END OF WASTED LIFE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 73, 27 March 1930, Page 22

END OF WASTED LIFE

HOW JABEZ BALFOUR DIED

SALVATION ARMY'S KINDNESS

Aa interesting account of the final scenes in tho life of the lato Jabez Spencer Balfour, the notorious figure of the great Liberator frauds, is told in tho memoirs of tho late General Booth,'of the Salvation Army. He sa y S: —"The day came when this man, a crushed and lonely figure, left. Park hurst Prison to face a pitiless ivorld.

applied to us and was placed in tho hands of Colonel (nqw LieutenantCommissioner) Unsworth, with instructions to do all that could bo douo for him. I think the rest of tho story had better be told, as nearly as may be, in tho Commissioner's words." '

The story is as follows: —"Sitting in my office one morning, 1 was rung up and asked if 1 would interview Mr. Jabez Balfour, who had applied to the Army for help. I replied, 'Send him along and I will do all 1 can for him.' In a few minutes there came in at. tho door a man very nnliko the one I had pictured. ■ But at the sight of the man as he was pity rose up in my heart. He was a short man, his hair, which had been brown, was now grey and scanty, his brow was high, his nose and chin not prominent, but. the eyes still flashed with occasional fire. His clothes hung loosely on his shrunken frame. His manner was respectful and dignified, not cringing. He preferred not to talk, certainly not about what he had gone through in prison, and he made uo mention of events before that.

"Next morning the poor suppliant came to my office again. 1 gave him a word of cheer, and took him to my friend. He soon entered into the business. The two men so differently cir-' cumstanced, tho prosperous city magnate and tho ex-convict, talked over the matter aa experts. Terms were arranged, a salary was fixed, a berth taken on an early boat for India.

"So Balfour made his way to the hills of India, and soon was at work with something of his old ability. But, alas! his fate was stealing behind him. The manager of the works had to bo informed that this was tho notorious Jabez Balfour. There was nothing to be done. The poor hunted outcast had to leave everything and return.

"Never shall I forget the despair that was on his face when he again st od before me. He cried, 'I am forsaken of God and man. My punishment is greater than I can bear.' Then I rang my friend on the telephone and asked for another interview. He had just purchased a Welsh colliery, which ho was intending to develop. He needed houses building and possibly Balfour was the man. Arrangements were soon made.

"The tears flowed down Balfour's cheeks as he thanked me, but lie was joyful at heart. We had prayer—and Balfour prayed—prayed for himself. Then came the hurry of departure. Off he went with his little bag and wellworn rug. The kindly guard inquired his destination, aild said that he would wake him when the station was reached. Happy and hopeful, he reßted his liead in his hands and tried to sleep. "And it was the long sleep. When the guard came to wake him, Jabez Balfour was dead."