New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-21
MISSION GUIDES
BOY THIEF TO JAIL
Moved by Talk to Live
Right, He Surrenders as
First Step Upward.
IN CELL HE RECEIVES
HIS REJECTED STORY
Undaunted by Failure, Lad VIII
Pay for Crime, Then Write
and Aid Unfortunates.

Through the latticed steel door OF a
cell in Police Headquarters the author
of"Ths Bullet Of Vengeance" thrust his
hand.
Thanks" he said. 81 believe am
going to make good. | starred wrong
but guess | caught myself in time
The author is nineteen years old, and
mis- nsme-not the one he has been
known by since he came to New York in
September, a fugitive from JUSTICES
Raymond Jordan His mother and three
sisters live in Troy, where ne was en-
ployeG as messenger when sl46 In
crisp, new bills tempted him to his first
dishonest set
Late yesterday Jordan sat on the
edge Of his cell bunk and glanced over
the manuscript of The Bullet Of Ven
geance." A publishing firm had re.
turned il with q pink unavailable
slip. bat the boy was scarcely less dis
couragsd by its rejection than by the
wrong start he had taken in life.
ITS a good story" he said, "and II
ought TO 90 some day. 1t is about a
chemist who distils deadly explosive
from turpentine and to wipe out his
enemies he attaches a quantity of 1t 20
en- aeroplane device, timed to explode.
but something goes wrong and IL comes
back and explodes over his own city.
that's New York. IT is destroyed, and
/ It is not until thirty-hve years later
that the secret becomes known"
Raymond surrendered to the police
Yesterday. When he returns to Troy TO
face justice and has paid the pen
atty demanded he will devote the
rest Of his life to literature and say
ing other men who start wrong. His
education was received in the four years
ne spent in an orphan asylum, but he
libSs TO read.
Mission Caused Surrender.
ION September 20 was employed By
II. T. Phillips, who furnishes messen-
gers for Troy business mem" he said,
Slipping the manuscript back into the
thick manila envelope. 81 was sent TO
! the Washburn-Crosb Flour Company
TO get handbook with seven checks
and Sl46 IN bills 10 take TO the Manu-
facturors' Bank.
81 had never done a dishonest thing
before In MY life. worked hard to
help care for my mother and sisters,
but the sight of go much money
changed me. I guess When | was on
the train coming from Albany / knew
had done wrong. At fret I wanted 10
90 back. Then 7 thought; We'll. I've
started and msy az well see u
through"
Employment was hard 20 find, but
while the stolen money lasted he did
not worry. Deep in one pocket the boy
tucked $50, not to be drawn upon except
In an emergency. Then he met a man
who wanted to know il he wished TO
buy a watch and showed one with rs
karat" stamped" on il in several places.
For what proved to be a 81 timepiece
he gave S25.
/ ~ got some odd Jobs now and then
and earned little" the boy continued,
"but Il was hard going, and drifted
down TO the Bowery. | wandered into
mission one night and heard some
things that set me TO thinking, went
TO some Salvation Army exercises, and
there the love Of God came to me.
made up my mind to lead righteous
life, and to feel free in conscience
went this morning TO the Fifth Street
police station and told them the Troy
police were afeer me.
While living in a furnished room In
East Forty-second Street and at the
Bowery Branch Of the Young Mems
Christian Association Jordan wrote
"The Bullet of Vengeance" and a ball
| lad, which he said had been accepted by
a publisher 81 may get some royal
ties from il some day" the lad said.
A detective arrived from Troy last
night for the boy.