Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-24
CLEARED UP $4,000
Street Preacher Drops Religion and
is Now a Financier.
HE WAS A NATIVE OF CEDAR RAPIDS
Harmless Iowa Exhorter "Resains
Reason" Secures Small Loan From
Friends and Makes Fortune in
Manitoba Lands.

Cedar Rapids, Jan. 23.-From
harmless maniac, who believed that
he had a call direct from God to ap-
pear on the streets barefoot and
preach the gospel, Bob" Moody sud-
denly regained his reason, and plung-
ing into speculation in Manitoba
lands, has cleared up $4,000 in cold
cash In six months, and is in fair
way to become very wealthy man.
Bob Moody spent his boyhood days
in Cedar Rapids, and while he was re-
garded as a harum-scarum sort of
fellow it was recognized that he was
possessed of much natural ability.
Soon after becoming of age he broke
loose from home ties and started out
to see the world. He travelled far
and wide, and finally turned up in
British Columbia, where he acquired
extensive mining interests. The prop
erty proved valuable, and Just at a
time when he promised soon to be-
come very wealthy man, his mind
became unbalanced, he was adjudged
insane and sent to an asylum. He was
there for about year and a half, dur
ing which time thru some means his
property was lost to him. When
released from the asylum he started
for his old home in this city.
One summer day, two and half
years ago, he created sensation
when he appeared on the street bare
headed and barefooted and began to
exhort people to turn from their wick
ed ways and become Christians. He is
man of powerful physique, has a
deep, musical voice, well modulated,
and was really eloquent in his ap-
peals. He was arrested and taken to
the police station, but was released
when he promised to remain at home.
In a few days he was again on the
streets. Time and time he repeated
the performance and finally was sent
to the asylum at independence. He
was kept there but ashort time, return
ing Immediately to this city, to again
begin preaching on the streets. Final
,ly he was persuaded to go to the coun-
ty home. The surroundings seemed
to please him, and he remained there.
Occasionally he would return to the
city for day or two, but always re-
turned on his own accord to the coun-
ty home.
About six months ago the mental
cloud which had hung over him for
four years as suddenly disappeared
| as it had come, and he stepped out
| into the bright sunshine once more
with, a clear intellect. He secured a
little money and a few days later land
] ed in Winnipeg, y He had $50 left. A
| judicious investment doubled the
money in short time, and soon he
was dealing in lands. Fortune smil
| ed on him, and since his first invest
ment he. has cleared up $4,000. He
was here few days ago on his way
to Chicago to join his wife and two
children, whom he had not seen for
months
In speaking of his dark days he said
that he had the most remarkable
dreams, both during his sleeping and
waking hours. In those dreams God
seemed to speak to him and command
| him 10 go on the streets and preach
to the people. He said he was always
fully conscious of what he was doing
but was unable to disobey the com
mands that seemed to come to him.