The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-03-20
A Police Hero.


The hero of the hour, says Harper's
Weekly, is a New York policeman, Of
ficer Philip G. Bleil, of the steamboat
sbusd, and the manner in which he has
won his fame is worthy of the admiration
universally accorded him. During the
comparatively short time he has held
his position, through his own unalded
exertions he has rescued from death by
drowning no less than eighteen persons
of various ages. Some of these belonged
to the usual crowd of pleasure-seekers
who, through carelessness or an undue
indulgence in intoxicating liquors, man
age to tumble into the rivers on either
side of New York city, but a large pro-
portion were representatives of that un-
happy class whom crime or misfortune
drives to suicide.
1t is in no n a part OF the duty
% ,5 t5 p%0li Steamboat even oo s4suq Z he look Se' of.ss
people who have quilted terra .frmaa.
His businessis supposed to be the main
tenance' of order among quarrelsome
persons on dry land, and the extension
IF his jurisdiction to the water, when
,ver it occurs, must be looked upon as
- self-imposed task. Officer Bleil is a
humanitarian, although it is probable
that if he were to hear himself so styled,
his first impulse would be to inquire
whether ir"ult or compliment were in
tended b, the use of such an imposing
term. His desire is 10 save life. bellev-
ing it to be an undeniable good even to
those who show a reckless disposition to
EAST it off as q burden too intolerable to
bear. AS a boy he was a fine swimmer,
and always ready to spring into the
water and render all the assistance pos
slble to any one in danger. His first
exploit in the way of saving life was at
the g of fifteen, when he rescued one
.f those ubiquitous small boys who are
constantly precipitating themselves into
The river from excursion boats during
tho summer.
Cne of the most memorable instances
of ingenuity as we'll as bravery in the
art Of saving life occurred on Officer
Rleil's wedding day, June 20, 1864. At
that time he belonged to the volunteer
ire department, then in the last stages
# it's existence. The steamboat John
Potter, of the Camden and Amboy line,
lying at pier No. l, North river, had
taken fire about one o'clock in the morn
ing. Bleil and his associates were hard
ut work on the end Of the pier, when
they suddenly perceived that the fire
had cut off their retreat. The only
escape was by water, and a boat was
sent to their assistance from d Portu-
guese man-of-war lying in. the harbor.
Unfortunately the small craft would not
hold them all. Bleil and three of his
comrades were left behind. Selling a
bale of cotton, he pushed it overheard,
and i%nstructing the men how to support
themselves by it. induced them to follow
him into the water. By dint of tremen-
,lons efforts, he being the only swimmer
in the party, Bleil towed the bale down
the river and landed all hands at the
Battery, a distance of three hundred
yards from the burning steamer. The
saddest part of the tale is that the hero
had on his wedding suit, costing $50,
which was ruthlessly sacrificed to the
exigencies of the occasion. Officer
Bleil's last exploit was the rescue of
Emma Marlberg. This young woman
was o native of Germany. Induced by
misfortune, she threw herself from the
pier at the foot OF Charlton street,
North river, but was speedily rescued
by Bleil, who supported her in the
water for some twenty minutes, until a
boat could be sent to their assistance.
In appearance Officer Bleil is a we'll
set, sinewy man of medium height,
whose muscular development seems III
accordance with the feats he has per-
formed. He is thirty-three years Of age,
a blonde, and his complexion shows the
outdoor life he has led. Whether he
can be called handsome is a question in
volving some doubt, but it has long been
an established fact that beauty is q super
huous attribute in a hero, and should in
~iuatice he left to those who have not a
Jist OF glorious deeds to recommendation.
Suffice is to say that his blue eyes,
which have an expression Of unusual in
te,ligence, are deep set. So far as we
can learn, his a%mphibious tendencies are
a terrible trial to his wife, who, with the
logic peculiar to women where their af-
}ections are involved, reasons that his
valuable life should not be risked for the
salvation of worthless creatures who
seek to end a career OF crime by suicide.
Officer Blel's heroism has not been
without public notice. He has been the
recipient of testimonials from various
benevolent societies; the police commits
sion have given him two parchments, OF
which he is justly proud; and MI.
Bergh, whose sympathies are readily
Awakened in such cases, has also accorded
him a similar honor. In addition to
this, the United States life saving service
at Washington not long ago expressed a
desire to confer upon him the highest
medal within their gift. This decora
tion will add another lustre to the hero
who already "bears his blushing honors
thick upon him."