Hundreds of Letters

Below appear but a few of the Hundreds of Letters we have received from those Helped by Our Work

If you have asked the question, "Does it pay to labor among the fallen ones in prison—are the results from this work permanent in character?" let the answer be found in these letters. They come from writers' spontaneous offerings of gratitude, who have been restored to society as useful respected citizens:

My Dearest Friend: It is very gratifying to find myself alone long enough to pen you a few lines.

Arrived at 6:05 p.m. Well, I cannot tell you how very pleased everyone was to see me. Went in at once to see the president of a concern and told him everything. He was entirely satisfied and told me to commence work in the morning, which I did. They all have used me fine, and I would never know I had been away for no one mentions it. Brother, I think of you fifty times a day, of the unselfish, never fatiguing interest you manifested in my behalf, of the hundred and one favors, and when I think that was only a single factor in your work, I cannot but wonder how you stand the strain.

Cannot tell you how much I prize liberty, and I owe having it, to a great extent, to your dear self. I assure you your efforts and prayers of yourself and wife for me done wonders. I have fully resolved to be a good man.

Brother Herr, I am going to close, for I am going to write to you every few days, as I consider you as dear as an own brother. Give my sincere regards to any inquiring friends. My heartiest to your dear wife, and may God bless you both. I do.

I am affectionately yours,

W.

A TRIBUTE FROM JOS. M. O'HARA.

The success that has attended the efforts of this truly pious and angelic woman in her noble and heroic work of rescuing sinful men and women from the vortex of ruin and perdition is marvelous; and her labor among the prisoners of the county jail is not less remarkable. Mrs. Herr, unlike many religious workers, realizes that before attempting to moralize with a prisoner, his confidence must first be gained, and to accomplish this she invariably succeeds in dispelling that false and erroneous opinion so prevalent among criminals, that they are held in contempt by society and are considered undeserving of sympathy and assistance; then, by kind and encouraging words and gentle deed, instills, not by the dry and laborious way of the brain, but into the heart, the story of the kind and loving Saviour.

Like her contemporary, Mrs. Ballington Booth, Mrs. Herr possesses that divinely urgent and persistent, yet gentle and sympathetic spirit that can persuade where others cannot convince; that can subdue where others cannot conquer.

The writer of this article through her kind and encouraging words, has been led from the error of his way, and to take up again the thread laid down in early years; has realized that though the fruitage of the tragic and pathetic life that ended in the ignominious death of Him who was the grandest character, the most sublime ideal and the highest type of humanity the world has ever seen—Jesus of Nazareth—we can, if we come with faith and hope, be cleansed from our sins and iniquities. May the Omnipotent God, who holds the destiny of nations, pour out his blessings upon this saintly woman and her noble hearted husband and guide them through long and honored days, and when the "shadows of even" gather and the sun of life is setting, show them in the darkness of the end, "words of light we never saw by day."

Jos. M. O'Hara.

FISHING FOR MEN.

Dear Brother Herr: We, as prisoners in the Jefferson County Jail, desire, for your encouragement, and because it is the spontaneous expression of our hearts, to thank you for your continued, untiring and unselfish devotion to our interests, spiritual and temporal. We desire in this manner to show you and the public that we thoroughly appreciate the efforts of those who try to draw us from the broad road of vice and crime into the narrow path of virtue where we are satisfied alone peace and happiness can be found. Many persons, Bro. Herr, who have attempted the task of rescuing the fallen have become discouraged and given up the work because they could see no good resulting from their efforts. Those persons had not the faith to continue their work and leave results with God. A prisoner who was an inmate of this jail several years ago recently found himself again an inmate, and expressed surprise at the changed tone, as it were, of the jail, and he laughingly asked if the world was getting better, for he said the men now in jail were more refined in their conversation, more unselfish in their actions toward each other, and of a higher moral tone generally. What this man said is undoubtedly true, and it is the result of the efforts of yourself and other Christian workers who do not become weary in well-doing. But it is you, Brother Herr, whom we especially desire to thank, because you are with us daily and no day passes that you do not perform some act of kindness for some one of our number, who, but for you, would have no friend. That perfect man, Jesus of Nazareth, has said, "by their fruits ye shall know them," and it is by this standard we as prisoners have measured you and have not found you wanting. You have gained our confidence and we have proved your sincerity and we love you, Brother Herr, because you daily prove your love for us. Prisoners are naturally inclined to suspect the sincerity of those who profess an interest in their welfare, but when once you gain their confidence they are teachable.

A London lawyer who wrote the tragedy "Ion" makes one of his characters say, "It is but a little thing to speak a word of kindness which by daily use has almost lost its sense, but on the ear of him who thought to die unmourned will fall like sweetest music." Many are the words of kindness which daily fall from your lips, by which we are soothed and blessed, and we firmly believe that they do not fall upon stony ground and that the good God will reward you in his own good time with a bountiful harvest of redeemed lives.

Your grateful friends,

James L. Doran

Harry Graven

John Carter

Jos. M. O'hara

Julius Phillips

Committee of Prisoners of Jefferson County Jail.

LOUISVILLE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY—MAIN BUILDING Branch of this Library in the County Jail.

Branch Library in the Jail

[Courier-Journal]

Prison libraries are nearly always more or less poor, indefinite sort of affairs, with a questionable lot of reading matter, mostly paper-backs and second-hand magazines, forming its contents. But the Jefferson county jail has marked a departure from the routine of prison life in the establishment of a library station for its inmates.

This little institution is a remarkable affair. Mrs. Chester Mayer is responsible for its organization. Mrs. Mayer is a member of the visiting board at the county jail, and noticing the absence of good reading matter, the continual idling of prisoners, she took up the matter with Jailer John R. Pflanz, who approved the idea of a library station. Then she approached her husband, Dr. Mayer, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Louisville Free Public Library.

When George T. Settle, the recently elected librarian, was approached, he gave his hearty consent. One hundred volumes were sent immediately for the men's department and fifty for the women prisoners. The books were selected by Miss Annie V. Pollard, former acting librarian, who gave considerable time to a study of the most desirable literature. The books sent were non-denominational, nonpolitical, and mostly fiction, works of the popular authors, but nothing too heavy for the mental appetite of the inmates. The books were taken from the open-shelf room.

As these books are used they are changed. Since the establishment of the jail library station the circulation has reached 2,000 books. Of course, the same book is read by nearly all the regular borrowers.

An interesting sight is presented when the prisoners are at liberty in the open places at the jail. About 75 per cent. of the prisoners can read. The other 25 per cent. gather about an appointed reader, who reads aloud.

How much better is this for those unfortunates than idling their time, brooding, planning evil deeds, perhaps, or thinking criminal thoughts!

The Rev. George L. Herr, prison evangelist, is in charge of the work and he and Jailer Pflanz have made it a success.

CURTIS JETT How he found God, he tells you in his own words. God bless Curt, and give him the desires of his heart, is the prayer of the Author.

CHANGE COMES IN CURT JETT.

[Courier-Journal]

Frankfort, Ky., March 14.—(Special.)—Although he is serving two life sentences for murder, Curt Jett, "the wild dog of the mountains," has not yet abandoned hope of getting a pardon and being given another chance to show that his reformation has been sincere and final. He says that God has pardoned him for his crimes and he thinks the Governor ought to.

"The best thing ever happened to me was when I was sent to the penitentiary," said Jett last night in his cell in the prison here as he was talking to some newspaper men, who were inside the cellhouse for another purpose than talking to Jett. "I realize that I never would have been reformed but for being put in here," continued Jett. "I only wish that they would give me another chance to show that I really have changed my ways."

License To Teach Sunday-School.

Jett showed the newspaper men who had stopped to talk to him, when they saw him lying on his cot reading, a certificate from the International Sunday-school League entitling him to teach in a Sunday-school. He was prouder of that than he ever was of his ability to shoot and he showed it with great pride. Jett recently wrote out his religious experiences for the Rev. Geo. L. Herr, the prison evangelist, and last night Jett said he would give the story to the newspapers if Col. E. E. Mudd, the prison warden, had no objections. Col. Mudd was with the newspaper men and readily consented to Jett giving out the story. He had written it with a pencil and gave it to the newspaper men, desiring that it be published.

Jett's cell is covered with pictures, most of them selected with care as to their beauty, and he has shown taste in arranging them. One of the newspaper men remarked on the decorations in the cell last night and Jett said:

"Yes, it cheers this cell up a little and makes it brighter."

Expression On Face Changed.

Even the expression of Jett's face has changed and he has none of that hard look that he used to wear. He is bright and cheerful and Col. Mudd says there is not a better prisoner in the penitentiary than Jett. Col. Mudd said that he could not say that Jett's conversion was genuine from a religious standpoint, but he says Jett has certainly changed inside the prison. The Rev. Joseph Severance, the prison chaplain, says that Jett is one of the best Bible scholars he ever saw and knows more about the Bible than many earnest church workers.

In his story which he gave out last night Jett freely admits his guilt of the crimes that are charged against him. He added, when he said that it was a good thing that he had been put in the penitentiary:

"I do not mean that it was good to kill men."

He said that whisky was largely responsible for his misdeeds and he wanted to do good now that he had done so much harm. The following is Jett's story as he wrote it in his cell:

Jett's Story.

"State Prison, Frankfort, Ky., March 13, 1909.—To the Whole World: I want to let the whole world know what God in his great mercy has done for me, and prove to you by words which are true that Jesus is willing, able and does save to the uttermost. After a life of sin and shame, God sent his Holy Spirit into my soul and made a new man out of me. It was in this wise: A dear, good woman who is dead now, but who then lived in Lexington; her name was Mrs. Fanny A. Penn—I shall never forget that name—she wrote me a good Christian letter, full of good advice, and begged me to become a Christian. I had never seen her, or she me, as I know of; she had only read in the press regarding what a desperado and outlaw I was. I read her letter and it sounded like a fairy tale to me, with no sense in it; but after reflection, I answered it, and we began to be good friends, and she kept begging me to turn from my sinful ways and be a Christian man.

Read New Testament.

"I want to state right here that because a man is in prison, he don't have to be a Christian or behave himself; and Mrs. Penn sent me a small revised Testament and begged me to read it. At first I laid it up and would not read it. I don't remember of ever reading a whole chapter in a Bible up until that time in my whole life; and at last, by her begging me in every letter to read my Testament, I began to read it, and started out with a resolution to read it through, and after I began to read, I became interested in it, and the more I read it the deeper I became interested in it, and God's Holy Spirit began to work in me, and I began to pray. At first it seemed that I was afraid that God would not answer my prayers, but still something made me pray anyway, and it wasn't long until I was praying to God every night from one to three times, from the depths of my heart. I had taken his name in vain ever since I was a child, and I asked him to make me quit taking his name in vain, and after a day at my work, and when I would curse God, I would think of my prayers, and then at night when I would go to my cell, I would let my thoughts wander over a day that had just passed, and I could tell after reflecting that I hadn't cursed so much that day. And little by little God removed that evil spirit, cursing, from me, until one night when I went to my cell and my thoughts wandered over the day that had just passed, and not an oath had I uttered, and I was happier than ever before, I fell on my knees on the hard stone floor, and thanked God for His goodness and for removing that swearing away from me.

Quits Smoking Cigarettes.

"I had smoked cigarettes for at least fifteen years and I quit them. I was full of revenge and hatred, and I cried aloud to God in my lonely cell to redeem my soul, which He did, and it wasn't long before I was a friend to everyone and praising God for full and free salvation. He has made a new man out of me. The Holy Spirit is like a fever, and it is all and all before a man gets right with God. Condemning and deceitful spirits will rise up in a man, but all we have to do is to ask God and he will remove them all; to live a true Christian life is the straightest life that anyone ever tried to walk. It is a great warfare. I read and study my Bible and have learned a great deal about God's word since I joined the church, a few short months ago, under a great, good and noble man of Frankfort by the name of C. R. Hudson, and I love him as a very dear brother. There is not a man in all this world that I hold the least bit of malice against, and before I got right with God I had revenge in me against many.

Warns Young Men.

"Young men, as you read this, from one who has done many and great wrongs, take warning; shun evil companions and don't do as I have done in days gone by. Don't be led astray by older heads, for the man that will advise you to do a wrong is not your friend; but I could not see it that way. God has given me a new mind and I know as well as I know that I am living that religion is true, real and no fake, as I once thought.

Has Been Born Again.

"I was raised on a Bluegrass farm in Madison County, Kentucky, and my parents were as good a father and mother as ever lived; but my father died while I was young and I went from bad to worse, committing crime after crime, and I am guilty of the charges against me, but God has forgiven me of every wrong I ever did. Why won't the Governor? All the punishment that I will ever have to go through with will be on this earth, for God has forgiven me of every wrong and I have a clear conscience now, for I have been born again. There are so many men in prison that trample the lowly God under foot to try and gain their freedom in that way, and I hope that no one single person that reads this will think that I am making mockery of God's love, for I am sincere with God, as I used to be with Satan. I wish that every paper in the whole world would publish this so that it could have a chance to touch the hearts of many sinful men; I long to tell the story to young men, from East to West, from North to South, how God redeemed my soul.

Refers to Scriptures.

"We have organized a Bible reading circle here in the prison which is a grand and good work. Now I refer you to some Scripture which I hope everyone will read carefully, and it will show you how God will forgive a man for the crime of murder and for all crimes except one.

"Read Exodus ii., 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; II. Samuel xi. and xii.; Ezekiel xviii., from 20th verse to end of chapter; Jeremiah xxxiii., 8, 9; Mathew xii., 31; Luke xv.; Acts vii., 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60; Acts viii., 1 to 7; 16, 17, 22; Galatians iii., 24.

"I ask for the sincere prayers of every good Christian in this whole world; pray for me, that I may be true to God the rest of my life. When I was repenting my whole face would draw and I could feel the hot, burning love of God in my whole being. I am in prison, maybe never to hear the birds sing or the rippling of the water again, a free man, but I say unto you that I am a free man in Jesus; I have found a friend that sticks closer than a brother. People, let your light shine, for I believe that there are many diamonds in the rough. I am yours in Jesus,

"Curtis Jett."