Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, May 1, 1914, Page 10

Heroes Who Have Been Decorated With the United States Gov- ernment Life-Saving Medal in the Past Fis- cal Year — Thrilling Rescues of Men and Women Who Faced Death by Drowning— A Crippled Boy Who Saved His Mother and a Sailor Who Swam Through a Shark - In- tested Sea. Bpecial Correspondence WASHINGTON, D. C., April 3, 1914. URING the past fis- cal yeer there were sixty-two medals of honor awarded by the United - States government for ef- forts made toward saving persons in danger of drown- ing. This is the largest number of medals ever given for a like purpose during any one vear since the inaugura- tion of the movement by Congress in 1874 N Possibly not one of the thousand gold and silver symbols of bravery that were bestowed in the forty years has ever found a more meritorious placing than May 25, 1913, when Charles Zeller, a crippled boy of Brooklyn, N. Y. who saved his mother from drowning, was recognized as a hero and forwarded a silver medal by the Secretary of the Treasury. It was in Jamaica bay, N. Y., and the 1ad, then a mere child, aiter rowing from the landing of Bergen Beach Yacht Club, with his motther and sister, drew up alongside a sloop belonging to some friends, and anchored perhaps 600 yards out. Just as the sister got on board the sloop and the mother. a very large wom- an, was being helped p, the skiff shot from under her, throwing the boy across the stern and his mother into the water. * * * The bay was deep there and the current very strong, but the cripple sprang over- board as quickly as he had fallen, and though his waist and one leg were in- cased in a plaster cast which held i place a broken hip, with one arm he sup- ported his mother against the sweep of the current and successfully used the other in a swimming motion which kept them from sinking until a ladder could be tossed over the side of the sloop and both hauled up on deck. John J. Ward of the New York city bureau of fire prevention, while doing duty on floating engine No. 8, at the foot of Gansevoort street, one internsely dark night when there was a strong tide in North river, rescued a man nam John Cochran e It was in the winter, the wi the fireboat were down and Ward was remarking upon the increasing cold, when eries of terror were heard without. Fling- fng up one of the windows, he dashed through it and, running along the string- plece of the adjacent pier, leaped into the water near where he thought the sounds issued. i The other firemen presently recovered from their amazement, rushed to switch and turned the searchlight on the spot where Ward had disappeared, to find that he had already reached the drowning man whose death cry they had heard. A rope was thrown out, and both brought in safely. Ward silver medal on the last day of the fiscal year, June 30, 1913, In the month before, on the 19th, ex- treme heroism, shown in the act of Harry Williams_ Miller sergeant of the 1. S| Marine Corps, in saving a man named Owen Gallagher from the same river, was rewarded with the gold medal. This occurred in December, in the midst of a raw, heavy fog. The ferryboat New- ark, coming out of Jersey City, was close he sergeant, a_passenger, was anxious to get into the city for an important engage- So mueh, however, does military training mean that the cry of “‘Man over- board!"” acted upon him like some sharp command of a superior officer and, with- out stopping to think, he leaped into the in the very midst of the to the foot of Cortlandt street ment. churning sea, boat's propeliers. * * % Reaching the struggling unfortunate was difficult, for the thick mist lay on With the people on deck shouting excitably, and the noise and danger of the swinging peilers, it was several minutes before ler to the man, drifting past the . _Then several more minutes lagged , durihg Which the half-dead fellow held up by the sergeant, before a was dropped and the two men drawn. the waters as an opaque pall. ndows of | the received a Joun J.WARD into it and upon the crowded ferry again. And while military training has much to do with daring so often observed in men of the army or navy, none the less may the loneliness of life in the servi create restlessness and occasional breach of discipline. This was evidenced in the instance of a couple of mariners try to get ashore without leave, while their ship, the U. S. S. Raleigh, lay harbor, Ceyion, at the end voyage. They made the trial about 1 o'cloc the morning, just as George W. Nei Lackawanna, N. Y., was completing his watch on deck. As the sailor who would| watch through the dawn came to take his place, a sharp shout of ‘“‘Help! plerced the dark silence that brushed this shelter place of the Indiar sea. Neily, without a_word, turned and ran to the gangway, his relief after him, try- in Colombo long of a ing to persuade him not to risk his li But Neily pulled away from him, s paying no attention to the cry of ** God’s sake, don’t jump, the water's f of sharks!” made the plunge, and com- menced seeking his comrades. * * % He swam for 100 yards before he could locate one of them. He was fighting to keep floating and unable to utter a sound beyond a frightened surgle such as a helpless animal might make, when snared. As Neily caught at him there was the swishing of a powerful fin against his foot, and in a flash he was left with only the coat of his comrade clutched in his fingers. The other runaway w a few feet beyond. Undaunted by the tragedy he had just witnessed, Neily swam over to his side, though aware by this time that the black waters of harbor were really alive with man-eat- ers. One more stroke and the hope of rescue might have been fulfilied, but just as he reached out to seize the almost ex- hausted sailor there was an indéscribable cry of agony—and the second man sank to his death in the jaws of a mammoth shark. Neily now dived repe ing to find the bodies of those he h unselfishly tried to save. But it was Tess, and the Raleigh, being full by this time, shot a boat overboa the hero was picked up and turned ove to the attention of the ship's surgeon, He received the gold medal July 11, 1912 August 5, 1912, silver medals werc by stowed upon Dennis O'Meara and Elmer J. Kelley of the metropolitan police force of New York city for their young girl who had thrown North river at Batiery Park vlose om to midnight, the gir not gee the policeman standing on the sea wall, Perhiaps she didn't cave, in the de- | spair of the mood which made her try to take her life. But the fwo stalwart sor of Ireland did see, and O'Meara, in effort to get down swiftly and into strong tide that beat against the w and almost broke his arm £ * The girl—when he finally reached her and tried to hold her up, despite his in- s struggling just the edly, endeavor- herself i As it wa perhaps did he the 1, fell jury—gripped him in a frenzy that de- fled him: Kelley, watching, and more agile than O'Meara, was on the scene in a moment. He broke the giri's hold and assisted in getling her to the base of the. wall, from which she was lifted by a bystander who had chanced upon | the attempt at suicide, just i tme to help the ‘rescuers complete their work When medical attention was secured it was found that the big bluecoats were as sorely.in meed of it a8 the sip of a girl, whom they had furnished an oppor- | tunity for another view of the game of living, and for several days they were incapacitated for duty. Down at Lovell station, Tyl Ga., two voung sisters, Kisie and Jose- phine Robider, while in bathing one morning, ventured out too far and found themselves having to swim ashore against a strong undertow. Josephine, who was only thirteen years old, became exhausted, and her sister, in going to her assistance, saw that it was more than she could do to save both herself and Josephine, and commenced scream- ing for help. hey were about fifty yards beyond the line marking a wading _ depth, when Joseph E. Canipos, jr., of Savannah, Ga.. who. occupied a cottage perhaps 500 yavds upshove, heard the cries. Run- ning, he rushed into the water, with all his clothes on, and swam out to them. SavED FroM T UNDERTOW: BY CRAS.A. HARBAUGH Am@&, Q\ DEnnis O M after an unusually was fast asleep. KXeLryed Tie GoLp MEDALL Tue SILVERMEDAL unconscious and floating face downward, with locked around whose head death-like vice Which, a drowning person can use. Unable to free himself, he dashed under This broke their clutch, but as he grasped-the shoulders of one the other grasped him from be. his neck €o tena. had to submerge Was tossed about like a cork on the breast of the lake. The soldiers shouted as one man, of such a gale, médal October 31, 1912, for rescuing two children from the Missouri river. Two little boys and a girl, while enjoy- ing their Christmas vacation from school, were playing on the ice near the river bank where the distillery stood. about noon, and .the sun was shining so warmly that the ice had begun to break up. The children, none of whom was vet twelve years old, did not notice this, and there was no one among the little group of cottages perched along the banks to warn them, for the women of the house- hold were getting dinner and the whistle for the men to stop work in the distillery would not blow for several minutes. There was not a person in sight when the pitiful cries of the little skaters drew | Victor from some work in an outlying He grabbed a long-handled Broom in the corner and, making his way cautiously to the children, now half submerged in the broken ice, quietly told them to clutch hold of that handle. ice and water were up to his hips, and he was wedged in between two cakes of ice| S0 closely that if the children did not at | once obey him they were last. The youngest, chilled and terrified, was unable to follow instructions, before the eyes of his brother and sister, at the very moment of their rescue. When he had carried the two into the shed he summoned assistance and, two children to their mother, into the river and helped recover the body of the other child. seems, only It was after mid- and the little suburb along the river was dark and still. But the sensitive ear of a man whose waking hours are spent first clang neck of her sister, was a foot below the the water with who might two miles away? and without the slightest warn- |ing, a sea mightier than the rest, swept snapped the slim masts that swayed like saplings in the laughed as she reared and then, that there were Compgs had to to know what to do with But there was only so he startéd to Unconscious, they two persons hind and hung ciously that he The second trial { ful, and it was then, while moving one| arm as if he were swimming, keeping himself above beat them with his free fist into a state | of unconsciousness. Had not the very next moment brought | the edge of the dock | would have been | Donellen, as well as the is not hard to So, as a cry for help suddenly rang out of the shadows of the Hudson. McCormick heard and leaped from bed like the big, gray horses of his fire station used to jump into when the gong would sound. He ran to the edge of the river. ing a log lying just a few feet pushed it into the water. end of it, he swam to the place the shouts It sounded as though unsuccess- one ‘thing to sands with both girls. were as Meavy as though they were dead. his strength leaving surf being a little more shallow, As the water this move came wind, and overturned. soldiers caught at her and Harry Hanson, under her and getting a rifle, which he fired repeatedly as a signal There was no response. was dark as death them started bering that this man was a poor swim- him, to persuade him to but as he turned to obey he regain the boat, and was the ‘swinging of the their harness dared diving tried to touch over his head., near losing the lives of all three. man running Holding to one Then one of were coming from. | there were approached, he found two men am ing to an pverturned canoe. almost exhausted and coul tle that they had been afr fous when pulled out with He was ill with typhoid fever for several 2 result of his ex He has said him: the manner in which he got back swimming position. ) yards from shore, d two women cling- wait awhile, afterward as | could not_ev white-topped seas. went on toward the shore. miles of terrible fighting, his companions, clung to their perilous hold, he won out. Then it was not strength but the terrible took in the saving of life that enabled him to reach across a jungle trail which meas- ured another aid to put out he reached a five-foot depth, he let' himself down, broke Elsie's h.1 abput her sister’'s neck, took the younger girl in his armns and, pushing the other cried for help. was about to in the shallows, from the shore. December 10, Philippines, with the rhythmic name with supreme effort, right- Placing them alongside, he then put an arm over one end of and while pushing the canoe ple clinging to it of Lanao. A sail- | their boat. had than with any other | entertainment the islands offer. the four young peo aged to maintain his hold on th reach the shore then hurried away motor boat, just as he his_burden stone’s throw 3 a gold medal on One of the young men and returned with a h he took his com- McCormick was medal February Company F of the 6th United States In- at Mindanao, P. and five young men of the company were in the habit of using such.a boat for fre- rsions in and out of the flow- was stationed Two young men Who could not swim into New York bay one| North Atlantic Joseph Donellen, a soldier of fortune and a veteran of the Spanish-American war, of New York city, happened to he cross- New York ed a silver chanced to It would have seemed that he had then went back limit of human accompanted and put out which occurred endurance, instances that occ medals for the dangers during the event of the Lanao abounds. Perhaps one of the most unique res- vear occurred = wrecked oil January, when they were cues of the returning to the night of 1 tendered him was surely - | sixteen gold remarkable A pair he had to beat them | saving of the | into/insensibility. Both men, - B e John McCormick of the fire department of New York city, and a Spanish war vet- eran, was at home in Inwood-on-the-Hud- Victor, employed at a distillery was given hed them, seized sembers of the Tath- ams and Avalon crews. THE ALL-POWERFUL MAN POLICEMAN extraordinary varying duties police of that coun- States many German policeman would court of law the exercise of these func more extraordi- cases they are pew of the loca * “My machine is a trifle out of order.” politely returned the am afraid if [ stop I cannot get it going Did Not Fit. Represent- functions of the “Then I'll stick with y What makes in Germany stil] nary is that in many tormed. quite independently government The German only to prese to exercise a far-re: sized up a fat fine, of which he got half. | drove on silently, not in- The Secretury creasing or spoke not a word, across the bundary s the empty din- on the languid army ngry crowds gurged down being in tw dollar notes—and gave lad of five playing on the floor. the father, ain’'t going to 'low you to pay nothing But if you is anxious | ner pail hanzin | 1abor, as your policeman is expected not rve order in the streets acning authority He will, for exar line of the District he turned upon the He used words the Just then he took & look at & constable and began. man had never heard before Finally the constable realized he was in of Columbia and Maryland, where he had some authority. Dropping to the ground, he ran as he could in the opposite direct Midnight Oil. Senator th a baby in her arms. two dogs in a corner, and the as only a steep, muddy trail down mountainside! Speeches manufactured in city factories donit always fit. Poor Preachin’. — contribute to the church we are build- undertake the et door at a sufficiently ¢ He sees that one has his ularly cleaned two friends he | the District v : as there was nothing else to began a hike which do, the senator had to cough up a nice, twenty for the meeting house Iin count—§21 for a d, preserves and cold po- He inspects, at stated in- weary miles and a good deal of beat- paratus, and, while ens: lunch of bre: gate many other till he land- tells a good joke on northwestern nator Porter nber of North is fond of was taking tempor: the place of a most heartily on account of ties that migh I mitated in most serious states- ted I met Little and asked him to whom Indian re- went to the sick preacher the collections of windows are forbidden, regulation in utherland worked in a government Washington In this respect | Ances with he got only his lot, amid the after 10 o'clock in overcome & failing which beset him at board- ing school. It seems he { piano may wilds of West Virginia. the north- - to the campalgn managers, and accepted, but the “Eighty-five cents in all,” replied the eep an eye on the and of medicines. German town to a milkman’ Canada is darned poor the marshal the sparsely settled districts to “cut his} | e a1 sight hours through lone- lamps were in ‘use for the boys darned poor preach! A Diplomat. ormer Secretary of the Treasury Mac- Veagh is usually a silent individual, but 2 serve of conversation which is e hundred horsepower variety, as a censtable found out to his great discomfiture not long az0. The Secretary was riding in his automobile onc Sunday near the bound- ary line of the District of Columbia. Cabinet officers are generally regarded as exempt from suca petiy annoyance as would arise one was out the Secretary's machine, footboard and told the Secretary he was exceeding the speed limit by about twe Sutherland, worked up a fine speech and memorized | He would stay up at night declaiming His first assignment proved to be Stubbsville, and he did not get. there till late at night with this one speech. But promptly at 8 he mounted the stage, drank the customary glass of water and The subject was the panic Tearing up his hair and hammering e leg broke, he poured out agara-like_eloquence. and ladies,’ up his mighty effort. ser the time of hogy the engines anything Wrong appea: y confiscated and the d by the higher au- u n i nhabited the milk is er is investigated it perfectly. when about thirty the car was stalled by of its wheels the body of the machine high and dry miles from a getting all four thus leaving Pomerene broke the chimney to his. too timid to go to the matron and | ask for another, so he adopted a plan by which nature could supply him with the needed illumination. ned to be the time of the month when the moon was full and the aif very clear, so the bashful boy sat out on the roof, adjoining his room, Greek for severai mights. At last some one of the faculty discov- ered the young Spartan and supplied the | Demosthenes. speaking An Analysis. BOSTON broker said the other day of J. Plerpont Morgan: Farrar went to a house rowed a piek and dug the ear out. pick back these New Morgan had lved. Whatever you politiclan—he “We'd mever Haven troubles Morgan was a the table till on a torrent of NI “‘Gentlemen studying his farmer asked them sisted of bread, presérves and potatoes. Wishing to donate something to be very poor, he shouted in could turn you imside out. “Morgan, after | said to me with a grim chuckle: nanciers strength 8 other for arrests, ror that reigned In your factories re stilled, the wheels of your industries rusted and how along your broad streets great victory, hopped on the | needed chimney. to the sea waves, Pomerene studylng Gre the moon! McCumber bill he had—the rest of his money ek by the light nl! 1