Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-15
ALWAYS A CHANCE
FOR DRINK VICTIM
IN ST. PAUL'S CLUB
Derelicts Lifted From Seem
ingly Hopeless Degrada-
ton and Made Useful and
Self-respecting Citizens.

1t took to drown. lie had had n long
fight with John Barleycor1-and he had
lost He had nothing to live for. He had
lost everything he had to lose. family.
friends, business and health. The whisky
had even taken away his appetite for
food, and now he could not even get
whisky. So he nerved himself and crept
closer to the bulkhead. The waves mur.
INJURED invitingly.
a laborer on his way to work noticed
the loiterer and intercepted him. There
was a short conversation and the two
went off together. They turned in at Ill
Lombard street-Old 81. Paul's Club-and
the man to whom death had called was
put to bed. Then, in the brutauy direct
parlence of the street, he went to the
mat"
This is almost an everyday occurrence
at Old st. Paus. Sometimes every one Of
the 1s beds in the institution is occupied,
and none but iuebriates are admitted.
The club might be called the house Of the
last chance. Its avowed object is TO give
TO the man who has lost everything who
has given up the fight against liquor,
another chance.
AS matter Of fact, st, Pauls gives
each man four chances before it classes
him as a congcnital drunkard or a pro-
fessiona panhdndler Ii he falls down
the first, second or third time after the
club has put him on his feet" his spon-
sor is bound by his pledge to bring
him back. Putting a man on his feet
At Old ST. Pauls means Just that Fl"
Is fed and cared for until he is able t.
work. Then a job is obtained FOR him and
he is kept until his first payda".
The club was founded five years age
and is said to be the only institution of
its kind in this country. Without endow-
ment. without appeal for charity, without
advertising save that given II by word
of mouth. 1t grows and extends each year
the scope of its work literally dragging
men out of the gutter and helping them
back to self-reSpeCt.
The whole scheme of the club is mar
velously simple. With the exception Of
the house il occupies, which IS donated
by the Episcopal CITY Mission. the or
ganiZation is sedt-supportiuG, yet there
are not stated dues. Each nenh"r COLI
what he thinks he can afford.
No questions are asked and anything Is
accepted from tive-cent piece to a hve-
dollar bill.
DRINK VICTIMS ELIGIBLE.
The club has about 100 members. Any
man who has been or is u victim Of the
drink habit is eligible to membership. and
none who has not IS admitted. This ap-
plies even to the officers with the single
exception OF the Rev. DR.. H. Cresson Nc
Henry. tine president who also is super
intenIent Of the Episcopal City VI M.ss.on.
The other members Of the club ar" +. Il.
Dougherty. treas uroI and general man
ager: Frank ]. Price. vice president. ana
Thomas Collins and Frank JoEe', -"cf'-
taries Mr. Price also is the sunday lee
turer when he IS in the city. service
are held at the club every sunday after
noon at o'clock. This Sunday Service
is in Acknowledgement To the Eplse0pa!
City Mission and Doctor McFIerry for th"
use OF the house. II was IN" ON. S"p'-
latiou made by the clergyman when nr
turned over the building for IN" u-e OF
the club.
but one man rarely stays long It'll l-'7
office. Sometimes 81 man holds Il 'r"
Cnn dav. The sup, riutruleuL IS ID 'HlH
who has been brought i'm or til" sN"'is
10 take the cure for drunkenness. lie Is
generally in the couFa.es''At >.'-'.
While he is recupeTatUg preparatory t'
making a new start in the WONG A' ~
+rainig some Cne else in tt@ SIMPLE
duties of the supeTinterdehe"
No questions are put TO the man VINO IS
taken in by ST PaUls. II ne is 'C'eI'h1
Ne is asked 10 make = simple p!@dS" I"
abstain from Intoxicating EF-9.. Hts
EnOnsor-the man who has picked him up
sonewhe-e and brought him Intakes a
stronger pledge He promises 20 guard
and protect the newcomer 90 'H- ''SI o'
Ills ability TO help him In every way ne
CUT =, - 80 lin, hack for another
wagon anu "''"7 ''''''
chance In, A., -,,..r4 o,,r
tr 40 meaIc.n' - ot,,1 ,s .,lr,,,,r-d :.
MS treatment AZ 'IS - H.. ~. ..,lsI,,,
snow wheIHeF ul '.os ,' ~ ~ Inv. b..
IN a man known "7 r..'g
~ - ,rsf.-. is f,rs 10 MAX. ,,,
sFerylhlns PotS.I.7 '@
~. is tGId rIaTrIv that the club canro
help him unless he has some w!ll-I"weN
OF his own and Is determine" % u7e ~
. anem, II iT tre ,'' nat ana sr@s the s.ak,.
While in that rondriou he is rlozal,
watched If he should prove 10 D." in 1nt
danger he IS 'S'l'l'u 10 4 .,osp @ .'..'
mn MI tI,a Ha'p 5fsease Nos nf rrpn Eav, has
a. They know its teI~ors aud thar huuY
what is best Hor the patient
The FRIDAY evening following tna aa
mission of a patient I- IS proposed 20
membership at the regular ueetiuE 90
lie club by his sponsor His name .
.s..