Mr. McWatters was busily occupied in connection with theatres, etc.,
for a long period, more or less interspersed with his enterprises as a
detective officer, and his busy life was richly freighted with
interesting experiences.
Mr. McWatters has ever been greatly interested in social problems,
having in view the emancipation of the laboring classes from their more
grievous burdens, and belongs, in his sympathies, to that class of
humanitarians who see in Association something like a realization of
the teachings of the Founder of Christianism; and at one time was
practically engaged with several other philanthropists, in an
experiment partaking considerably of Coöperation, but which unhappily
failed of its desired success for want of more, and better disciplined
coöperatives therein. It would be interesting to the reader, but out of
place here to present something particular of the history of the
experiment alluded to.