Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-08-12
A COwARDLY SCOUNDREL.
The white Rascal 60 whose Account
the Deaths of Many women and
Children ON the Pat Rogers Are To
BE Laid.

The white Rascal TO whose Account
the Deaths of Many Women and
Children ON the Pat Rogers Are Co
BE Laid.
Louisville Courier-Journal. Aug. II.
In our notices of the late disaster to the
steamer Pat Rogers we have given many in
stances OF heroism on the part Of officers,
crew, and passengers. But there was one
instance of such brutal cowadice that the
story Of its details will hardly be believed.
We have the fa4s from sources whose
trtIthfulneSs can not be doubted, and which
demand a more elaborate account than that
given in our river columns this morning.
After Charlie DufOur, who was at the
wheel at the time of the dis
aster, found it impossible to longer
control the boat, and with the flames
rapidly nearing his post Of duty, he ran
down stairs 10 the passenger deck The
passengefs-meD, women and children,
who had escaped from the cabin were
gathered in a group, with many members
OF the crew and deck passengers, at the bow
Of the boat on the lower deck. DufOur
found that the large l.febOat, which is
placed bottom upward, just outside Of the
guards ON the cabin deck, had not been
LAUNCHED. He quickly turned il over,
caught hold OF the long painter" the other
end of which was attached to the bow Of
the life-bOaf, and showed it over into the
water IL struck fairly upon the water and
fOated buOyantly and without having
shipped an ounce Of water. 1t was capable
of holding eighteen or twenty persons, and
and with it every one Of the women and
children eOngregated at the bow Of the boat
could have been saved.
The boat was launched just forward OF
the wheel-house. Still keeping his end Of
| the rope, DufOur ran with ii toward the
bow, dragging the boat with him through
/ the water. Ii must be remembered that
Dufour was on the second deck, those
| whom he meant to rescue being on the
| deck below him. in a moment more the
| boat would ha e been within reach Of the
eagar hands and brave hearts who were
waiting TO seize it, place the women and
children in it and send them TO shore and
TO safety. But when within ten or twelve
feet of the expectant group, white mar
and a negro jumped in, and, before they
could be prevented, cut the rope ant
pushed the boat out into the stream. The
| negro seems to have made some remOn-
| STRANGE, to which the white scOundrel re
piled, "Shut your mouth, d-n YOU, or
! I'll break YOUR head" Deaf to the cries Of
the shrieking women and children, TINS chi
off from the rescue which was near; UNI
mindful of the demands of the men to re-
turn and save the helpless ones, the COW
| ardly brute rowed rapidly to the shore,
and, reaching it safely, pile the bcatinI
upon the bank and, il IS supposed, fled e
the woods. By its first trip twenty of tin
women and children could have been taken
to the shore. Using this large boat after
ward, many of those struggling in tin
water, drowned one by one because helI
could not be had, would have been rescued
We have accounts of fifty deaths by the di
saster. Thirty of them, it is confidently
asserted, could have been averted had thi
life-bOat been put to its proper use.
We are not informed whether the nam
of this wretch is known. We suppose tina
some one of those who witnessed his COW
arily act recognized him. If so, il is du
to the public. for the honor Of manhood
that his name should be published fl
and wide, that the eXecratiOu Of tn
world may follow him To his grave, if Their
be 10 other punishment possible in his case
Does any officer Of the b at. or does any q
those saved, know the man?
BRAVE LITTLE GIRL.
4 gentleman who was on the ill-fate
Pat Rogers states that while he was stanC
on the forward part Of the boat, maxim
ready to spring into the water, he heard OF
: of the officers Of the boat tell lady, WI
was standing near him with little cir
that the time had come when she mu
trust herself to the water. The lady, turl
ing to her little daughter, inquired If 81
could summon the courage to jump IN
the water. The little girl glanced at q
approaching flames, then az the water, al
responded in a firm voice that she won
! ! lump if her mother would follow. II
: mother assured her that she would leap
: | after her. The officer threw mattre
| overheard and told the little girl 10 jun
towards it. Without a moments heslt
ton the heroic child leaped into the dal
!, | and swiftly gliding water, the mother
stantlv followed; but both at once sunk
rise no more. There were grown wom'
, and even strong men who shrank back trOl
the whirling water, almost prefeIring
perish in the flames TO trusting themselv
: 10 its treacheTOus embrace. But this 6Ta'
: child saw the situation. and, appreciatil
: the only means of escape presented, ba'
her mother follow and boldly flung herSf
into the raging flood. Such heroic reSOl
ton Is not often exhibited, and the wOr
|, has lost a courageous woman in this de-
: | child