The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-04-25
Il EE q So
1he Hero of the 4ganttc Disaster.

To look at William HOys one would not
think him a hero. But the truth is, that
but for his courage and endurance tie
death list of the Atlantic would have been
greater by scores. The writer, in couver-
sation with the survivors, heard the sal
lor passenger repeatedly spoken of
having saved many lives, and thought it
worth while to seek him out. A gathering
of three or four intelligent lookingsfellows
was approached with the remark 81 am
trying TO find the man they call the sailor
passenger " Quick as thought two Of
the men started up. and their eyes glisten-
ed and their voices shook as they exclaimed
together, He saved my life - lie saved
my life - The ''Sailor passenger" was
soon found by the assistance of these men,
who, in their gratitude, were eager that his
brave deeds should bc recorded. His name
is William Hoys, and he Is a native of
County Antrim, Ireland, although he has
been in America several years, being en-
plOyed as a sailor upon our lakes. lie IS
about thirty-fivc years old, well built, but
not appearing TO be remarkably strong
In conversation lie showed himself to he
an uneducatcd but good-naturcd fellow,
having strong sympathies for his fellow
men, but entirely unassuming, and not dis
posed to talk Of What he had done. ''Why,"
said he, Il saw them drowning. and tho't
| would save some if could" Hoys cross
ed by the rope from the ship to the rock.
and had great difficulty in clambsring up
its treacherOus, slippery sides. He saw
others attempt it only to fall back into the
water and drown. The men were hurried
on to the rope by the Captain, who was
on the ship, and many had not the strength
to reach the rock, and we're drowned on
the way others reached it only to meet
death with safety at their fingers ends.
Hoys saw all this. and realized how much
4 man might do in assisting those who got
across; and, although suffering greatly
with cold-he had been for hours exposed
on the ship, and had no clothes but his
sliIt and pantaloons-he undertook tho
work himself. He lay down upon the top
of the rock and reached over its prccipitouS
side, and as the men came across he caught
them by their appraised arms, their clothing.
their hair-wherever he could get a hold
and pulled them up to place where they
could stand. 1t was hard work, and every
time he pulled 4 man up he took the risk
of being himself pulled down. Thus he
worked until his hands became s. cold and
numb that they refused to do further ser
vice, and then instead Of abandoning his
Se!f-chosen post, he just reached his body
further over the dangerous side ofthat rock
and set his teeth into the coats OF the man
and drew himself back, until they could
hid on for themselves. More than a hun
dTcd men did brave Bill IIoys the s.saiIor
passenger" " lift from the death below. over
that perilnUs way to the safety above. and
1t is enough TO set ones heart a throbbing
to hear come of these men express in their
odd ways the gratitude they feel 20 their
preserver. 1t made no difference who the
men were. whether from the cabin. tie
Steerage or the crew. IIows lent his
strength to all who me. and never sion
ped i'll his work until utterly exl austed.-
HoyS thinks more might have been saved
If the Captain had not hurried the men
over the rope so fast. but believes he acted
according 10 his best Judgment. In com
mon with the rest of the stcerace passcn-
gers, he complains Of the fare during tho
voyage. Condensed water, he SAYS. was
almost invariably used in cooking. the cof-
fee, the bread and the pudding fthe one
time 1t WAS served were so salt that they
were for the most Tart thrown overheard
TO make the sea salter.-EOSton idc.rtiser.