The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-11-01
A HERO IN WANT.
The Savior Of Over Six Hundred Persons Starry
ing in His Old Age.

The Savior Of Over Six Hundred Persons Starry
ing in His Old Age.
Albany de Fonblanque, the British
Consul at New Orleans, writes as fol-
lows to the Republican OF that city:
On the 7th of October, 1859, the British
steamship Connaught, four thousand
tons, sprung a leak, which
gained upon her so rapidly that
BY the next morning the water had
exLinguished her engine fires, leaving
her a coffin for six hundred and one hu-
man beings, sinking slowly but surely
| in heavy sea. In this condition, and
while one hundred and fifty miles from
Boston harbor, fire (Which had been
smoldering Tor some days, unknown
burst out, and doubled the chances for
death.
She was an iron ship, and soon her
sides became SO hot that they hissed
and steamed as she rolled, deeper and
deeper. There was a race between fire
and water for all those lives, and do the
best they could the boats would not be
able to save third Of them from
one death or the other. The American
| brig, Minnie Schaetfer, one hundred
| and ninety eight tons, Captain John
| Wilson, saw the blazing, sinking steam
er. and bore down to her assistance. So
|
! ting the passengers into and out OF the
boats that only two hundred could be
transferred to the brig before sundown.
Then John Wilson said:
1t is horrible thing to see the sun
going down and so many people yet on
board the wreck, settling down and
burning up. l will do all in my power
to save them.
He nobly kept his word. AS good q
sailor as he was a man, he came down
to the leeward of the wreck, made fast
to her, and before midnight the last man
on her deck-the captain-had passed
safely into the brig. Try to picture it
A great ocean steamer, with water pour.
ing in from without to fill her up, and
ire roaring WITHIN to burn her down.
over four hundred lives III the balance.
Any lurch she made might have beer
her last, and if she had rolled over and
sunk-what hope for the little brig! Sht
did not sink just then. John Wilson
left her, a sheet OF flame, and landed hit
priceless cargo safe at generous Bos.
Lon."
In recognition of his courage, human
lity, and good seamanshlp, the British
; Government gave him gold watch ant
/, chain. The company to which the Con
: uaught belonged presented him witt
Ibl,OWS DOSbOH duuOu u ollNGI 6GENiC
and medals; testimonials and subscrip
tions in plenty came in. Nor were hi
crew forgotten in the general enthusi
asm.
r Then came the war. Some sum
granted to him were withheld; propert,
0 in which he had invested his money wa
T captured or destroyed. By whicn side
a When | state that he is now sixty lou
: years of age, is disabled by failing eye
: sight from following his profession; tina
Y his wife is a confirmed Invalid; that al
g mis- testimonial gifts have been sold o
e lett in pledge for bread, aud that thi
i once seIf-reIiant and always brave an
true man is utterly destitute, is it wort
< while TO ask? When he made fast t
/. the burning Connaught he said nothin
: about politics. Humanity has no politics
;. Shall we not paraphrase his own word
q and say: "Tnis is horrible affair, t
a see the sun going down upon the wrec
: with so much good yet on board. w
= will do all in our power to help him."
| Before make an appeal abroad TO
: this affl cted hero, it is only fair that hi
, countrymen should be gwen the oppol
i Ltunity-l may almost say the privilege
of assisting him. His residence is N
t $40 Franklin street, New, Orleans, an
+ subscriptions may be sent to Mrs. Hill
f No. 306 BarOnne street; Mrs. Creev,
! corner of Union and Carondelet sLree
orto Your obedient servant.