The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-30
STORY OF A RESCUE.
HOW THE WICKEDEST MAN IN NEW
YORK WAS SAVED.
Facts Recalled by the Coming Anniversary
of the Jerry McAuiey MisGion-How the
Devil overstepped Himself-A Notable
Criminal Conversion.

among the many nunurcuS OF rescue |
missions established for the benefit of the |
criminal and the fallen there Is none SO |
well known in all parts of the Union as
tho Jerry McAuley mission in Water |
street, New York, whose twenty fifth an
niversary will be celebrated in a unique |
manner In Carnegie hall, New York, Nov.
81.
Twenty-Five years ago Jerry McAuley,
the converted thief, drunkard, ex-convict
and noted river pirate, started the first
real genuine rescue work at 316 Water
street, and ever since then the worst and
most wretched people were the most well
come. Thousands of criminal lives have
been redeemed and made useful, law abid-
ing citizens, and in hundreds of cases the
converts of the old Water street mission
have become noted evangelists and rescue
workers. In all the lands under the sun,
where faithful missionaries have been toll
ing amid danger and disease to save the
lost, has the news of God power in Water
street come, and it has strengthened the
arm and heart for the fight.
The story of Jerry McAuley's conversion
was perhaps never so graphically told as
in the following words Of S. ii. Hadley,
one of McAuley's old converts, who for
over IL years has had charge of the mis-
sion:
One Sunday afternoon in 1868 some
missionaries were passing along Water
street, two doors below where the mission
now stands, when John Allen, notorious
as the wickedest man in New York, kept
his dance house In spirit of drunken
fun Allen asked them to come in and hold
a prayer meeting in his saloon. The devil
often oversteps himself, and certainly did
| on this occasion, for they told him they
| would if he would shut up his bar. This
| he agreed to, and they held a simple serv-
| ice of song, prayer and testimony, asking
those present To forsako their evil ways.
| Allen asked them to come the next Sun
| day, which they promised to do. He told
| the reporters, and the following Sunday
| the place was packed and the street also.
! This was the beginning of the great John
| Allen excitement, which will be remem-
bered by so many people who read this.
Before this the churches had begun to
move up town to follow their members,
who had become wealthy and gone to
better neighborhood, leaving the lower
wards, and especially the Fourth and
| Sixth, to the devil. Almost every door
was a dive or dance hall, and sounds OF
revelry issued forth till daylight. Kit
Burns rat pit was q noted place. His IL
lustrious son in. law, called Jack the Rat,
would bite off a rats head before an au-
dience of sightseers and pass around the
hat.
After the John Allen excitement broke
out some missionaries were sent down to
distribute tracts. While missionary
named Little was going up the stairway
at II Cherry Hill, nearly in the rear OF the
mission, his passage was disputed by a
belligerent female of ample proportions,
: and in very defense he presented her with
, tract and said:
MADAM, do you know Jesusp"
Faith, and who is HEP" said the woman,
Within a partly open door q few feet
AWAY lay Jerry McAuley, sleeping of O
| debauch on the floor. He had been sent te
prison when 10 years old for term of II
years and months, and had been con
verified some years later at the preaching
in the prison chapel by lawful" Gardner
a noted prizefighter and all around tough
: whom Jerry had known previous to hi
Z prison life. Gardner had been converted
and was now trying to tell the story tt
others. Jerrys change of life and conduc
subsequently, resulted in his pardon b.
John A. Dix, the great war governor
New York But no hand was held GU
E then as now to the ex-convict, and he fell
. and it was after his fall that he becam
such terror in the Fourth ward. Ill
overheard the woman's question and tn
: missionary's answer, and pulled himsel
together, got up and came out, as he ha
| often told the writer, in a red shirt, trou
4 sers stuffed in his boots and n most disreI
: ! utablo old hat. The man was afraid an
. ran down stairs. Jerry followed him an
said:
"What name was that you mentione
@ to that woman
The missionary thought he was tryin
to pick q quarrel, but Jerry said: II use
to love that name in prison long age
. but 1 lost him. wish l knew where
could find him"
q The missionary took him up to Ne,
N Bowery and had him sign the pledge. II
came back with 1t in his hand, and Tol
L Wilson, his chum in thievery and all maj
ner of wickedness, had procured a Doll
of gin. -,
u Jerry" said Tom, i've signed u
n pledge"
y "Good for YOU" said Tom. "Come an
a have drink"
70 "All right" said Jerry, "but this mu
II be tho last one.
He staid in all day and night and II
next day, but the other inmates dro'
ID them out to steal something to buy viii
re XIV, and after nightfall he and Tom wei
g. down the street toward the river.
% Cherry Hill and Roosevelt street they III
b. the missionary, and he said;
Jerry, where are you goings"
ia "I can t starve," said Jerry sullenly.
q. Jerry" was the reply, II will paw
m this coat before will see you steal.
o. Jerry looked at 1t and saw that 1t won
not bring 30 cents at a pawnshop. "
you love me that way, I'll die before
pn steal" was Jerry's reply.
"A GERRY" said the missionary, let u
- give YOU text of Scripture: Seek ye III
20 the kingdom Of God and his righteou
. ness. and all else shall be added.
He said, "Ill take it, and turning
rs Tom. added: "Goodby. From now on, o
o roads lie far apart.
re- "You blankety blank fool, said Iol
edo YOU think the Lord will send y
down beefsteakY'
on Eyes" said Jerry, "and II he don't
ng starve." a.. .,
ali Jerry fell five times In the flrst IL
.uI 1nf 6ohtinU drunk. 70