The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-19
Merry jim.
A Prominent Member Of the Helena Sal
vat.oa Army and His Career.

4 ~ = ~ tf1 NrNN
vat GA Army and His Career.
The latest issue OF the War Cry contains
the following sketch of Nervy Jim. who
may be seen any evening marching In the
tanks OF the Helena Salvation army;
l was born in Indiana in 1859. and in 1861
my parents moved so Kansas. My father
died in the same year. In 1862 my mother
married again and moved on a farm. In
1871 my stepfather died. The farm was
sold at sheriA's sale the next year. Then
my mother, mysslf and three brothers
moved to Wichita. Kan, ] 4 being the oldest
of the four boys. Here il where first
tasted the love OF mr. wild career. For
three years. off and on. ] drove a freight
train across the Indian Territory. During
this time my excitement for Wild life was
cultivated, and contracted the first knowi.
edge of gambling. A game called keno.
was my first experienced. With a friend or
mine l went to the gambling house. ! sat
and watched him win several good pots,
and from that moment / was struck on the
game.
On the following day / studied how easy
might win some money, but not having
what they call 4 starter, ! went to bed, but
could not sleep, my mind being so iasoi-
me of some silver that lay on the shelf. ]
got up, took the $1.50 in silver belonging TO
my mother. and went 10 the gambling table.
l stayed out until two O'Clock in the morn
] ing and then went home and slipped back
into bed with q strong determination in my
mind to beat tisat game ana get even. .he
fact was I spent a great portion OF my time
at the keno game. but never got even.
In 1876 my mother, one brother !
started west by team during the gold ex.
element in the Black Hills. ] was then II
years old. ] drove a freight train tina.
- slo hsIla and rApshlad And
drank whisky. The same fall | started
for Texas; took sick on the road anu lad
| off in Omaha, Neb., for about three months.
Two OF the main features OF my life that
did not neglect we're gambling and drink
ing, then went on my voyage south. !
landed III Cay county, Texas, IN August
Here / spent three years of my llte rowing
over the country from place to place, Work,
ing a little aud gambling and drinking bad
whisky.
In 1880 / got the gold fever again, and
went back to the Black Hille. Az this time
] made up my mind that l could not work
and gamble with any success. and that
there was nothing in work anyhow, so l
threw it up, and started out as a proies-
sional, thinking / had learned all the ropes
of a gambler and all the mean things tnat
belong to the profession. was Tree to
pick up and let nothing slip when l had
made money. | was not long q profession
! u u ulIli i NtbI 10y bhO bAh - ~ /.
Jim.' One day ! bet q man $40 against 10
cents; from that time on l always vent by
the name of Merry Jim."
spent one year in the hills, one day with
money, the next broke, but never failed to
have my whisky. In 1881 l went to Miles
City. Mont. Here in connection with my
profession l added smoking of opium, which
/ kept mp for about a year and a halt. From
this / went to eating morphine. Then be-
gan the use Of the hypodermio syringe, but
still the appetite was not satisfied. l used
cocaine md all other drugs during this
time, rowing from one city to another.
+ ON Miles City ! want to Glendive, then
to Billings; from there 1 vent to Living
ston, then back to st. Paul. Up to this
time had spent about five years in gam-
bling, drinking and using all of these dt Jugs.
Imagine my condition! l had never imng-
ined my condition before until l went out
on the Missouri river bridge, threw my
drugs into the river. resolving IN my "
stt engtn, with the help of my friends, to
quit. / was without the drug abouttwenty-
four hours when l lost all sense of reason
and was given UP to die by my friends. A
physician was consulted and the morphine
was again given me. 1t was but q short
time until ! was up on my feet again. |
then decided in my mind that there was no
cure for me. I then got a new bottle of
morphine and followed the same life as be-
fore, using about thirty grains of morphine
per day, besides trying to drink all the
whisky in the saloons.
From here I went back to Livingston. and
for five years more roved from one town to
another all over the state of Montana, gam
bling. drinking and using the poisoning
drugs. l had no respect for. myself or any
one else. About the last of Ma oh. 1882, /
came back to Helena just about dead, or
the same as a dead man, hardly able to
walk, bound down by the use of whisky
and morphine. About the first of May /
came in contact with the Salvation army.
OF course, I had heard of them. but never
took any stock in them; in fact. | thought
they we're crazy or foolish, but / finally be-
gan to take some interest in them. AS they
came out on the street corners I stood
around and heard them tell of Gods power
to save those who were lost. l wondered
if they we're telling the truth. ! knew
there was a book called the Bible. but
had no knowledge of its contents
or teaohings. l would occasionally follow
them to the hall. but soon to come away. ]
kept getting more interested and would buy
the War Cry, but 1 could not think there
was any show for my getting saved. AS
looked back over my life l thought it wal
impossible, but was made to believe bl
these people that the use OF this drug was {
sin. l had always before looked on it rs
habit. On Saturday, the 28th day of May
l followed the army to their hall, witt
Capt. Bennett in command, and there heart
the message from the Bible now the son o
man had come to seek and to save tina
which was lost. ! went to the penitent
form, and there. like Blind Bartimeus,
Dried: Job, thou son of David, have nero,
on mel" l have found him Il good physl
clan and a dear Saviour and a blesse,
friend, for he saved me both body and soul
and has since provided for me. Bless God
Before l had no friends, now Christian
friends surround me on all Sides.
My experience of seventeen years as
drunkard and gambler has rovei to N
that in sin happy days a-e few.
CoMRADE JoHN OXLEY.