The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-11
RESCUE WORKER
MAKES TEARS FLOW
cHAs. NJ. cRITTENToN TELLS
SOME OF THE NARROWING tx
PERiENcEs WHICH HE HAS
DEALT WTH-cREAT THRoNe
HEARS HIS ADDRESS.

Tears were flowing freely in many
parts OF the house last evening when
Chas. N. Cittenton, admitted to bt
one OF the most practical charity
workers the world has ever known,
told Of some of the narrowing ex-
periences which he has had to deal In
twenty seven years of work among
fallen women.
Mr.. Crittenton is not an eloquent
speaker, he does not pretend to be-
and yet for over an hour one OF the
greatest audiences ever gathered to-
gether in Fargo hung on his every
word, and was stirred as few men
have ever stirred it before. The great
philanthrophist has a message. He
tells 1t in a straightforward, simple
way, mincing no words, putting on no
four1shes, but using the plain, simple
language 0 the common people, and
1t commands attention because his
hearers know that he is a man who
does things" q man who has lived out
IN his life the kind Of christianity he
breaches
Mr.. Crittenton, after giving the
audience an account # his conversion
and the reason for his beginning the
work to which he has devoted the
best years of his life as well as his
entire fortune, spent considerable time
and gave many illustrations to prove
that fallen women can be saved And
that they ''stick."
He told OF one young girl. the
daughter Of a Chicago Methodist
preacher who was saved in the
mother mission at II and % Blocker
street. New York city, twenty-six
years ago who is still saved" She
is now devout christian woman,
working as a missionary to save other
girls from the misfortune which over
took her.
Says Dance Is Responsible.
In telling of the ways in which girls
are dragged down TO ruin, he said
that he recently had asked the super
intendent of the Florence Crittenton
home in San Francisco to secure from
some Of the fallen women of that
city a statement as to the cause OF
their ruin. Out Of 100 girls, II gave
as their reason, the dance.
He gave one illustration of a girl
in New York city who was rescued
and, who told OF her downfall This
girl said that she loved to dance when
she was young girl and that her lit
tie friends would gather at her home
and she would go to theirs. One day
one of the young men of her crowd"
called at her home and told her he
knew place where they could dance
all they wanted to and asked her TO
go with him. She was glad to go and
they danced until O'Clock the next
morning, in a puTblic dance hall.
This story was told to MIR. Critten-
ton at an early hour one morning
when he was out working on the
streets of the Bowery with party of
He had stopped the
girl and pleaded with her to give up
her life OF evil, She ended her story
by saying, After that first public
dance I went into that house right
there across the street and for seven
years have been walking the streets
OF New York an outcast But Mr..
Cr1ttenton, 1t is too late now. If RI
had only known you seven year ago"
And few weeks after that this girl
died in the public hospital on Black
wells Island victim If consumption.
which Is the disease which carries off
most of the victims of ''the traffic"
5000 Die Every Month.
1t was while telling of the terrible
end of the girls that the most harrow
ing experiences were given.
Appalling Statistics.
There are 100000 .of these girls in
the United States alone" said Mr..
Crittenton. "Of this vast host, which
Is only the known and tabulated num-
Der and does not include those who are
secretly living life of shame. 60. OOo
die every year, 5000 every thirty DAYS.
And remember this you fathers and
mothers OF Fargo, 10000 girls every
year, are recruited from the RANKS Of
the innocent to take their places
Think OF it, 5000 girls every thirty
days, through the dance, by the use
OF drugs, through the affections and
the confiding nature of the girls. Can
you say that your little daughter is
safe?"
In conclusion he made an appeal
for more thought on this subject. for
cleaner lives and more assistance In
the work.
The Grand theatre, in which the adj
dress was delivered was packed to the
doors long before the hour of opening.
and hundreds were turned away, un-
able to obtain even standing room.
Mr.. Crittenton was introduced to ulle
audience by DR.. r. A. Beard OF the
First Congregational church. DIR.
Herbert Tilden OF the First Baptist
church gave the opening prayer, and
DR.. II. @. Leonard OF the First Presbv-
terrain church, made an appeal for
substantial financial assistance from
the audience at the close OF the ad-
dress.
Music was furnished by the choir
Of the First Baptist church, assisted
by others, and Mrs. A. H. Dodsley
presided at the piano. Two quaretette
numbers were rendered by Mrs. A. III. II
Dodsley, Mrs. A. j. Stephens, Al. II.