The New York herald., 1878-02-22
BRAVE OFFICER BLEIL.

he RECEIVES GOLD MEDAL FOR SAVING
PERSONS FROM DROWNING MAYOR ELY's
SPEECH.
Mayor Ely yesterday presented Onhcer Philip G.
Blei patroiman Of tie western steamboat squat. Of
this city, with a handsome gold medal, worth $500,
as recognition OF his bravo conduct saving tho
lives OF eighteen persons from death by drowning.
This medal is given by the Treasury Department At
Washington, undor circumstances explained In the
following communication
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Mr. Pnnrr c. BLsrL pssromaa New York nsropoiissn
Police, New York City:-
medal Of the fret class which has been awarded to you
% ns 81
lug AZ the peril Of your own e six persons on rs many
% I fss
s sss d,SMsns %ss e Ss
Sss Of the act Ss%s 20 s74 ssy saSS
,he medai awarded you. Is however proper that they
when shs %
this due acknowledgements should be made 9 your gallant
could b prouder could give better title g the
S % The
and humanity It ves me the truest pleasure to
wh he that si
ras 0 SOu rs
have the honor to be. vsry TsspeIS'diy socr..o
On tho face OF the medal Is the inscription, "In
testimony of heroic deeds In saving life from the perls
OF the ACT Of Congress Juno 2O 1874. To Philip
q. Bleil, for saving persons from drowning. at the
peril Of his own life, on six occasions 1S75-78." !"
Tue diverse side Is inscribed, "Litesavng medal Of
the first class United States Of America"
Similar presen tations of medals have been made In
the cases OF Colonel T. Schuyler Crosby tor saving
lives In the Mohawk disaster, and another TO sailor
employed the Commodore
rHE PRESENTATION.
Collector Arthur, Supernte tendsnt Walling and Cap
tain Walsh, and several other members OF the Police
Department wero present at yesterdays proceedings
Tue Collector stated that the medal had been
him by the Secretary OF the Treasury suggesting that
he should consult With the Mayor as TO the manner
In which the meuai should be presented. Tho Col
ector considered proper that the medal should be
presented by the Mayor.
The duties Of the Mayors Office are often disagroea.
ble IN iact they are very disagrecabie, and deem
pleasant incident AZ tnat which has occasoned
meeting here to-day. The oDject of our assembage is
one oi unusual interest and Importance, anu one In
winch tue government OF our nation, we'll as OF our
oity participates Tne Congress OF tho United Sates
by law passed June 1874 provided for the present
tion, undcr certain circupstances OF gold medals to
such individuals nigh particularly distinguish
themselves IN saving human he, and q presehta-
ton OF your ohcia record ono OF these modas Of the
first class has been awarded you tor having
rious end at great personal pcrl Rescued
NUMBER Of persons from drowning In presenting TO
which to express my appreciation oil your merits and
OF the obIiga.ons et tho community to you Tor your
heroic CONDUCT
s.But know that however much you may be up
paudcd by your fellow men your highest reward will
be tho pr0ud consciousness in your own mind that
have discharged your duty 80 nobIy and SO success
Iuliy. II must also be source oil much gratlcatOn
TO 10 reflect tnAt your actions nave added an ad
dtonal luurcl to the ontro force OF which you
mcmber ana among whom you will yourself say there
very many who, with similar Oppor unties, would
have acted courageousIy as you have done. In
ing this, however, do not mean 10 detract from your
extraordinary merits ns an individual shown by
your unrivaied record. Nothing SO dear ones
lite, aud to imperil II AS you have done upon
many OCCASIONS the simple discharge OF your uuIy
entities you 10 the thanks VI myself the represen-
tsIive oil ths city we'll the thanKy OF the gov
ernment which has 30 justly AWARDED to you This
medal which now take great pleasure In presenting
10 you"
Officer Beil In modest tone Of voice. responded by
saying, ~ would do my duty, Mr. Mayor. II never
received such q medal / can't say what want 10.
l can't get II out. II could-ii had been college
bred-l wouldn't DO on the police iorce nown
All the officials present thou shook Oacer Blcil cor
daily by hand. He is about thirly-three years
DID, has been connected with the ponce force only
Two years aud a halt. He was transferred IRON tho
Ninth precinct to the steamboat squad. Seventeen
OF the eighteen persons rescued by Nj. BleI were
taken from the North and East rivers. Severnl oil
them we're women VINO attempted to commit suicide.