PRISON TO PULPIT

Evening Star, Issue 23335, 3 August 1939, Page 20

PRISON TO PULPIT

EX-CONVICT TURNED PREACHER MAKES AMAZING CONFESSION A former Dartmoor convict who has turned preacher is going to occupy the pulpit in several well-known London churches during the next few weeks (states the ‘ News of the World ’). He is, Alfred Jones, a native of Barnsley, and, to use his own words, he has changed Ins mode of life in the hope that it will be an inspiration to “ my old friends, the crooks, whose lot is so hard.” To a reporter he revealed how he earned the nickname of “ The Parson,” and spoke of his final bid to redeem his character. “ Since 1920,” he explained. “ I have been in and out of prison with the regularity of a clock. I am very well known all over-Yorkshire. Lancashire, and in London for my frauds. MAJOR JONES.” , | " 1 have been in Dartmoor, Pen ton- I ville, Leeds, Vincis worth, Strange ways, )

and Lincoln Gaols, and have served sentences ranging from two months to three years. “ In 192-1, after I had stolen £SO in Barnsley, I went to Cromer, and stayed in oiio of the best hotels there ns ‘Major Jones.’ I arrived complete with ‘ tails ’ and dinner jacket, ex-ponsivcly-cnt suits, and did .everything in the grand manner. “ Every night 1 changed for dinner, and I was prominent at all the gala dances held in the hotel; in fact, 1 was cutting quite a dash until a policeman from my home town arrived ono day and said: ‘ Alfred Jones, 1 want you.’ “ Then, to the amazement of the guests, who had been my companions, 1 was marched away to begin a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment. “ Free again, I made an effort to go straight. 1 joined a -Methodist church, became a Sunday school teacher, and in 1927 I became a lay preacher. J studied at college for 10 months and then started out as a preacher. Everywhere 1 went people spoke of my eloquence and my extraordinary knowledge of the Bible. I always wore u clerical collar. “ Temptation proved too strong for me. and I used my eloquence in nn r other direction. I went straight from the. pulpit to members of the congregation who had listened to my preach-

ing and told them that my car had I broken down and I had 1 unfortunately ’ come out without any money. I told them I had another engagement to preach elsewhere, and unless 1 could get £2 1 was stranded. “ Altogether / ‘ touched ’ something liko a hundred of my ‘ iloek ’! Tongues began to wag. You sec, 1 had preached in something liko JO churches and had obtained money from people attending every church. WHEN MOTHER DIED. For that 1 went to prison for nine months. In 1930 1 went back again for another spell for the same offence. Then, in 1932, 1 went to Dartmoor for three years for posing as a minister, “ I behaved myself in prison and got full remission, but it did not help me much because I was hardly out but I was back again, this time for 12 months and my ticket of leave to serve out. “ It was during this last spell that I decided to go straight. My mother died while I was in prison, and. crook though I was, it hurt me terribly to think ! could not attend her funeral. “ That is wliy I am now going straight. I have worked as a barman and at other odd jobs. I have starved, hut 1 have not done a crooked thing for two years.”-