The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-09

eyes ard gracious presence would soften
the young mans melancholy. They did,
effectually. Miss Maltby could not but
see that her visit had done the prisoner
good so she came again.
Before long Meserole confessed that the
path of righteousness was plain before
him. He had become a Christian.
But before his life was illumined by the
light of religion it was TRANSPORTED by
the influence of Katherine Maltby.
The romance of eight years was begun
in the tiny cell Of the dingy Raymond
street Jail.
From this time on Meserole began to
follow his new-found religion. Every
Tuesday and Sunday afternoon he joined
earnestly in the prison services, led by
Chaplain Job Bass. Soon he began to
take part in the singing of Gospel hymns.
Miss Maltby, the chaplain and other
religious friends sang and prayed with
him privately. All of which, told to
Meserole's sorrow-stricken mother COM
forted the good woman more than any
thing else in the world could have done.
She hoped that this piety was partly due
to the seed she had patiently sown dur
Ing the boys youth.
THE TRIAL OF MESEROLE
The trial was a sensational affair that
held the attention of the entire country
People who had never heard of any of
the persons concerned were breathless
with interest to know the fate of the
repentant son of the rich old general.
At last the news of the acquittal came.
But the Meserole who was released
from Jail was different man from the
Meserole who had entered 1t. He proved
this. the Sunday following his release,
when, accompanied by Miss Maltby, he
came to attend the regular jail service.
Meserole seemed happy, and to the
amazement of the prisoners rose and
talked to them for twenty minutes of
his conversion. Those who saw the ra-
dance on his face had no difficulty in
believing the statement he had made on
leaving prison, that "a portion of the
time he had spent there was the happiest
of his life" But it is doubtful whether
anybody realized that other than re-
ligious experiences had been at work in
young Meserole's life.
Nor from that day to this has any one
ever known why the young mans self
imposed period of probation was so ex-
tended Perhaps he waited to prove his
faith by good works, TO show his re-
pentance in righteous living.
| In the December following his trial
! Meserole made his conversion public by
| applying for admission to Plymouth
! church This aroused another sensation.
| Women in the church protested. They re-
| garded Meserole as a murderer, and did
| not wish MIN 10 De brought III COHldCl
with their daughters But DR.. Lyman
| Abbott and the committee satisfied them
| selves that the conversion was sincere,
and formally admitted Meserole as a
| member
THE HOME OF INDUSTRY.
The next month young Meserole ser
| prised his friends by opening a Home
| of Industry at No 201 Livingston street
| He accompanied this with the SIC, 600 he
| gained from the sale of his seat In the
| stock exchange. The object was to af-
ford means of support to discharged
| prisoners. The institution became sue
| cess and still hourishes, having been
moved to No. 70 Willoughby street.
Meserole taught his men broom-mak king,
+ and instituted a broom corn farm on
| Long Island, where he stationed many of
! them They made thirty dozen brooms a
day and a pair of brooms crossed, was
the ''coat-of-arms'' of the Institution. He
| established close relations with the in
| mates of the home that he might COM
municate his religion to them. Many
were converted. All of them loved him,
| and no man ever left the home without
| speaking hearty word of friendship for
its young founder.
! There are many charities In which Mes
| erole has been interested all these years
The work of Plymouth church, the re-
| ligious teaching of prisoners settle
: ments" among the poor, the work of the