.
or police department. 1 am merely try.
ing to do what good can, the best can,
but if nv mail keeps increasing, and /
should try to answer all of the letters, ]
would have to quit preaching"
''Do you ever get any letters from busi.
ness men?'
"Oh, yes; many ofthem-sometimes abou,
my sermons and then again about other
matters. / get warning letters, too, telling
me if l proceed any further in some work
have undertaken, fearful things will hap.
pen. But 1 never mind them. But, say,
come and see my garden of Chinese lilies.
Oh, no; they are not onions. See how nice
they are growing" and the reverend gentle.
man was taken leave OF, still talking about
- 6 boh