The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-26
JACK ROSE IN
 LECTURE FIELD
Ex-Graft Collector Hopes Becker
 Will Not Die

1 bier talked over the old days in 1898 and 1899 when, manager of both the DanbuTy and Norwich baseball l teams he made frequent visits to Bris-
 tol and was present at the games on 1 the old Center street grounds. The great improvement in buildings and everything else here attracted his at tention soon as he landed.
 | Asked why he entered the lecture | field Rose replied that it was by ac- cident. 'fYou know my life has been largely made up of accidents,' he said, as he drank cup of tea. 'Soon after went through my great trouble in New York, where I was picked out to be made goat of, i determined | to come back to Connecticut. I had spent many happy days here before.
 living in Norwich, Waterbury and DanbUry, and I told my wife that if
 would please me to get into the land
 of steady habits again. We landed
 in Westport, which is a fine little
 place. Not a. great while after set
 tied, a clergyman, Rev. J. A. Brown,
 pastor of the Selek Memorial church,
 called at my house. He didn't talk
 religion, tell me he wanted to con-
 vert me, but conversed in a plain,
 matter of fact, human way that made
 a great impression on me.
 By the time we got acquainted I
 realized that if there were more min
 isters of the Gospel like him in this
 world more people would attend the
 churches and listen to what was
 preached each Sunday Our friend
 ship strengthened each day and re-
 affixed the clergyman was telling me
 things I wanted to hear and which helped me wonderfully.
 '"rhe fact became known that the church had a debt and the pastor, my friend, who had done me more good 1 than I can express, was anxious to 1 raise the money among his people to 1 pay off the obligation. accordingly 1 sent him my check for $1o telling him [ would like to help him more if | could. I asked him if there was any | way it could be brought about. Rev. |
 MT Brown called at my house and l said, Jack, you can help more than | you realize by telling in my church in 1 public way the stories you have told | ms about the underworld in the pri- | Vate conversations we have had I told him I had never done anything | of the sort in my life and wasn't sure I could accomplish anything in the | lecture line.
 Encouraged by the pastor, con sented to tell the story of the under world and how I got there; and it was done in his church. I talked in 8. plain way, didn't tell anything that wasn't a part of my experience and it proved to be such a success that much money was realized to wipe out the church | debt I had a big audience that night of interested men and women and the way they encouraged me to keep on telling the story is what landed me on the lecture platform. I have spoken since early in September and have had good audiences. One night recently in Grace Church, Broeklyn, had an audience of 800 men, most of whom came forward after the meeting, took me by the hand, and told me to keep on telling the story of New York's un- derworld."
 Rose said he we'll remembered the days, fifteen years ago, when he used to come to this city with the Norwich and Danbury baseball teams. Those were hard days for the baseball game you know said Rose. Admiral Dewey and the Spanish War took up the public interest much that it was next to impossible to get people to spend any time attending baseball games. Many a time when we came to Bristol the team didn't get support enough to pay car fares but we kept at the struggle all the summer. It was mighty hard sledding almost all the season. John Gunshanan of Hartford used to manage the Bristol Baseball Club in those days.
 "A short time ago a friend of-mfne, an old baseball player named Jimmy Gallagher, of Da.nbury, told me he had a fine photograph taken in 1898 of the Danbury and Norwich baseball clubs. In the photograph was a good like ness of myself looking at the bunch of players. When I was passing through my troubles in New York last year Gallagher said the crowd used to come to his place at night and look at the picture and pity Jack Rose. What was my surprise a few days ago-to re- cetve the picture by express and I value it more highly than any little present have ever received |:
 Rose was asked about lieutenant Becker and the likelihood of his being executed, but he said he wished to be excused from talking on the troubles of a year ago. He; however, added that time heals all wounds and while he at one time wished to see Becker executed, he now hoped he would not have to pay the penalty for his crime. He talked freely of the bunch of gam bIers he was with in New York and of the scrape they got him into as a result of the murder of Rosenthal. He has now turned over a new leaf and is leading a, Christian life.
 Rose had a good audience at Red Mems Hall last night He made no pretence to being lecturer but talk ed in a heart to heart fashion, telling an intensely interesting story of the life such as he led for some years in the great city. He has g. number of engagenents m Connecticut and New York and is much pleased with the