"TYPHOON JACK."

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1017, 20 November 1917, Page 6

"TYPHOON JACK."

Tho Salvation Army Hall ivas erowdei last evening, "'hen Mr 11. Warren KOII3 jelutod 1 iis life-story under the title, o "Typhoon Jack." Mr Kelly's story wai it tlirilling one in the extreme, and a times 'the keen humour of the speaker al most convulsed the audience, tie pre faced his story by saying that, the dovi "was an 613 mute of his. He hail heel bhol eight or nine times; and also stabbet several times, but as he. had a conslitufioi Jiko 11 steamboat's funnel he was still alia to tell tho tale. Hi.s earliest impression: weroiof his Arab life on tho London streets and there was no creak or corner aroum Whitechapel that was not known to kimsc! uiid his gamin friends. He wanted to gi to sea, and because he did not know I.on don.-was a port, walked to Yarmouth am got a job on a fishing smack. Here lit had the first proper breakfast in his life and was finally taken as cabin boy on tie filnack. where ho stayed for two years.

At 16 years he was as good a sailor as «iver sailed, unci went aboard a German brig bound for the River Plate, which ihu speaker said "sailed a good many miles in li good many days.'' After arriving at their destination, he and his mate escaped in a boat and landed in tho jungle, where they, lost one another. The speaker's description of the 'jungle where he was lost lor threo days was most thrilling. Ho met wild beasts of all kinds, every reptile from u bpa constrictor to tho smallest snake, aiid on one occasion ho had to fight for hhi life. After being rescued, ho found himself in Buenos Ayres, and later went buffalo hunting ill Uruguay. Hero he joined 0 filibustering expedition and was lilici. in tho breast and fiico,, and sent back to hospital, where ho said "the wounded wero.given the privilege to live, die, or .starve.'.' Mr Kelly then went to the ..Mediterranean and was present at the bombardment of Alexandria. He sailed on a leaky ehip for South Africa, and was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment with the convict gang at Capetown, for protesting against the leaky condition of "his ship. Bis voyage round the. China Sea and Malay Arcbnopoligo took up the next two years' of his life, and were the scenes of many tin tiling adventures, one of which was';the passage of hi.s ship through a typhoon, the speaker's description of this w-uird and terrifying experience being most I dramatic, i

'Typhoon" Jack" then %;cnl l>ack to England: ahd crossed the Tay bridge the day before it was blown down. He was prei.etu. in Ronigsberg when the Kaiser was oowncd, Hint during the ceremony was dead asleep on top of a lager beer barrel, after having consumed a considerable portion of its contents.

The lecturer subsequently came to New Zealand and got a job on a farm, which included the milking of six cows, but a>

lie had never seen a cow before lie was not quire sure which *'iid to begin. He waA: then told off to do sum.' ploughing', lait'he had never seen a plough. He harnessed the mare so that she couldn't move without- taking fhc-ploujjh with her. The plo'ljgh got smashed in subsequent proceedtuitl Kelly got sacked at one minute .- notTfce. Next ho departed for Wellington, where he gradually went under with drink, aiiddinally tried to end his life by jumping into tiio Wellington Harbour. He was rescued and afterwards was drawn to the penitent-form by his own little daughter in a most dramatic fashion, and his deterHiiivation In live a better lif'' started him on the upward grade. I' was only then ho learned to read and write, and in two year's became publisher of the Salvation IVrtiiv's Shipping Gazette, and was given the /management of'one of their business establishments, the latter prospering so under his' care that the turnover amounted to £180""a week. Everything prospered with him. and the business eventually became tlfO biggest news agency south o the Lino. The speaker further allirined his belief iii the Divine power, and added : •The man who says there is no fiod is it liar." ■ , M,- K'-lly was accorded a hearty vote til thanks far" his lecture.