, 1892-08-01
FELL FROM GRACE.
His Love for a Woman Was the
Cause.

He Risked ali to win a WIfe--Ex-
Reverend Smith Very Penitent
I'm the Santa Cruz JaiI--HistOry
of His Downfall.
SAN Francisco, August 1.--Rev. James
Alexander Smith, the English evangelist
who created considerable commotion in the
religious circles in this city and finally
turned it into sensation by suddenly
disappearing on the 8th of last month and
who has been captured in Seattle and taken
to Santa Cruz, where he was wanted on a
charge of obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. When Smith disappeared the
cause Of his act soon became apparent
when his dealings with various tradesmen,
real estate dealers and also Secretary A. J.
Mccoy, of the Young Mems Christian AS.
sociation, became known. His financial
transactions only had one side, and that
was in his favor. Besides lecturing in this
city, Evangelist Smith made trips into the
country, and the city of Santa Cruz re-
ceiyed an especially long visit from him
He presented apparent proofs that he was
about to fall heir to $4,000 and became a
lion.
About this time be married Miss Hattie
Lawrence, domestic in the house of his
host in this city, DR.. Rhoda. While in
Santa Cruz on his honeymoon he pur-
chased a carriage from Il. Bowman, of that
city, and though he stopped at the best hO-
tells he borrowed money from the trusting
Y. M. @. A. He also bought a ranch in
the Santa Cruz mountains, near Wrights
station, and agreed to pay 81 900 for it in
few weeks. He contracted bills right and
left. 1t was for obtaining the carriage un-
der the false representation that he was a
wealthy man that he was arrested. He is
held in jail there in default of $1,000 bail.
When the fallen evangelist was brought
back to Santa Cruz be was placed in the
very Jail in which he delivered his first SER
mon in that city. The recreant evangelist
freely admits that he is guilty as charged
and that he has brought disgrace upon the
Christian church and Christian people.
He says he will make no fight against the
charge against him, but will plead guilty
and take whatever punishment is meted
out to him; that is, be adds, unless he en-
tirely changes his mind before the trial.
He says he is tired of false pretenses, and
will not build up defense on a basis of
falsehOod. Still, the evangelist maintains
a very hard manner, and will diYulge little
regarding his case.
He claims that he intended to go to some
new place and make enough money to pay
all bis debts, and says that had he desired
to escape he could have gone to British
Columbia instead of staying in Seattle,
where be expected to get a job as hotel
clerk. He admits that his troubles were
occasioned by his being in love and desiring
to marry he wanted to paint everything in
the brightest colOrs possible.
The peculiar penitent while in Santa
Cruz first borrowed $50 from g. w. Jaynes,
poor young man, and on his arrival in
the cuat0dyOf 5he sheriff be gave Jaynes
$3.50, every cent he had, together with all
his credentials, letters and newspaper clip
pings, which constituted his stock in trade
as an evangelist When asked about his
wife as soon as he reached Santa Cruz
Smith said, in a cold manner that he was
firmly of the opinion that when she mar
ried him it was the dazzle Of his money
and not himself that captured her. as she
is but % years of age and he is over 66.
Smith was asked if he had another wife in
Canada. He replied quickly that that was
not for him to affirm; that his wife could
make the charge if she chose, but he would
compel her to prove it. He afterWard
stated that his first wife was dead.
Smith was born in Lancashire, England
in 1926, and claims that this is the first
time he was ever in Jail. He was educated
for the priesthood, but turned his atten-
tiOn to the stage. For thirty years he was
an actor, playing nautical character parts.
Seventeen years ago hewas converted and
took up ministerial work, lecturing and
preaching all over England. He came to
America three years ago, beginning his
good work at New Orleans. After lectur-
ing though the southern states he came to
San Francisco. arriving in this city last
Christmas. While in San Francisco he was
regarded very highly until his fall from
orapp