Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-02-08
JOE HESS LIFE STORY.
A Long Career ~ Which the Cure Il
Drink Figured Prominently.

was born. of German parents, In
Buffalo, in July, 1881. / was brought
up on farm near that city. At the age
of fifteen got in with hard crowd, the
sporting element, and began 10 drink
freely. In fact, was not quite fifteen
years of age when, after only four
months of apprenticeship to d Buffalo
cooper l was discharged because of my
Incorporate habits. l went TO Toledo,
where l took my first lessons in the so
called manly art. In 1867 l found my
way to New York city and obtained
work on the wharves. l frequented
many of the Bowery dives, spending all
my spare time in fighting, drinking and
carousing. | drank so hard and dissi-
pated so much that within one year Of
the time of my arrival in New York l
got an attack of delirium rremens and
WAS sent to Buffalo hospital.
In 1870 was married. and for three
months led sober life. l soon fell
again into my old ways, and in conse-
quence lost my situation and my wife
left me. drifted to the Pennsylvania
oil regions, where l soon earned repu-
tstion as an all around tough. While in
that country was arrested on a charge
of attempting TO shoot a man. Although
| was innocent was convicted and COM
PEELED to serve q term of sixty dayA
After that l returned to Buffalo, TO
joined my family. and for awhile WAS
sober and Industrious.
But the saloons We're still wide open
al tha,- bod
again. left my wife and baby and
went to ST. Louis, and from there down
the Mississippi river and all over the
southern states. spending all my time In
drinking, gambling and lighting, Where
ever l went there We're saloons to tempt
| me and hold me To my evil course.
Once more l rejoined my family and
was sober for awhile. That did not last
| long. l took my family to Canada, but
| did no better there. Leaving my family
| in Canada | resumed my adventurous
| ways, going first to Columbus, o. where
| fought my first prize fight, and then to
Chicago. There tried to clean out sa-
| loon while drunk, and for my perform
ance on that occasion served ninety days
| in prison. When got out went To work
| in the lumber region of Michigan. All the
| earnings of winter of toll were prompt
| ly blown in" for whisky the next
spring. l returned to Canada and my
| family, which now consisted of wife,
| two girls and one boy. To my grief, l
saw that my boy and oldest girl remem-
| bered me too well and We're afraid of
me. The old experiences were repeated.
The saloons again took my good inten-
| tions, position and family from me.
While in a stupidity drunken condition
| boarded the train one day for Chicago.
| now changed my name to John Brooks,
| and began in earnest a sporting life
One afternoon former associate towed
| me Il was drunk to a hall on South
Clark street, in which temperance meet
ings were being held. The speaker was
Miss Frances Z. Willard, who was Just
| beginning her noble career. She came
to me and asked me to sign the pledge.
| refused. She urged me to enter the
Washingtonian Home for lnebriates, and
| did so. While l was in the home Miss
Willard wrote to my wife, but she never
received the letter.
| Graduating from the home Travelled
to Utah territory, and for three years
was cowboy. | took trip to Ger
many. Upon my return TO America |
wandered to Wyoming territory and af-
terward to Denver. In that city l
started saloon without cent of CAPT
tai, the brewer furnishing the fixtures
ON condition that | would sell only his
beer. the distiller the license money on
condition that l would sell only his
whisky and the cigar dealer providing
my back room fixtures on condition that
l would sell only his cigars.
| My next saloon was in Burlington,
Ia, and again was set upin trade with
out cent of capital. sold out there
and went to New York city and then to
Chicago, where l opened a saloon and
sparring hall on the same terms as had
opened my former saloons. The neigh
bors complained against my place, and l
quit. | decided to try my luck at NIL
waukee next. | started free and easy
saloon in that town, the brewing COM
pany furnishing the capital. lnmy new
dive l employed girl walters or "beer
| olihSClsy abt 81 N'tOF yot'tto
men. | went successfully to Kansas
City, Cleveland, Terre Haute, Ind, and
finally to my native city of Buffalo,
where after an absence of seven years |
rejoined my family. Buffalo's saloons
had not been closed in my absence; |
found them all open and they soon led
me the old way again. | crossed to
| Canada Now got work in Il Rochester
brewery. left there and opened gam
bling room, into which | had pals in
veigle country greenhorns.
| While on one of my sprees and SO
drunk that | was on the verge Of de-
lirium tremens, | staggered into the
Rochester Rink and heard 7. A. Burdick,
the temperance evangelist. His burning
words sobered me and brought the tears
| to my eyes, to the great Amusement of
my depraved companions. Soon after
that | was converted to the Christian
faith, and for nearly six years have en-
| deavored to be u consistent Christian cit
| izen and have done what | conld to save
others. More than 260 900 persons have
signed my total abstinence pledge during
my nearly six years of platform work
| I1ca,,b Il HaGs in Nni,p