The mirror., 1914-07-02
LIVING EXAMPLES
OF A GRAND WORK
Many Men Become Useful Citizens After
Serving Prison Terms. Head of VOL
unteers Of America, Cites Numerous
Instances.
MANY CAN BE SAVED
By Maud BallingtOn Booth

him Skinny. During his five terms
he served over twenty-one years in
prison. He was young man who
had not had the advantages. and in
fact had stolen from childhood.
During his last term he contract
ed rheumatism, was so bent and
broken that he was unable for
months to lie down and was per-
mitted to do a little cobbllng in his
cell. At times his pain was SO
great that the physician would give
him morphine tablet, but instead
of using them be kept them. intend
ing to kill himself when he had
saved enough of them.
How many of these would it
take to kill man, dOctor?" asked
Skinny.
About twenty" was the reply.
On the day that our message
reached him he had accumulated
nineteen of these tablets, and fol-
lowing our talk he went back to his
cell and threw the nineteen away.
After subsequent interviews he de-
cided to come to our New York
home. which is one of four main
tanned by us for released prisoners.
He came out on crutches and he was
indeed emanclated.
His Reformation Complete
During the eleven months he re-
NAMED with us he built up HE
shattered health, and when able to
work was employed by gentleman
at $3 a week. While his employer
was able to give him a much larger
wage he wanted to put Skinny to
the test.
Day after day he proved his
worth, and his wages were increased
accordingly. so that at the end of a
few years he was in position to
marry. Wherever he has worked
he has proved faithful and has CIV
en- every satisfaction to his en-
ployers. He IS at present holding
a position of responsibility. is mar
ried and has two fine young daugh-
ters. He has lived an upright life
for fifteen years.
Then there was the case of Tom,
who had served two short terms at
Sing Sing prior to 1889. Upon the
evening of the day of his second dis
charge from Sing Sing, Tom, wan
dering down the Bowery, met two
of his friends, who invited him into
one of the saloons to have a drink.
After their third or fourth drink
they were placed under arrest by
detectives from headquarters, who
charged them with a robbery COM
mitted that very day.
His Innocence of No Avail
Tom protested his innocence, saw
ing that he was not the man, that
he had only just come from Sing
Sing, and in fact did not have time
to do job of that kind. Despite
his denials he was locked up, for,
unfortunately, TOMS appearance
tailed almost exactly with the de-
scription of the missing third of the
three men who had done the rob-
berry.
On the day of the trial the other
two men pleaded guilty and re-
ceived fifteen year sentences, at the
same time affirming that Tom had
no part in the robbery. Tom again
protested his innocence, saying that
he had not committed the crime,
that he had done nothing for which
he should have been arrested. He
defined to take plea and decided
to stand trial. On his record he was
found guilty in short order, and as
he put the county to the expense of
a trial he was sentenced to twenty
years in prison. He went back to
Sing Sing soured and sullen with
a desire In his heart to get
even with society for the wrong it
had done him and a determination
that he would get even when he
came out.
How we'll l remember the many
talks have had with Tom, and
how at times it seemed AZ though
nothing that might be said would
move him; but at last God, working
in His own mysterious way, saw fit
to change his heart. Tom put the
evil desires and evil inclinations
back of him and came out of prison
a saved man.
Twelve Years of Upright Life
1t is now twelve years since Tom