Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-13
From the Boston Advertiser, April7.

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ship AtIantic-HerOic Conduct OF
William HOys and Joseph Kelly
The sad Story OF Annie Bell
From the Boston Advertiser, April7.
To look at William Hoys one would not
think him hero. But The truth is that
but for his courage and endurance the
death list of the Atlantic would have been
greater by scores. The writer, in CONVEX
sation with the survivors, heard ''the sailor
passenger" repeatedly spoken of as having
saved many lives, and thought it worth
while to seek him out. A gathering of
three or four intelligent-looking fellows
was approached with the remark: 81 am
trying TO find the man they cali the sailor
passenger" Quick SIS thought two of
the men started up, and their eyes glistened
aud their voices shook as they exclaimed
together, "He saved my lifel' "He saved
my lifel" The "sAilor passenger" was
soon found by the assistance Of these men
who, in their gratitude, were eager that his
brave deeds should be 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. He is
about thirty five years old, well built, but
uOL W 70 IbLAAhdDlN EblOLks
In conversation be shows himself
to be an uneducated but good ma
tured fellow, having strong symp2-
thies for his fellow-men, but entirely un-
assuming, and not disposed to talk of
what he had done. "Why," said he, 81 saw
them drowning, and thought would save
some If L could" Hoys crossed by the rope
from the ship to the rock, and had great
difficulty In clambering 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 Capt lin, 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 a man might do in as
sissing 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 shirt and pantalcons-he
undertook the work himself. He lay down
upon the top of the rock and reached over
its precipitous side, and as the men came
across be caught them by their appraised
arms, their clothing, their hair-wherever
he could get a hold--and pulled them
up 10 a place where they could stand.
1t was bard work, and every time be pulled
a man up he took the risk of being himself
pulled down. Thus he worked until his
hands became so cold aud numb that they
refused to do further service, and then, in
stead of abandoning bis self chosen post
he just reached his body further over the
dangerous side of that rock, and set his
teeth into the coats of the men and drew
himself back uutil they could hold on for
themselves. More than one hundred men
did brave Bill Hoys, the "sailor passen-
GER" lift from the death below over that
perilous way to the safety above, and it
is enough to set ones heart a-throbbing
to hear some of these men express
in their odd ways the gratitude they feel
to their preserver. 1t made no difference
who the men were, whether from the cabin,
the Storage or the crew, Hoys lent his
strength to all who came, and never stopped
in his work until utterly exhausted. Hoys
thinks that more might have been saved If
the Captain had not hurried the men over
the rope so fast, but believes he acted ac-
cording to bis best judgment. In common
with the rest of the Storage passengers,
be complains of the fare during the voyage.
Condensed water, be says, was almost in
varia ply used in cooking, and the coffee, the
bread and the pudding (the one time it was
served) were so sailed that they were for
the most part thrown overheard to make
the sea salter.
JOE. KELLY AND ANNIE BELL.
Another brave fellow is Joseph Kelly,
also an Irishman, who, like Hoys, pulled
many up from the rope to the rock. He,
too, used his teeth when his hands became
useless from cold, and succeeded in saving
g good many. "When | saw them drown
ing" said he, 81 thought of the devil, and
felt as though must save some If could"
And he did, and showed himself, too, to be
of the stuff that heroes are made of.
Kelly says there wss one girl, though,
whom he wishes he could have saved Ste
was an Irish girl, and he was to care for
her when she arrived in New York. Her
father was very poor, and after her passage
had been paid, in order that she might have
little money, her father sold his pig and
gave her the proceeds, paltry eight shil-
lings. "My God" said Kelly, 'lf | could
only Rave SAVED her! could have got
money In New York aud paid her b'ard
until she could have got a situation. But
she is drowned in her bed and l shall never
see her!" And the brave, supplemented
fellow fairly broke down while talking of
l,r. Kelly joins in the general complaint
Ct bad food IN the Storage.