Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-27
A CoWardly ScOundrel.

In our notices of the late disaster to
the steamer Pat Rogers we have given
many instances of herOism on the part of
officers, crew and passengers; but there
was one instance of such brutal coward
ice that the story Of its details will hard
" be believed. We have the facts from
sources whose truthfulness cannot be
doubted, and which demand a more elab-
crate account than that given in our riv-
er columns this morning. After Charlie
Dufour, who was at the wheel at the
time of the disaster, found it impossible
to longer control the boat, and with the
flames rapidly nearing his post of duty,
he ran down stairs to the passenger
deck The passengers men, women and
children, who had escaped from the cab
in-were gathered in group, with many
members of the crew and deck passen-
gers, at the bow of the boat on the lower
deck. Dufour found that the large life
boat, which is placed bottom upward
just outside of the guards on the cabin
deck, had not been launched. He quick
ly turned it over, caught hold of the long
painter" the other end of which was
attached TO the bow of the lifeboat, and
showed it over into the water. 1t struck
fairly upon the water and fOated buoy
antly and without having shipped an
ounce of water 1t was capable of hold
ing eighteen or twenty persons, and with
it every one of the women and children
cOngregated at the bow of the boat could
have been saved.
The boat was launched Just forward
Of the wheelhouse. Still keeping his end
of the rope, Dufour ran with it toward
the bow, dragging the boat with him
through the water. 1t must be remem-
bered that Dufour was on the second
deck, those whom he meant to rescue be-
ing on the deck below him. Ina moment
more the boat would have been within
reach of the eager hands and brave
hearts who were waiting to seize it, place
the women and children IN it, and send
it to the shore and to safety. But when
within ten or twelve feet of the expect
ant group a white man and a negro
jumped in, and before they could be pre-
vented cut the rope and pushed the boat
out into the stream. The negro seems to
have made some remOnstrance, to which
the white scoundrel REPLIED "Shut
your mouth, curse you, or I'll break your
head" Deaf to the cries of the shrek
ing women and children thus cut off
from the rescue which was near; I'M
mindful of the demands of the men
to return and save the helpless ones, the
cowardly brute rowed rapidly to the
shore, and, reaching safely, pulled the
boat up upon the bank and, it is sup
posed, fed to the woods. By its first
trip twenty of the women and children
could have been taken to shore. Using
this large boat afterward, many of those
struggling in the water, drowning one by
one because help could not be had,
would have been rescued. We have &C
counts of fifty deaths by the disaster.
Thirty of them, it is confidently asserted,
could have been ayerted had this lifeboat
been put to its proper use.
We are not informed whether the name
of this wretch is known. We suppose
some one who witnessed his cowardly
act recognized him. If SO, it is due to
the public, for the honor of manhood,
that his name should be published far
and wide, that the execration Of the
world may follow him to the grave, if
there be no other punishment possible in
his case. Does any officer of the boat, or
do any of those saved, know the MANI
Louisville C0urGer-J0 Journal.