The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-26
ON ALL
IMMORTAL j. n, THE PHILOSOPHER,
TELLS HOW HE GOT THEM.
las Devoted His Life to Truth, and
for that reason Found He
Couldn't Practice Law.
New York Press

New York Press.
Immortal j.. N, philosopher and disciple
of truth, is fighting for life in Urbana, Ill.
No more, perhaps, will he able 10 use the
hundreds of passes permitting him TO ride
"for eternity and one day. on the railroads
OF the country. For this queer character,
unable to enter the legal profession because
it would debar him from living the truth"
travelled to the East and the West lecturing
for the cause, yet never paid a cent in car
fare.
Jacob Newman Free, the name by which
he was known early in life. was born sew
enty-one years ago in Chambersburg, Pa
During the gold excitement he drifted TO
California, and there discovered his natural
gift OF eloquence. With an immense throng
he attended the trial Of a man arrested on
ar unjust charge. He pushed to the front,
took up the cause OF the accused. cleared
him and made his own name a household
word. Although he had never read a page
Of law, he was consulted and employed in
all the important cases which occurred dur
ing his stay in California He went to Ohio
and entered the Cincinnati Law School: but,
satisfied that law and truth could not go
hand in hand, he left that institution with
out securing a diploma In 1859 he started
out as a p~eripatetic philosopher, and for the
last ~thirty-nine years he has been a wan
derer, doing what he could do IN his own
way.
1t is generally supposed that 1t takes
money to travel. a fact clearly disproved
by the Immortal ]. NJ" who never paid a
cent. Railroad fares, lodging. board. read
ing matter, writing materials and even his
clothing are free to j. N.
It's easy enough for him to secure q pass
now, but if asked how he got the earlier
ones j. N. will reply: II bartered truth for
security until truth should become more
popular an answer giving but a vague
idea Of his methods.
The actual method by which he secured
them was to approach a conductor on a
train, or a superintendent, general passen-
ger agent or president in his office. and say:
81 feel my inability to meet the demands
for the fare that will be exacted OF me and
am compelled to ask you to favor me with
a ride and wait for payment until my
principles or philosophy are understood by
the people. Truth is my banker and his
funds appear to be exhausted, and / have
no prospect Of a replenishment until he
becomes more popular" Persistence gener-
ally brought the pass.
Trip passes were issued at first, but soon
the eternity and one day" variety became
IQucH more popular Win t0S DOTeQ OlilCldlS.
These passes are invariably signed by
every officer Of the road who is unable to
escape the wanderer. some or them bear
curious Endorsements. One reads: This
pass, to Immortal J. N. and one. is issued
upon the express understanding that the
recipient will, for all eternity. lift the pres.
sure off Of this line and all its connections"
Another of them gives him the right to
walk over the right of way Of the road. and
is issued by the Chicago & Erie. running
from Chicago to Marion, 0. When the
nhtfncnnhar uyoc told that ha might have a
pass to walk over the right Of way he re-
piled that 1t would be eminently satisfac-
tory. and immediately took the cars at en-.
found j. N. walking up and down the aisle.
and in response TO his request for fare was
rendered the pass. $500
walk over the ri~ght-of-way!'
Great Jehoshaphat!" replied j. N, what
do you think I'm doing?'
J.. N. always walks when he rides on the
]. n. has no difficulty In getting. passes
now. When a new road is Organized he
presents himself at the general fice and.
displaying the accumulation or years, I'M,
p msaia5sty T asent would q new consider pass, 4 h.m ssalsfa a
hoodoo to the road should he refuse J: N.
this favor. It's a part Of a r~ailroader's
and. although many OF the signers have
gone to their long rest, his right to travel
on the passes is never questioned. These
day, offhand, he can tell the name of every
man who ever gave him a pass, and the
assisted him in his great work of Sremov-
ing the pressure, or lifting the veil. off
truth" always spelled by him with a capital
T.. His memory is marvellous. He never for
gets a face, and therein lies much OF his
success as a traveller.
Mot 10 only hyt does pes j. n. Irene, rememP 3ss faces aces, Ind ID
these he meets. AS soon as he enters q
town he invades a newspaper office, appro-
PIRATES the desirable exchanges, corrals all
the paper and envelopes in sight and pro-
ceeds TO write TO his friends, making 1t a
point In each case to touch on some pet
j. N. secures a certain amount of funds
for truth" by his lectures. If truth were
universally, practiced this would not be
necessary. he explains. When his funds get
low he looks around for some apparently
sympathetic person and says: Have you
the nerve to stand the pressure for 81? 1
mean by that, can you sacrifice your preju-
dice for the love of money and assist me
to lift the veil of truth?" If his listener
shows the slightest INCLINATION to comply
as the act performed" which generally
brings the cash. Occasionally, when the
funds not ample, j. n. returns the money
within a few weeks. AS a rule, however.
he considers it as stock invested by the
]. n. is extremely grateful to the railroad
people, who have afforded him so many OPP
elucldate his principles and spread his phil
osophy. He wishes to see them rewarded
with gold medals. on which shall be in
scribed: "A token of appreciation of truth,
whilst enshrouded in error. which has al
WAYS prevented it from being accepted"
Thus" he says. they not only would
realize the great assistance they have been
to me, but would be interested equally in
all who have enlisted under my banner of
truth, thus equalizlng the prejudice that is
ever connected with those who encourage
ideas that are in conflict with the opinion
of mankind" Which suggests the idea that
IN. would have passes given to all his
followers