Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-04-21
THE TRAGEDY OF HENhY LITTLE.
A Case for Orthodox Congregationalists
to Ponder Over,


to Ponder Over.
NV accidental walk through Water
street, the first after many long years, re-
called the tragedy of Henry Little. | have
told you of his birth on farm in Ohio, of
his gentle, God fearing mother, have hint
ed at his early religious sentiments, have
told how he came to New York imbued
with sincere notion of rescuing immortal
souls. l will now recount a tragedy that
has no equal in the wide range of more
than twenty years. journalistic experience.
For five years Henry Little was unfag-
ging in his devotion to the ''great cause"
He led the prayer meeting, he exhorted, he
evinced every purpose to continue in the
good work that he had so heroically begun,
and as final proof that he intended to de-
vote his soul and body to the service of his
Redeemer he married young and comely
woman who had sought the shelter of that
home from the streets
For more than year their dual lives ap-
peared to be happiness itself. In the sum-
mer of 1875 my duties had taken me to
London, and for the time busy cares had
crowded all thoughts of Henry Little out
of my mind.
On foggy September afternoon in Lon
don the face of the man had once known
appeared before me in an office on Fleet
street, where was employed. 1t intro
duced itself to me as that of Henry Little
and appealed to me to rescue young
woman whom he had induced to elope with
him to England He asked nothing for
himself said frankly that he was penni-
less and destitute; that the small amount
of money he had had when they fOolishly
embarked for Liverpool had been exhaust
ed; that he had pawned every article of
jewelry that he or his girlish companion
possessed and that while he cared not
what became of himself he did want to
save the foolish woman from the fate that
undoubtedly threatened her. OF course
was shocked, but the surprise was to fol-
low. He told me that he had left the
young woman at Ludgate hill railway
station, and asked If | would kindly go
there and take her in cab to place of
safety until her parents could be commu-
nicated with by cable.
Without feeling any special interest in
the case beyond what felt in him-and,
may admit, in rather confused state of
mind-I went alone to Ludgate hill. 1t
was only three minute walk. 1t had
never occurred to me that would not be
able to recognize I4ittle's partner in crime,
and it was not until had entered the gen
eral waiting room that that thought flashed
upon me. Before had decided what to do
the young woman advanced introduced
herself, and soon was made aware of the
fact that she was the daughter of man
who, after Banker Hatch, had most liber
ally contributed to the support of the re-
formatory missions in Water and Dover
streets.
realized in an instant the awful blight
that this thoughtless girl had brought
upon devoted father. To complete this
part of the story, cabled at once to New
York and gave the girls parents the first
! intimation they had had for more than a
month as to their daughters whereabouts
Back came reply to draw for all neces-
sary expenses and send the young woman
home on the first steamer. This was done
She arrived safely in New York, was for
given and resumed her old place in her
church.
had happened to be in the right place
at the proper moment and had been the
means of saving fellow mortall
For six months heard nothing of Henry
Little. The great city of London had re-
ceived and swallowed him as mere atom
among its four millions Of population.
One day saw in New York paper that
Henry Little had appeared at the Tombs
without counsel, had surrendered, had
produced witnesses against himself, had
pleaded guilty to the embezzlement Of a
small amount of funds belonging to the
Water Street Home for Women, and had
been sentenced to term at Sing Sing. In
the prison his conduct was most exem-
plary and he received full Communication
therefor When he emerged with the
prison pallor on his face-just as had
seen it on Jerry McAuley's cheeks so many
years before--he called upon me to say
that he had turned his back upon an hon
est life, that virtue was a myth, that hon
est endeayor proflted him nothing, that
God had forgotten him, that hell was his
portion, and that he neither hoped nor
cared how soon he established the truth of
his belief,