Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-21
BILLY SUNDAY CAME INTD HIS
LIFE AND He CHANGED HIS
CAREER.
CALLED in MABRAY CASE,
HE PLEADS TO BE LET OFF
Court Hears His Pathetic Story and
His Testimony j. Not Required
Feared Effect on Family and on His
Religious Effort. ~ One Nof Many
Pathetic incidents.

Council Bluffs, March 21.-Absorbing
as have been the public proceedings in
the Mabray trial in the United States
court in this city during the past eight
Or nine days, they have. not touched the
heights and depths of human interest
in number of incidents connected
with the case which have not been
made public.
One. of these unpublished. romances
relates to a wealthy man whose name
may be known as Smith, altho that
was not his name, and no one named,
Smith, Brown or Jones was ever
Mixed" SO far as the records show.
Smith was swindled out of $4,000 in the
latter part Of 1907. His case came to
the notice of Postoffice Inspector j. s,
,SWenson in the course of the latter
investigation of big Stores" following
the discovery of records of such tran
sactions in the trunk of J. C.. Mabray
in Little Rock, Ark, about one year
ago..
The story might we'll furnish the plot
for novel. The victim in this case
had for years lived a ''Dr. Jekyl" and
Mr.. Hyde" existence. Among the peo-
pie of his home town he was known as
an upright, honorable business man Of
clean life and irreproachable habits.
Secretly, however he had different
side, and frequently engaged in wild
escapades which were carefully con-
cealed from his family, friends and
neighbors.
It was while on one of these es-
capades that Smith fell afoul of the
"Big Store" He went against the game
with zest, and paid $4,000 as the price
of his experience. He made no COM
plant, however, and aftern@his return,
never SO much as whispered inforna-
tion of the occurrence. 1t was ''Mr
Hyde" who had been Mixed" and CDR.
Jekyt" knew naught Of the transact
ton.
Converted BY Billy Sunday.
i In course of time Billy Sunday, the
noted evangelist, visited the city where
Smith lived, and he was among the
hundreds of converts brought to the
mourners' bench by Sundays forceful
preaching.
AS a result of his conversion, Smith
put away the MIR. Hyde side of his
character ands determined to give his
money and his talents to the Masters
service during the remainder of his life.
His wealth has since then been spent
in philanthropic and charitable work,
and his time has been devoted to, an
effort to uplift and save the unfortu-
nate victims of the. slums.
Some time after his conversion, Smith
a beautiful and talented wom-
am and his devotion to his family and
home is described as ideal, as passion
second only to his religious work.
Called to Testify.
In the course of time as the wheels
Of justice turned, Smith was inter-
viewed by Postoffice Inspector tSwenson
his big. Store" experience,
and later received subpoena to appear
as a government witness against Ma
bray and his ~codefendants in this city.
Last week he arrived here and immedi-
ately sought an interview with Col. M.
L. Temple, United States district at
torney.
The interview took place one evening
in Colonel Temples room in the Grand
hotel, almost directly over the rooms, it
might be remarked, where the mil
lionaires" and their accomplices are
said to have held the betting-fests in
which their victims were adroitly
euchred. After the door had been
locked Smith broke down and began to
weep. Between intervals of uncon-
trolled emotion he told his story.
For Gods sake, for the sake of my
work and influence and for the sake
Of my family. don't compel nSet to go
thru this ordeal" pleaded the excited
man eff that unfortunate episode in
my life is made public and am par
AIDED on the witness stand as having
taken part in anything like that will
be disgraced in the eyes OF my family
and my naighbors and fellow workers..