Sunday Washington globe., 1902-06-01

Sunday Visits to the District jail
Some Information OF Man Whom
All Delight TO Honor.
Mr.. William +. Downey, the well known
liveryman of L street, is most assuredly the
good samaritan" to the friendless and the
unfortunate prisoners who land in the Dis
trict Jail Opposite his immense livery
stables on L near Sixteenth street he has a
hotel or large boarding house fitted up for
his employees and one large room with IS
beds is fitted up for the homeless and friend
/ less prisoners of the county Jail when dis
charged from prison. Mr.. Downey em-
ploys altogether eighty or one hundred men
in his establishment and fair per cent Of
these are men whom his kindness reformed
ard rehabilitated from thieves, outcasts and
drunkards.
Every Sunday morning he visits the
county Jail and assists in the service. He
makes careful note Of those among the
/ prisoners who have neither friends nor
relatives These he asks for and receives
on their discharge and takes them to his
hotel The barber is then sent for and the
mans hair is trimmed, his beard shaved and
he is given a shower bath. In fact he is
/ scrubbed and cleansed outwardly, at least.
He is then informed, after being clothed in
a new suit of clothes, that he can stay as
/ long as he pleases aud abundance Of food is
furnished him with nice clean bed. Mr..
| Dowuey talks kindly to the astonished
/ wretch who has been all his life kicked and
cuffed by fortune and always getting the
worst of it. If the man wants work and de-
ternines to lead a new life Mr. Downey
employs him in his livery business ard
looks after his welfare with the solicitude
Of a father. OF course there have been
many backsliders and recalcitrants in Mr..
Dowuey's selections of the frieudless aud
SHINING, but he is thankful for saving some.
And this some" numbers a good many
honest and industrious men to-day who
few years ago were drunkards thieves and
homeless buns.
There is no distinction made between
white and black in Mr.. Downey's Christian
philanthropy. Nor does he inquire their
religion or race IF they are Protestants,
he will supply them with their prayer books
and other literature of their church He is
a sincere practical Catholic, but he never
proselytizes nor seeks converts to his church
This one mans acts are doing more to-
wards the solution of the criminal problem
than all the courts, police, and legislatures
of the entire country. If the Downeys
were multiplied throughout the cities of the
land the criminal courts and the iails aud
penitentiaries would soon 20 out of business.
Mr. Downey landed as a boy in this couu-
try penniless aud friendless. He has the
largest livery business in Washington, in
fact larger than any three similar estab-
lishments put together He takes as good
care of his horses as he does of his men,
providing all the latest and most scientific
sanitary appliances in his immense stables.
He It is who furnishes the Government the
carriages aud horses required from time TO
time in celebrations or entertainments,
such as the reception of Prince Henry and
the recent unveiling of the Rochambeau
statue.
A pathetic story yet illustrative Of TIE
ready wit of the Irish race is told in coa-
nectiou with MI Downey's landing as a
little fodder in Quebec.
He was sick all the ten weary weeks Of
the voyage and when the final day came to
land, he was scarcely able to stand on his
feet His cheeks were pale and shruuken,
and his aunt, who had him by the hand,
leading him to the gang plank and who car
ried her own baby in her arms, was fearful
lest he wouldn't pass muster of the health
officers and be allowed to land She noticed
several women and children turned back to
be quarantined until strong enough to land.
and she retired with little Billy" to the
rear of the crowd Sitting down the infant
in her arms on the deck she looked mourn
fully at Billy few moments Then raising
her open hand she hit little Billy resound-
ing whack on each side of his face. Grab
bing him up quick before the amazed child
had time to cry out and scream, she rushed
to the gang plank while Biilp's cheeks 1csye
red from ne bl0ly and easily passed
musterl Who but an Irish woman would
have thought Of this plan to make wan,
pale cheeks red with glowing health2
When the child found its voice. however,
and screamed at the pain and assault, the
tears rained down her cheeks she ec-
claimed W,tfSi Hhfshi alQHahi if you
knew what did it for shure you wouldn't
cryl'
MI Dowuey grew up a sturdy, self re-
liant boy under the Aag which has been the
refuge of the millions Of his race since tae
terrible years Of the Irish famine. He once
revisited the home Of his childhood and
found the cot where he was born in ruins
like hundreds Of others. The churchyard
where his ancestors for generations were
inferred was nearby and kueeling on the
graves of those of his kin who slept beneath
he offered prayer not only for the dead but
the living victims Of the misrule which
slaughtered aud expatria,ed millions of his
race. The inspiring thought which ran
through his prayer was that by the iuscruta-
bic ways of Providence all things were for
the best, as standing in the ruins Of the cot
in which he was born he now had wealth
enough TO purchase the entire lands and
village as well as the landlord WHO esict.
his pareutsl Mr.. DowueY has the respect
and esteem of all who know him, both ia
business and IN his beautiful philanthropy
towards the homeless, the wretched and the