Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-17
AT rRAMEsvILLE CUTLERY.
Rev. pr. SIocum Told the Story or
 Jerry MeAuIsy.

The subject upon which Rev. Joel B. Slocum, D. D., pastor of tho Cen tral Baptist church spoke at the shop talk given under Y NJ C. A. aus pices at International Silver Co. fac- tory at TharnesvilIe Tuesday noon was The Reformation of a. River Thief Rev Dr. Slocum spoke in part as fol- lows:
 Madam, do you know Jesus? asked a man doing city missionary work in New York 4 years ago. Faith and who is He? asked the rough. ignorant woman to whom he had spoken.
 Inside and within hearing of the conversation lay a man in a drunken stupor. With difficulty he arose and staggered to the door. What was that name you used a. moment ago? he asked.
 When he was told the name he said: %, used to know that name!'' This man was Jerry McAuley, the famous river thief, who, for a long time. had been 8 terror to the police of New York.
 Let Us go back a, little in his per sonM history. He was born in Ire land i'll 1887 Coming to this coun- try at the age of 13s he made his home with his grandmother on the East Side. By the time he was 19 he was a con- firued criminal Arrested for some desperate adventure in crime. he was sentenced to Sing Sing for 15 years and six months. While in prison. he
 was remarka oIv conv vert ed and fol- lowing his changed life, a. revival broke out in Sing Sing. So wonderful and universal was this awakening within the confines of the penitertialy, that 1t became necessary to secure special Christian workers to organize the con Vert5 into classes for instruction in the Bible and in the Christian life This great revival was undoubtedly the di- rect result Of the personal work of the converted Jerry AIcAuley. He was accordingly paTdoned by Gov. John A. Dix in 1864. Inlmedmiately he went back to his old haunts and almost at once fell. During his stay at Sing Sing, beer had been introduced into the saloons. One day after his re- turn from prison, he was treated to 3. glass Of beer with the remark that Sam Hadley telling the story says if ever there was 8 half holiday in hell, 1t was in consequsnce of the invention of beer. It was after this fall that Jerry made his worst record as a criminal. His pal was Tom Wilson, another desperate character. Together at night they made q. business of rob-
 ping vessels anchored in the East river. But one day MT. Little, the missionary, whom I introduced at the very beginning of this story, cara4 into Jerry McAuley's life. FTe signed the p+SNSS IOF MI. l4LLlG lILdJ QSy ana then went home and celebrated the event by getting hopelessly drunk. When he was able to set out again. he and his pal started on another stealing tour But Afr. Little happened to meet then, and he offered tc let Jerry take hss coat as a, pawn. if only he would give up his wicked errand that day. Je1ry looked at the coat, saw that it would bring only 50 cents and he exclaimed "Oh, Mir Little, if you love me that way, I'll die before I'll steal." r14at WAS the real turning point in Jerry l life. although hs fell several times ! after that. Finally he gave up ever 1 tobacco and after that he never fel ! again.
 But [ cannot tell the whole stc4z- I can hardly make q beginning of il in this little talk. It iS a story full oi human interest, but beyond that it is an illustration Of the power Of Goo l through Jesus Christ, His Son, wllc can and will save unto the utter 1 most all who come to EIirn for a, new start in the pilgrimage Of life.