The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-19
Affecting Scenes I'm the Tenderloin
District and I'm Gilded Palaces
of Drink and Shame.
FALLEN SISTERS In TEARS
THEIR HEARTS sOFTENED BY PRAY
ER, AND SOME LED TO REPENT.
Crusade That Lasted Two Nights, and
Close of the w. c. II. u. Convention.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 18-The slums or the
Mound City were invaded last night ana
again tonight by between 80 and 200 men,
bers of the W. c. T. u. in crusade
against the social and drinking evils. The
crusade was engineered by leaders in the
social purity organization, and much good
is said to have been accomplished. The
Republic says One Of the grandest, most
self-sacrifcng. most touching religious
movements ever Instituted in st. Louis
was that Of the women of the w. c. Il. u.
last night, when they entered the slums
and sang and preached and prayed with
the social outcasts of that district and the
men who frequent it. over $50 women were
preaching and praying in every dive, every
immoral house of the district, and their
efforts were apparently crowned with great
success. The gospel wagon was out, in
charge of Rev. NJ. B. Gott, and great
crowds gathered about ii. and with barred
heads listened to the pleadings of the
women speakers.
The wagon first stopped between Sixth
and Seventh, on Elm street, and after a
song Mrs. Teats, superintendent of the
purity department of California, spoke. She
was followed by Mrs. DR.. Mary Wood
Allen. the president of the purity work.
Delegations then entered the houses of
shame. and talked and prayed with the
inmates. The latter shed tears frequently
and in the first house entered Dollie Will
son wept and declared she would leave the
life she was leading and try to enter upon
a pure life henceforth. Every house on this
street was entered and then the wagon
proceeded to Sixth street and Clark ave-
nue.. where another meeting was held. Here
1t was even more interesting. The men
barred their heads during prayer and doz-
ems came forward and grasped the hand of
Mrs. Trego when she asked for all those
who desired to lead a better life to come
forward.
AT the same time there was a hundred
other workers securing the Tenderloin dis
trict At Tom Aliens saloon, on Market
street. a great meeting was held under
the leadership of Mrs. Otto. and many
other such places were visited. At u
o'clock Dope alley was visited and every
Joint was invaded by the army of religious
workers. The scenes were most affecting
Many of the fallen 3lnes wept as though
their hearts were b.taking and those that
exhorted them to become Christians could
not restrain their emotion, and tears
flowed down their cheeks as they knelt on
the floor and prayed Never before has this
district cf st. Louis witnessed such a
sight. Hardened sinners who had been
outcasts for years wept and prayed and
came forward to be remembered in the
prayers OF these noble women.
At midnight the women who rode on the
gospel wagon were driven to their cars
but those who had walked were in the
midst of their work, and had just started
down Hop alley. They did not cease their
religious labor until very late hour and
all went home feeling that they had done
grand work
Mrs. Conkling. of New York addressed
a meeting at 1432 Franklin avenue tonight
and the gospel wagon was again taken
out with large number of w. c. T. u.
women. to again engage in religious work
The scenes tonight were a repetition of
those witnessed the night before.