Griggs courier., 1893-10-20
lash BARREL JIMMY.w


Tho First Csnvert Of tho Salvation Army
In America.
Our first convert in America is still
living and serving the army in Boston.\
The history of his reform is o remarka-
BILE 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 Byrncs of the
Now York police. Mr.. Byrnes was an
inspector of police at the time, early in
1880.
1t is safe to say that in Salvation Army
circles there are very few who do not
know Jimmy, by reputation at least.
Jimmy was a thief and drunkard when
converted in New York in March, 1880.
His name 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 he was so bruta1ly beaten in {.
Water street dive that he 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 he drank quantity Of spirits Ct
wine which he found in 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 il March,
1880, Jimmy started out to have come
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
go there and see what kind of people tho
soldiers were. When he arrived at Hills.
he found that there was an admission
fec, and he. with d1unka-d's S cconomyS
determined to spend the price Of ad1nis-
sion IL u different manner. Toward
night lie strolled into q dive in Water
street, where his Whyo friends painted
his back and served his face the samA
way and wound up the performance by
rolling the unfortunate man in the saw
dust of the dive floor. Jimmy, after sub
mitting 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 ars ash bar
rel which was standing near the door Of
the den. Jimmy tried to recover it. bat
in doing so lost his balance and fell head
first iato the barrel. He struggled to
get out, but all his efforts were in vain.
He seemed to be there to stay.
A sh,vt time after Jilnny's acrobatic
feat u policeman came along, and seeing
q mans legs in the barrel set to work to
discover who was the owner Of them
and why he had them in such q position
He took out his club and struck the in
verted man on the soles of his feet.
These means are sometimes resorted to
by policemen to arouse drunken men.
From the depths Of the barrel came q
voice which the policeman at once recog-
nized. He raped for assistance, and
when another officer appeared on the
scene an effort was made to get Jimmy
from his novel but painful position.
They pulled at the protruding feet, but
Jimmy failed to respond, his clothes hav-
ing been caught on the nails which: had
been driven through the barrel. They
pulled until the old rotten shoes gave
way and were left in their hands. The
policemen then threw the barrel down
on its side, and laying hold of the Hnfor-
tunate mans feet they dragged the bar
rel and its bowling occupant toward the
police station.
A pitiful sight was poor Jimmy when
he reached the station. His face, which
had been blackened by the tougls in the
dive, was all battered and bruised, and
the paint OH his face, mingled With
blood, was. strongly suggestive of q
scalped Indian. His clothes were all
torn and his shoes gone. How complete
the ruin! How perfect the wreckx
Superintendent Byrnes suggested that
the Salvation Army be allowed to tf*
it's hand omthe man, and the result was
his conversion, since which time lie has
served faithfully in its ranks.-Bosto4
Herald.