Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1893-10-17

Tho First Convert 81 the Salvation Army
In America.
Our FIRST convert In America Is atill
living and serving the army in Boston.
The history Of his reform "a a remarka-
bic one.
The conversion Of the first Of Almighty
multitude was brought about by Com
missioner Railton, then in command Of
the American forces Of the army, and
Superintendent Thomas Byrnes Of tho
New York police. Mr.. Byrnes was an
inspector Of police at the time, early in
1880.
It is safe to say that in Salvation Army
circles there are very few who do not
know Jimmy, by reputation at least.
Jimmy wac a thief and drunkard when
converted in New York in March, 1880.
His namo is James Kemp.
Three times Jimmy narrowly escaped
losing his life. On one occasion he was
nearly frozen TO death outside Billy Nc
Glory's notorious dive. On another oc-
casion no was so brutally beaten in o
Water street dive that no was supposed
to be dead. The morgue wagon was
called by the police, and the bruised and
battered body, apparently dead, was car
ried to the morgue. When It, or rather
he, arrived there some Of the doctors
made the discovery that Jimmy still
lived, and so he was taken to the hos
pital, where he remained four months.
His last narrow escape from death was
when no drank a quantity Of spirits CT
wine which he found in a cellar. Jim
my drank so much he went raving mad
and tried to hang himself. He was sent
to prison for three months for attempt
ing suicide.
The first Saturday afternoon in March,
1880, Jimmy started out to have some
amusement, and hearing that the Saliva
ton Army, which had just arrived from
England, was going ''to show" at Harry
Hills notorious resort he concluded to
20 there and see what kind Of people the
soldiers were. When he arrived at Hills,
he found that there was an admission
fee, and he, with a %drunkard's economy,
determined to spend the price of admis-
sion in a different manner. Toward
night no strolled into q dive in Water
street, where his Whyo friends painted
his back and served his face the same
way and wound up the performance by
rolling the unfortunate man in the saw
dust of the dive floor. Jimmy, after sub.
hitting to their treatment, thought they
would let him stay there all night; but
alas, they kicked him out on the street.
just as Jimmy reached the sidewalk
his cap blew off and fell into an ash bar
rel which was standing near the door Of
the den. Jimmy tried to recover it, bui
in doing so lost his balance and fell hea(
first into the barrel. He struggled tx
get out, but all his efforts were in vain
He seemed to be there to stay.
A short time after Jimmy's acrobat,
feat a policeman came along, and seeing
a mans legs in the barrel set to work Il
discover who was the owner Of then
and why he had them in such a position
He took out his club and struck the in
verified man on the soles of his feet
These means are sometimes resorted t.
by policemen to arouse drunken men.
From the depths of the barrel came
voice which the policeman at once recog
nized. lie raped for assistance, ant
when another officer appeared on tn
scene an effort was made to get Jimm,
from his novel but painful position
They pulled at the protruding feet, bu
Jimmy failed to respond, his clothes hay
ing been caught on the nails which hat
been driven through the barrel. The.
pulled until the old rotten shoes CAV
way and were left in their hands. TIL
policemen then threw the barrel dow
on its side, and laying hold of the unfol
tunate mans feet they dragged the ban
, rel and its bowling occupant toward tn
police station.
A pitiful sight was poor Jimmy whe
he reached the station. His face, whic
had been blackened by the toughs in th
dive, was all battered and bruised, an
the paint on his face, mingled wit
blood, was strongly suggestive of
, scalped Indian. His clothes were a
torn and his shoes gone, How complet
> the ruinl How perfect the wreck
: Superintendent Byrnes suggested thf
the Salvation Army be allowed to II
its hand on he man, and the result Wa
his conversion, since which time he hS
: served faithfully in its ranks.-Bosto
: Herald.