The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-02-22
HEROISSI IN THE FACE OF
DEATH.

about one hundred yards from the shore
then believe many who were washed
ashore could have been saved had they
been properly cared for; but we were
miles away from the nearest house and
the poor souls persisted all along the
shore tor miles. Many were wounded,
bruised and sprained, and have crushed
iinbs; others have stiff backs and ugly
scars, which will be carried away by
them as lasting mementoes of the wreck.
One poor soul had his brains knocked out
while on the ship by the sea washing him
against an iron spar, and many had their
necks and limbs broken. Only thirty
eight of those lost came ashore. About
sixty were washed out into the sea and
have not yet been found. The oldest
seatariDg men here say the storm was the
heaviest and strongest they ever cav
along this cast
Jacob Mitteagero, the first assistant
engineer, states that one of the chief
instances Of heroism, well worthy of
record, was that manifested throughout
the entire day of the wreck by Mrs. Anne
Huet, who being early assisted rom 6
dangerous position on the main deck
to one com para.ively secure in the star
board forerigging, remained there until
the closing scene r spectator Of the prin-
cipal horrors, We. calmly awaiting what
ever fate heaven might have in store for
her without a muir aur. And surely her
+ experience during the trying day was OF
a kind seldom encountered by her sex.
Scarcely secured in her new position she
witnessed the death OF Mrs. Harrison,
who, when washed from the pilot house,
was grasped by quartermaster Poland
and almost Immediately torn from his
arms by q ruthless breaker, which
dnowEed her there and then, at the same
time washing her husband from the
wreck 70 safety, strange ruling Of
Providence, the same wave proving the
harbinger Of death to one and Of life to
the other Of this welded pair. Again,
wlen father and son were torn asunder
beneath her gaze, the comedy lad of per
haps fifteen, sinking TO his final rest
within a few feet of her no cutlery
escaped her but q fervent prayer that
God would have mercy on the soul 30
suddenly called to judgment. But most
touching Of al her manifestations during
I the day was her prayers that her husband
might be admitted 10 4 secure position
10y her side. This prayer her protector
was obliged 20 decline in view OF the
paramount claims Of the sick and in
iured who bad found refuge there.
Again was her heroic fortitude most
manifested when the uuclouded
beams of the fast sinking sun flashed
brightly over the last group Of despairing
( survivors Of the wreck in their struggle
Tor life, as the last vestige Of the i'll fated
ship sank beneath them, torn asunder and
borne down to the bottom by theresistless
surf The foremost had fallen, and the
deck beams, torn from their fasteniDgs,
had permitted the sides Of the ship TO
separate, the starboard side going deeper
and deeper down ~ each successive surge
passed over until ali that cringine group
Of over forty were forced into their battle
with the waves. Then my informant,
who had been throughout most deeply
interested in the lady's fate, saw her and
her husband submerged by three heavy
seas in rapid successor, the Last one
washing them clear of the forechains
among a small mass Of wreck A few
minutes later he saw the husband and
wife together,yet separate both evidently
the playthings Of the surge, and despair
ing Of their safety, were borne on toward
the shore. Again be saw her when strug-
Cling in the undertow, distant some
ten yards from himself and with
out her husband, and though
almost in the jaws of death himself
could net repress the fervent Thank
God thank God - that spluttered from
his lips through the breaking foam.
A few minutes later the friendly hands
Of Timothy O'Brien aided others in pIac-
ing him in safety and a few minutes
later bore the form of the heroic woman
from the surf insensible, but alive, a
monument of the Almighty Providence
that had borne her all unaided through
that terrific scene and also saved her
husband, the last that was rescued of all
that band of sufferers.
Prominent among the heroes of the
tragedy stands this humble and unpre-
tentious-looking Irishman, Timothy
O'Brien. BY his own unaided exertions
he rescued from the breakers and surf
nearly fifty persons Timothy is a
native of the county Limerick, Ire
land is about thirty-four years of
age, five feet six inches high,
verv stout built, a Hercules in
strength and of the greatest physical en-
endurance. This is the second wreck
from which he has escaped with his life,
the first being that of the steamer Col
den Gate, which was lost off Acapulco,
on the Pacific coast, in 1863.
The last and crowning act Of this
great feat of humanity was the rescue
OF Mrs. Anne Huet, the only surviving
female of the wreck. She was strug-
Cling Ieebly with the breakers, supported
only By a life preserver, but evidently
exhausted and about to sink. O'Brien
saw her awful position, and calling
to young man named John Dohertv
to help him, re started throue1
the surf for the dying woman Twice n
treacherous waves snatched her from hi.
friendly grasp, but at last he caught her
and with Doherty's assistance brOugh
her ashore in an unconscious condition
!" Den you'sc on de side OBJ de f h
and birthstone in dis hell discussion p
q You'se right, honey Ell you tink
you'ss gwine ter leebe dis wurld ter play
SNOWFALL somewhat, you'se 'rJng Oars
er warm place less beyant heah fer de
managers eb de Freedman's bank an
ohickIn lifters ginruily, else Pse ewine
ter swap my himbook fer er pack er
kyards."