BURGLAR'S STORY

Northern Advocate, 2 December 1921, Page 7

BURGLAR'S STORY

STEALING A CHURCH ORGAN. WHAT CAME OF IT. Charlie Woodward was telling an audience of men in the Friendly Societies' Hall, Petersham, Sydney, the remarkable story of his life as a burglar. The men leaned forward to listen.

"Before I knew anything about religion, I was wasting my life in drinking, gambling, thieving, and house-breaking. From very early in life I never had a chance. I was born in the neighbourhood of thieves and gamblers, and I became one of them. HIS HAUNTS. "You could always find me in an old mill down in Chippendale, among old, middle-aged and young men, all gamblers and thieves of the worst class. My training went on for years, and I was as bad as the worst. "In the neighbourhood there was a. mission hall, at the back of a public house, and they sent down a young minister named Yarringto®. The. district was a fishing ground for criminals after dark. A man showing a watch ond chain on his waistcoat would be asked for a match, and while feeling for it would suddenly come in contact with a piece of iron piping about two feet long. The next thing he knew he was in hospital with his 'watch and money all gone.THE TURNING POINT. "The first time I heard the Gospel was in the cells. It was through :i

lady visitor. I. didn't want religion, and was wishing she would go. I only; wanted to get out of goal. But I promised her I would turn over a new leaf. - "My only object in going round to that mission hall was to see how to get in later on. I wanted the organ, to sell it for a few pounds. I found jnoo of my own class outside. Some of thorn told of their experiences, and it was their stories that arrested me.- - Soma people say, 'Bury the past. Forget all about it.' But if those men had buvieil their experiences instead of telling it, I should never have been convinced. "As it was, they got me. Ono of them made an appeal, and I was just getting my hand up when, something seemed to say. 'What about the organ?' (Laughter), The man sitting next to me was a pickpocket Another "man, Jack Creach, came and put an arm round me and said, ' Come on, lad, give Jesus Christ a chance.' The personal touch is . a mighty marvellous help to a man.-I said tp myself, *1 can't take that organ if I become converted. ' THE TRANSFORMATION. * 'I knelt down with my pocket full of skeleton keys, and got up .with a Now Testament in my pocket. I have had the acid on me .now for sixteen years. "Outside I met my old companions, and said, 'I'm going to give it a go.' At home, my mother nearly fell off her chair when I told her; but she was glad, for I had robbed her and everybody else. "One day I was with Rev. R. B. S. Hammond, and a policeman stopped him and asked if he knew who he had with him. 'Yes,' said Mr. Hammond, 'but he's been converted.* 'I don't carft whether he's converted or not/' replied the policeman,' but if yon kneel down arfd pray with him keep your eyes open and both hands in your pockets. (Laughter.) ■SIGNS OF RESPECTABILITY. '' Later. I became a police court raissir.ner, and visited prisoners in the very* , cells whjcli I had occupied. One d-)y I received a leteer from the AttorneyGeneral commending me to the police magistrate. It was addressed to 'Mr Woodward.' I had not been 'Mister* for quite a long time. (Laughter.) "Yes, gambler, drunkard, robber, house-breaker, and. now a police court rnissioner! '' On one occasion I visited the Mount Eden goal and spoke to the prisoners. When I gave out the text, 'Be sure your sins will find you out," they all laughed. 'You may laugh,' I said, 'but your sins have found you out, or you wouldn't be here.' "