The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-06-01
a WOman's HcrOism.

hiht'S pha'
a WOman's HcrOism.
The Detroit 7iribunc has the follow
ing in connection with the announce
ment of the death, in that city, Of Mrs.
Adelaide Brush Thompson: The an.
nouncement Of Mrs. T%hompson's death
will recall to the memories of our read
ers her share in the terrible scenes that
followed the collision of the Pewabic
and the Meteor on Lake Huron, 10 years
ago. Miss Brush, then in her early
womanhood, formed one of n small
pleasure excursion party that had made
the round trip on the Pcwabic, and were
or their way down to this city. The
two boats were under the same man
agcment and were on the lookout for
each other, and intended to pass each
other close enough for II friendly hail.
The result was that, through some mis-
understanding of signals, the propellers
collided with great force in the early
dusk of a clear and calm night upon
the broadcast part of Lake Huron. The
bow of the Pcwabic was badly crushed,
and the boat ut once began to fill. Miss
Brush had been from childhood accus-
toned to the water; could handle an
oar with skill and was m expert SWIM
mer. Amid the inevitable panic that
followed 50 unexpected and appalling n
catastrophe, she was sclf-possessed and
calm. Her presence of mind and
Judgment contributed not a little TO the
effectiveness of the steps for self
preservation which were taken by
herself and friends. They secured
lfe-preservers, and, repairing to the
stern of the sinking vessel, leaped into
the lake after it became evident tina,
the boat was lost, and that the part of
wisdom was to get away from the wreck.
One of the party, Mr.. Calvin Wright,
was seized in the water by a drowning
woman, who dragged him to death in
her frantic struggles. His wife (now
Mrs. Mansiicld) owed her escape to
Miss Brush's calmnesS, %intrepidity and
skill rs Il swimmer. BY the help of
some timber which Miss Brush aided
her distracted friend to reach, they kept
atioat until picked up by boats from the
Meteor, being thus numbered among
the few survivors of Il long list of pas
sengers. This instance of girlish hero
ism at the time formed II prominent
feature of the reports of the calamity,
and the story of 'thc heroine of the
Pcwabic' was copied generally by the
press of the country. Miss Brush also
afterward received the gold medal con-
ferred by the Life Saving Association.
Mrs. Thompson, born to wealth and
high social position, and possessed of
unusual native force Of character, was a
woman whose many accomplishments,
added to by constant study, adorned n
disposition of marked simplicity and
amiability. Her circle of friends was
large and sincere, and the domestic and
social virtues found in her q charming
and unassuming exponent. Her mar
riage took place about nine years ago,
and she leaves Il young daughter as her
only child.
The Mystery of Marshal Ney's
Fate.
A curious story is going the rounds of
the Western press, says the Charleston
NeHS and Courier, TO the effect that
Marshal Ney was not shot, as history
tells us, but that he came to the Emitted
States and lived for many years in the
South, where he was known as Peter
Stewart Ney. The story is not a new
one. Some time about the year 1880
a French gentleman known as Peter
Ney resided in Darlington or Marlboro
District, in this State, and pursued the
profession of teaching. Many old citi-
zcns are still living who were his pu-
pills. Some curious facts are related
concerning this gentleman which tend
to ~corroborate the suspicion that he
may have been Marshal Ney of the first
empire. At the time referred to he is
said to have been exceedingly reticent
as to his personal and private history.
In conversation, however, he showed a
remarkable familiarity with all the
events and battles of the Napoleonic
wars, and very frequently commented
upon them, admitting freely that he
had taken an active part in them. His
martial bearing, style of dress and the
saber scars upon his head, showed that
he had known military service. He is
said to have been generally reserved and
quiet in his demeanor, but fond of a
social chat with men of his age.
At times he relapsed into fits of pro-
found melancholy, which occasionally
ended in a spell of Incorporate drink
ing. He seemed disposed to court re-
tirement, but on one occasion, when on
a visit to Columbia, he attended a mill
tary review on horseback, when his dis
tinguished and soldierly bearing attract
ed much attention. The story goes that
some French travellers, who were in the
town at the time, declared very posi-
lively that it could be no other than
Marshal Ney. This gentleman, more
over, always betrayed a marked inter-
est in every item of news connected
with Napoleon in his exile, and, one
day, sitting in his quiet school.room,
reading a newspaper which he had just
obtained, he suddenly dropped from his
chair in a swoon The paper on being
examined was found to contain the news
of Bonaparte's death.
These are the facts as gathered from
some of those who, in their youth, had
been pupils of Peter Ney. Whether
they warrant the conclusion that the
account of the execution of Marshal
New is to be set down IA n historic