Capt. Jack Crawford: the poet scout

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Captain Jack Crawford
The Poet Scout

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Captain Jack's Permanent Address
Room 168   45 Broadway
NEW YORK CITY

Exclusive Chautauqua Management
Chautauqua Managers Association
Orchestra Bldg.   CHICAGO



A MONUMENTAL SUCCESS
C. J. Rose, Mt. Vernon, Ohio

Hobson and Capt. Jack have come and gone.  Hobson made a profound impression and was generally highly appreciated.  Capt. Jack captured the hearts of everybody.  He was a success

University Preparatory School.

Rev. O. D. McKeever, Freeport, Ohio

Capt. Jack Crawford was with us Saturday night.  He delighted old and young.  They are asking for him again and will have him.  His Sunday talks are jewels.  The church was crowded on Sabbath.  I wish every boy in America could hear his talk on yellow literature and cigarettes.  We want him next season.

Hon. W. J. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb.

I have had the pleasure of hearing the lecture delivered by Capt. J. W. Crawford, the Poet Scout, and am glad to testify to the character of the lecture and its entertaining qualities.  The lecture which I heard was listened to by a large audience, and the audience was enthusiastic in its praise.  I believe the moral effect of the lecture is distinctly good.

Prof. Chas. Hertel, Bellevue, Ohio

The Captain is not merely an entertainer, but he is an instructor, and pleads for higher culture, nobler manhood and happier homes.  His plea is especially strong and pathetic for the American boy, and the boys love him because of his unquestioned sincerity, and his love for them.  I wish every boy and girl in America could hear Captain Jack.

County Superintendent of Schools.

D. H. Clark, Tonkawa, Okla.

Capt. Jack Crawford gave one of the most interesting and instructive lectures I have ever listened to.  For two hours he held his audience spellbound.  He can say more words to the minute than any man on the platform to-day; words full of wit and pathos, straight from a great heart, full of love and sympathy.  No one, old or young, should lose an opportunity of hearing him.

Captain U. S. Army.

R. C. Noble, Aspinwall, Pa.

With the dash and freedom of the West, Capt. Jack Crawford appeared before a crowded house last night and the house was at once his.  He displays the most varied character, for humor and pathos, boldness and gentleness, steadfastness and impulsiveness were never better blended in one personage.

True nobility is expressed in his fine face, and the heart speaks through every word and motion.  Capt Jack does not lecture.  He talks, he recites, he even sings, and his stories and anecdotes are pure and elevating, having for their aim the directing of the young toward a true and nobler life.

Chairman Committee.

S. J. Brient, Palestine, Texas

I believe your entertainment gave more satisfaction than any we have had in years.  You sent the whole audience home singing your praises Our people say they must have you next year.

Secretary Palestine Lyceum.

Rev. John L. Brandt, St. Louis, Mo.

I have heard Capt. Jack Crawford and most heartily commend his entertainment as chaste, refined, patriotic and inspiring.  Lyceum Bureaus and Chautauquas will make no mistake in engaging him.  He is a success.

Len G. Broughton

Captain Jack made the hit of the great Baptist Tabernacle course in Atlanta last November, and here is what Dr. Broughton says:

No lecturer ever gave better satisfaction.  We have had the greatest in the country, but none has ever excelled him.  He is a double warp and twisted success.  He is all wool and a yard wide.  He is just what a lecture committee needs to make a whole course with one man.

Pastor Baptist Tabernacle System.

Col. Roger D. Williams, Lexington, Ky.

Association with Jack Crawford during the Sioux campaign in the early seventies gave me ample opportunities to know him as a genuine true-hearted frontiersman, a manly man, a gentleman in buckskin or in broadcloth.  He is a genius and one of God's rough riders.

His three entertainments at the Lexington Chautauqua were equal to any ever given here and his third consecutive evening drew the banner crowd of the season.

Colonel 2nd Ky.

Joel B. Slocum

Captain Jack Crawford opened our entertainment course here with a large audience, which he captured at the first word, and held captive for an hour and a half, during which time he talked with marvelous rapidity.  Wit, humor, sense, pathos and eloquence flashed and bubbled and convinced and moved and stirred every heart with emotions that succeeded one another more quickly than the shots of his rapid-fire six-shooter.  Throughout there was an irresistible appeal to the noblest elements in boyhood, manhood and womanhood.  I wish every young person in the city could have heard him.  It was better than a whole series of sermons.  Captain Jack is a cracker-jack in the best sense.  He is absolutely genuine and unmistakably great.  I'd rather miss three meals in succession than miss hearing him again at the very next opportunity.

Pastor of the Baptist Temple.


BY A. ZELLER, SOULPTOR


Wallace Bruce

Capt. Jack Crawford has captured Western Florida.  No platform speaker has won warmer love or more sincere affection.  Wherever you place him you will find him a success.

President Florida Chautauqua.

Sam P. Jones

Jack Crawford is all right—he shoots straight, he is a combination circus, wild West show, poet and preacher.  He is mostly backbone, the rest of him is hair.  Come out and hear him.  If you don't think he is worth the price, write to me, and I'll write back and tell you you're a fool.

Atlanta News, Atlanta, Ga.

No lecturer has appeared here in the last ten years more unique or entertaining than Capt. Jack.

Capt. Crawford stands alone in his peculiar field of usefulness and he is an inspiration to all men and boys who come in contact with him.  Although he has never received a college education, his manner and speech are polished and wouldgive pleasure to the most learned and critical.

Rev. R. S. Mc Arthur, New York

Capt. Jack's personality is attractive, his conversation is instructive, and the entire atmosphere of the man is inspirative and ennobling.  His entertainment is as unique as the man himself.  Poetry or story, history, biography, patriotism, wit and religion beautifully blend in his work on the platform.  Without the art of elocution as taught in the schools, he often recites with beautiful elocutionary effect.  He charms boys and girls and inspires men and women to nobler aims, kinder deeds and diviner ideals.

Pastor Calvary Baptist Church.

Dr. W. L. Davidson, Washington, D. C.

As a public entertainer, Capt. Jack Crawford is almost my ideal.  He is the most picturesque character on the American platform.  Few men have passed through such thrilling experiences full of human interest.  He reveals wild western life just as it is.  He talks of himself, but that is what gives interest to his portrayal, and there is no offensive egotism apparent.  He is as brave as a lion, yet as gentle as a child.  His heart is true and tender.  His voice is full of sympathy and he has an unusual dramatic delivery.  He has high ideals.  His homely poetry abounds in beautiful sentiments, and he recites it with marvelous effectiveness.  He has high purpose in all his work and always leaves his audience better than he found them.  Few men can hold and please a crowd better than he can.  He never loses an auditor.



CAPT. JACK CRAWFORD—A STELLAR ATTRACTION
Largest Audience of the Week Greeted the Poet Scout at the Centenary Winter Chautauqua, Last Evening

[Binghamton, N. Y., Herald, from a four-column report of the lecture.]

Every road was thronged with an eager crowd bent upon hearing the most fascinating speaker who had as yet spoken to an audience composed of Binghamton's most intelligent element, CAPTAIN JACK CRAWFORD, OF NEW MEXICO, THE POET SCOUT.

The Centenary church has never in its history been so jammed as it was last night, and among the crowd were noticed many familiar faces of Binghamton's Grand Army men, some of whom had known Captain Crawford during the war of the rebellion.


Cardington (Ohio) Independent
As a mirth provoker he is the peer of any lecturer, and in upholding the truth surpasses many of the sermons preached and printed.  He delighted the audience and went beyond their highest expectations.  He was invited to speak at the M. E. Church Sunday evening.  The church was crowded to overflowing, other churches having abandoned their evening service to hear him, when he again greatly pleased everybody, including the children.  We must have the Poet Scout again.


Daily Express, San Antonio, Tex.
The stories of the wild life in the western mining camps were rounded off with verses written as the occasion suggested, and recited by the author with dramatic fervor and elocutionary effect.  It was throughout a continuous interchange of grave and gay, and better than the average comedy as a mirth provoker, and as good as a sermon in its moral aspect.  If the lyceum could always present as enjoyable an attraction as Capt. Jack Crawford, the Opera House would not hold the audience that would want to hear them.


Daily Democrat, Danville, Ills.
Danville just now is entertaining one of the best fellows on earth, namely, Capt. Jack Crawford, the Poet Scout.  He has earned his title, first as captain, for he served his country well in its wars.  Secondly as poet, for his verses are the best that ever came out of the West.  Third as scout, for he served Uncle Sam long and faithfully as a frontiersman.  And while other men have posed as Indian killers and heroes, grossly misrepresenting the West, and ruining reckless boys by misleading them, Capt. Jack has stood by the truth and is receiving his reward in being patronized by the best people on earth.




CAPT. JACK CRAWFORD
Was the youngest man ever appointed Captain of Scouts and Chief of Scouts, and was the Original Boy Scout, and for thirty years and more has instructed the boys in all the duties and requirements of a real scout.  His power and influence over boys and especially the wild, reckless boys who are misunderstood, is marvelous.

At the Rahway, N. J., State Reformatory five hundred boys fifteen to twenty-five years of age, after listening to him the second time, did what never was done on earth before.  Boys, said superintendent Frank Moore, as Capt. Jack concluded, while you are wiping the tears from your eyes, I want to see how many real heroes there are among you.  Liquor has put most of you here, and I want every Boy Hero before me to raise his hand with me and swear, 'God helping me,' never to touch intoxicants from this day on forever; and practically five hundred hands went up.  Capt. Jack jumped to his feet and said: Boys, I want every mother's son of you who held up your hands, to write me a letter or even a postal eard.  Tell me you mean it, and will keep your pledges, and to every boy who writes, I will send my picture, an original poem and my autograph.  And to the boy writing the best letter, a copy of my New Book of Poems with an original poem.

And in one week there came over four hundred letters.  Capt. Jack read a few and had to stop, so overcome was he with the heartfelt and soulful recitals of these unfortunate but big-hearted boys.

Then starting south to fill his Chautauqua dates, he sent the letters to a friend and asked him to take them home and have his wife, who is interested in this line of work, go over them and select the winner of the book.  Here is a portion of the friend's letter to Capt. Jack:

DEAR CAPTAIN JACK:

I never felt so unprepared to do a task in my life as I now feel about writing you concerning these letters.  Mrs. Robinson read aloud to us a half dozen of these letters, when I begged her not to read any more, for I was completely overcome.

The following night she read some more, having in the meantime read them all, between four and five hundred, and was so stirred by the situation that I had to use a great deal of effort to keep her from taking them and starting for New York with a determination that she was going to find someone who would finance you in a way to enable you to spend the rest of your energy in work of this kind.  We are all a unit in feeling that if there was a chosen messenger to any particular class, that you are the one in such work as you did at Rahway, and certainly there never was in the history of the world, a man whose record and personality combined, can compare with you in reaching this class.  I took the letters to her to select the prize winner, but she absolutely refuses to consider the letters from that view-point.  She feels, and we all feel, that the future of a number of these boys has been largely placed in your keeping, and that something must be done to enable you to give these boys further consideration by letter or otherwise.

C. W. R.

Hallelujah!  said Capt. Jack to a news reporter.  Supt. Frank Moore has named my boys The Boy Heroes.  I will add of the World, and I shall, as soon as I return to New York, go out to Rahway and start the greatest boy organization ever heard of.  Boy Heroes they will be in reality, for they will pledge themselves againstintoxicants, cigarettes and yellow literature, and the boy who is true to these pledges will be a real hero indeed.  Some boy organizations have been afraid of me because I insist on telling my temperance story on all occasions when I am talking to boys, and if I can get four hundred out of five hundred boys—most of whom are looked upon as criminals—to make such a pledge, it is my business and God's business that I keep on, and so I shall as long as I live.

I shall also have Boy Heroes organized on the outside, who will pledge themselves to the same and more.  They will be pledged to take these boys by the hand as they come out of the reformatory and prisons and help them to keep their pledges, to secure for them employment, and not be ashamed to associate with them.  And while I live and have a say in this boy organization, there will be no selfish grafters connected with it, and absolutely no salaries outside of those who work as employees.  In the mean time, I want the opportunity to earn sufficient to keep my family pot boiling while I am helping the boys, and everyone who contributes any sum of money for my work among the boys, will be given an accounting of every date filled to his or her credit, and in this way I see the realization of my happiest and oldest dream.  For

I'd rather find a wayward stray and help him to his own, Than entertain the angels at a picnic round the throne.
Part of a letter from the Presiding Elder Louisville Dist.

Louisville, Ky., Mar. 1, 1911.

DEAR CAPT. JACK:

I appreciate very much the volume of poems with which you have honored me.  The pathos of some brought tears to my eyes.  You have the true gift of song and the true insight of poetic genius.  It is a high, a divine gift, and you have used it well.

Remember that you are an honorary member of our Methodist ministers' meeting, and entitled to all its privileges.  May God keep you in your journeyings and bless you abundantly.  The Sunshine Trail is ahead of us if we are faithful.

Your brother, FRANK M. THOMAS.

Press Club of Chicago Ladies Night

September 21, 1910.

The fact that Capt. Jack Crawford, The Poet Scout, was able to hold this audience spellbound and delighted for more than two hours, with his graphic word pictures and poetic descriptions of life in the far west, not only demonstrates that he made good, but also, he so far exceeded the highest expectations of the committee, that there was a unanimous demand for a return date in November, which we have secured.

WM. F. NUTT, M. D., Secy.

Mr. John Wanamaker says:

Jan. 15, 1910.

I remember the introduction that I had the privilege of giving to you at the great meeting of the soldiers in Washington when I was Postmaster General.  It was a most dramatic and powerful incident when Miss Willard took from her breast the white ribbon and pinned it on the lapel of your coat.  I shall be only too glad to participate again on such an occasion with you.  I know that you will sound a bugle note wherever you go that will do the boys and growing men great good to give attention to.

Capt. Jack's New Book

I am charmed with your book of poems.  I am especially pleased with the one entitled Mother's Prayers, as you thought I would.  I want to order fifty copies of this truly delightful volume for the enjoyment of our soldiers and sailors.

MRS. RUSSELL SAGE

PRICE $1.50
The Lyceum Publishing Co.
Room 168   45 Broadway   New York

There are thirty-two of Capt. Jack's best recitations in this book

For Lecture Entertainments and Terms, Address THE NEW YORK LYCEUM BUREAU, 45 Broadway, New York
Where The Poet Scout is handled by other bureaus in other territory, all communications will be referred to them by the New York Bureau


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BROWN & WHITAKER PRINTERS HAMILTON OHIO