The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-27
SAM JONES IN JAIL.
CONTINUED from Eighth PAEe.)

they amt been here, and they amt
a-coming here. Shrewdness, favoritism,
genius and good luck is got a heap to do
with 1t. l have preached to criminals all
over the country, and / amt a-going to
tell you nothing but facts. You can't
say Sam Jones came here to give you
sympathy. cause didn't. never saw
man in the penitentiary in my life that
was guilty. Every one one of you fel-
lows is innocent as angel. You never
took a drink You never stole. You never
murdered. All of you here are innocent,
ana The guilty are all on the outside.
You kin play your innocent to the
judge and jury, but listen; don't you play
no innocent around God. He knows you,
and if you think you can fool him, you
can't. If you are going to die don't you
play no innocent, because If you do you'll
be in hell in a minute after faint where
are you. but what are you and why are
you. m in Jail as much as any fellow
mere. It's character that counts, though.
| kin just walk up to that jailor and say
lemme out and hen open wide the door
for me. You'll go up and say, Please, Mr..
Jailor, let me out, and he-will tell you to
get back to your cell, you old rascal you.
That's character. The fact that the Jail
is a-holding you is pretty good evidence
that you are rascals." sNI"
i've been here in Savannah for two
weeks. and l amt in jail yet. There is
whole lot of fellers that wants to see me
here and would like to see me here
powerful bad but that's like the conven-
ton of rats in the barn. They met and
decided all cats must have bells around
them. A committee was appointed, but
when the first old Tom cat was reached
all ofithat committee of rats that was left
was a little hair and blood. There amt
a committee in town that can lick Sam
Jones or keep his mouth shut. If they
tried it they would be worse than that rat
committee that went up to Old Thomas
Cat. There wouldn't be any hood and
hair left.
you fellows are right where you be-
long If you amt got no betetr sense
than to drink liquor you should be kept
here where you can't get it. You're all
sober amt you. zone of the negro men
stated that he never drank. That's worse
then. You sober rascals amt got no ex-
cuse at all. I'm a-giving you plain talk
like 1 give them sinners down at the
Tabernacle"
Mr.. Jones described grand, noble,
royal man made after Gods own image
and said that such a man is greater by
far than king. He told several stories
to show what praying would do for
sinner who really had determined to re-
form He spoke of a nobler, higher, bet
ter, sweeter and greater life, and com
pared the work of God and the work of
the devil.
You say, Brother Jones, you don't
know what temptation is. Who knows
any better than me. Amt 1 been there.
It's easy enough to quit. It's staying quit.
That's the rub. Amt you quit now cause
you can't git 1t. You tell me you can't
quit you lying rascal. Just quit That's
the way to do It, No you'll say I'll take
one more drink and then tell it good-by.
You're a fool you are. There amt no
way to taper off. l used to taper off from
a drunk but 1t wes towards the big end.
If I run with the gang you run with
would be here in six weeks. Yous been
to Lincoln Park and then you come here.
You go there on Sunday and then you go
to Jail. It's the devils pork, the dirty
old hog wallow.
Here last Sunday morning a man was
killed and another one was killed again
this morning The devil is sure to get you.
He don't boss the church. He just gifts
churchmen to do it for him. The vestry-
men hand around the hat in the morning
and hand around beer at the Yacht Club
in the afternoon. He works for the devil
all the week and then goes to church
to work for God on Sunday moIning.
Some of you think you can't be man in
Savannah unless you cuss and drink
whisky and play cards. He amt man;
he's dog"
Mr.. w. 1. OBrien talked to the prison
ers for five minutes, during which he gave
some good advice. He spoke of his own
sins and said that he would not care 40
recall them, even to other sinners. With
Gods help he will never again go from
the straight path of righteousness. He
advised his listeners to make up their
minds to be better men and women.