The sun., 1916-12-18
One Time Bad Man, Now Ser
want Of God, Celebrates To-
morrow at 203.
CONVERTED 90 YEARS AGO
Remarkable Story Of Exon
vict's Conquest Of Drink
and Rise to Fame.


walls of the one time stronghold OF the
Paul Kelly gang at No. 293. IL going to
have an all afternoon and evening Bow
cry party tomorrow. He Is the same
Johnny Callahan who served time In
Joliet and elsewhere and tended bar be-
tween times back OF polished mahogany
that had no sober side to IT, back or
front.
But something happened one night--a
mighty event that took place Just twenty
elk years ago tomorrow. Hence the AN
Diversary celebration. preparations for
which have been under way along the
0owery for days and days-and nights.
Doubtless II Johnny Callahan's feet
had carried him along any other Min
neapolis street than the one he happened
70 stroll into on the momentous night
twenty-six years ago he still would be
mixing drinks back of the bar-if he
we're lucky enough to be out OF jail-or
bs dead.
Converted In q Little MissiOn.
But II so happened that his feet car
ried him past a little mission wherefore
to-day. instead Of chasing bar fes from
the free lunch or damning prison fare,
Johnny Callahan Is handing out annually
10 the Bowery's fioatsam and tetsam-to
take the figures Of the past year as a
sample-126.0S1 free meals. more than
10000 warm garments, housing $4,000
bedless folk and. what is all important
to Johnny Callahan. day and night Is in
stilling into the souls OF countless thou
sands of derelicts q knowledge of the
same Jesus that Johnny Callahan Is now
certain must have directed his feet into
that particular Minneapolis street more
than quarter OF "A century ago
A Minneapolis business man standing
IN the street on that great night, and as
Johnny Callahan-ex-convict. barkeep IN
PuEillst Pat killan's saloon and "A bad
man Of the town when drunk. which was
often-wandered along the business man
handed Johnny card. Also he asked
Johnny to step inside the little mission
and listen to the speakers and the sing
ing.
Turning Point In His Career.
Johnny had nothing else to do so he
vent In, largely In search OF diversion.
fortunately for Johnny-and TIE mission
--he was sober. As the speaker talked
on the subjective Johnny Callahan
changed gradually from an attitude of
cynical amusement to that OF some slight
attention.
"And now. men, said the mission
speaker as Johnny was standing up to
20 out. 'let us turn In the book to that
all togeiher-everybody slng"'
What happened thcn-and before and
since the great moment. IN fact--was
learned yesterday, not from Johnny CAL
lahan. but from his kindly faced, gray
haired wife. Any remarks that Johnny
has to make about his personal history
ne reserves solely for the bleary faced
men whom he tries to help. II was Mrs
Callahan. who was school teacher In
MinnspnntfQ "a Inh h.I
man of the city. who was induced to tell
all about Johnny.
Hopes to Help Along His Work.
She did so with the hope that perhaps
the story might help along his work
And when she began the story Of
Johnny's reform and OF his gen,ieness
and generoslty-Johnny wasn't in the
room at the time--she was at a loss for
words only once. That was when she
choked up bit while talking OF Johnny
The title OF the hymn abide with
Ne meant nothing to Johnny Callahan
out In the Minneapolis mission But on
MS way TO the door he heard the first
strains or the tune and a whole lot Of
things came back to him. things he
hadn't thought OF for many years.
Johnny remembered. for instance that
long time before that he was sitting
In dimly lighted room In his native
Jersey city, and he was wearing his first
suit or knickerbockcrs. 1t was a velvet
suit, too, for his father, Roman
Catholic, who was an Industrious and
valued employee of a firm that Is still
. leading clothing house OF Manhattan.
could afford to dress his children neatly.
Hymn Recalled Ills Mother.
Johnny was only 6 years old the day
he wore the new velvet suit but he re-
nembered on the great night at Min
neapols that he sat beside his father
ana that the room was filled with peo-
pie who were sitting around the casket
IN which Johnny's mother lay. Also he
remembered that the people sang abide
with Me. a favorte In the Episcopal
Church. OF which his mother had been
q member.
80. instead of leaving the Minnea polls
mission. Johnny sat down again and
thought OF a lot OF other things that
had nt come into his mind for years
OF the good old days when he rlaycd
around the yard OF an Episcopal orphan
n|e 'hls father died not long after his
ir Ither) IN Lexington avenue. near the
old Grand Central station; of his lob
as bootblach and newsie in the Grand
Central "A Little later: of his riotous
youth mis- street fights and drunken
ness MS irst term in a rcformatory, his
Jail sentence IN Joliet and of his wild
nights In Minneapolis as barkcep In
Killan's place.
Raises Hand for Salvation.
"Will any Of you men hold up YOUR
hands now said the speaker In the III
Tie mission, Just as lohnny SAYS IL often
to-day III the Hadlcy Rescue Mission on
the Bowery, "to show that you want 10
pray with me that God will lead you
into n new life?"
Johnny Callahan thought hard and
fought hard for a moment lie didn't
raiso his hand.
come, men, pleaded the sneaker
KINDLY There's one hand up. Good
Raise Your hands. boys, in honor of the
Lord Jesus Christ"
Johnny Callahan left the mission and
went to his lodgings. lie turned in tina,
night early--and sober. In the morning
he went back to Killan's saloon and
walked up to his boss
Pat he said, you've been square
with me and I'm sorry to leave YOU
But IT'S got to be, Last night l wen,
into a mission and the preacher talked
ana they sang hymns and then the,
asked all those who wanted to be saved
10 raise their hands, 1t took me a lonp
Nm"' but ] stuck UP my mitt at last
TAKE look-here's little Bible they
gave me. Slong Pat, Fin through"
And he was. and IL. For days il was
hard shedding. lie gave his nights tc
helping out at the mission. A he,d
mlller employed by the rilsburys hear1
W MN ana gave him job. lie preached