The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-05
SAVING HIS FUTURE WIFE.
The Sequel to a Terrible Steam
boat Disaster.
New Orleans Salesman's Bravery
Finding and Marrying, a Year
Ago, the Woman Whose
Life He Saved.

ROCHESTER,. N. Y, Dec. 24e-James Fry, Q
young man who was travelling as az agent o.
4 Nav Orleans mercantile house. took pas
esre for that city Mt 1T. Louis on october vi
5sCg. on the steamer Stonewall. There were
about 200 passengers on the steamer from
various points along the river The Stone
wall had about 800 tons Of baled hay on board,
many cattle and horses, and large quantity
Of Kerosene In tin CANS Among the deck
uaaasnoera were several Italians, rough LOT
III men. who passed their time In carouslng
and playing cards. About 6 30 o'clock On en-
evanipR Of October 27 the steamer was 12t
miles south Of st. Louis and within two
miles of Neeley's Landing. A group OF half
drunken Italians were playing cards by tbs
Hight of candle. which one Of the party Waa
holding. A dispute OF some kind arose over
the game, and the man who held the candle
plaeed II on O bale OF hay while he Joined In
the quarrel. The candle was knocked over,
and In afl instant The hay was In flames. The
fire rapidly spread among other bales, and ID
a very short time was beyond oil control.
Both crew and passengers were seized with
the widest panic. The pilot ran the vessel
uDDn n bar, between WHICH HUu lH6 suOE6 LID
believed the water was not beyond the
depth Oh any on board. Az tho steamer
grounded, scores OF passengers leaped into
the water, which, instead OF being shallow.
proved to be OF great depth. large proper
ton Of those on ooard we're women a1., A..
steamer, tn hope that aid would reach them
before the fire forced them to take their last
chance in the river. Among these were
family of three persons-evidently rather.
IA q - lat tsra lsHf
about iifteep--young Fry. and young lady,
apparently seventeen or eighteen years old.
on aII who had jumped into the river the
light OF the burning vessel showed only one
here and there struggling In the water, or
swimming away, the river navlnx closed over
hastily rolled overheard several bales Of hay
which the fire had not yet reached, to be
ssizad Ii possible II they we're compelled to
take to the water. The main spar was barned
down and fell into the river before the tlre
drove the last person from the steamer The
flames mt last wrapped the entire vessel
about. and the passengers who were huddled
together about the guards were forced 10
jump. The family mentioned anove eprang
Into the water clasping each others hands.
Fry and the other young lady followed them.
Fry WAS good swimmer. and reached the
spar. As be grasped 1t, the young lady, who
had jumped with hun. came to the surface
near him. He seized her and helped her W
the floating timber. The gill who had dis
appeared with her father and mother also
came up within short distance, and Fry at
once went to her aid. He succeeded In assist
Ing her TO the spar. She never saw her father
Ind mother aRain.
Struggling FOR life In the river, Fry could
see by the light OF the burning vessel, which
penetrated the gloom for great distance.
probably fifty persons. The terror OF the
scene was heightened by the ahrieks OF
drowning people, and the fiightful cries Of
the horses and cattle that we're roasting In
the steamer. Cams OF kerosene In bursting
scattered their contents around on the river,
and subjected those battling for life In the
water To a new dapger. The flaming oil
noated about on the stream and drove from
one oil the bales OF hay that had been thrown
upon It. When this occurred
young Fry, whose knowledge OF swimming
enabled him easily to keep afloat, and to rem
der assistance TO tine two girls clnging to the
SPAR was pushing the spar away from it,
close proximity to the burning vessel. When
the timber had been seized by the three II lay
nearly beneath the guards OF the steamer, 30
that Gaming bits OF pitch dropped from
above upon its occupants. and added
intense physical torture to their al
Fry moved the spar with comparative
Ease by swimming behind II and pushing
Il. This gave him the idea OF attempting to
reach the shore with 1t and save the girls, the
III whom was rapidly becoming ex-
haustad. He told them what he intended to
10, and begged the girl to summon ail her
az hs would surely save her. This
was the moment when the three men were
driven from the bale OF hay by the burning
Dill. The men at once attempted to reach all
other bale tew feet from them. TO which four
others were already elinging, and which was
barely sufficient to sustain their weight. Two
,f the men sank before their OBJECT was
gained. The other swan to the second bale,
md tried to seize hold upon 1t. The four who
we're supporting themselves with this bale
Ought against having the added weight OF the
fifth, a. IL would swamp them all. Three
times they pusned him away. The pale, ter
ror stricken faces of the struggling men were
plainly visible In tho glare OF the Il lmes-
Each time that the fifth man was repulsed he
to the bale, begging for place to
mold. The fourth time no succeeded In seiz-
ng one enrner OF the bale. The hay began to
sink. One III the four VINO had possession OF
the preeiona bale was an Italian. he drew
knife as the bale was going down, and
weight was taking their only hope away. He
Iell back and disappeared beneath the water.
This terrible &c ne was enacted within five |
Ieet OF those on the spar. IL was more than
The girl could bear, and she tainted away. |
Fry supported her In his arms, and, hastily |
telling The other young lady to cling to the
spar until he returned, he started for the
shore with his burden. He reached It In |
safety. and. giving the girl 10 charge OF .peO- |
3le who were helpless witnesses uf the fear
al scene In the river, returned to render aid |
% the young lady he had left. He was gone
,nly few minutes, but, during his absence, |
he four men on the bale of hay had been. In |
urn, driven off by fire and were all drowned. |
l boat had also reached the scene from |
Neeley's Landing. Out OF the 200 passengers
md the crew Of twenty only thirty i've were
,aved. The girl rescued by young Fry was |
Ient to Toledo, Ohio where she said she had
riends.
A year ago last month Fry was In Cincin- |
lati. THANKSGIVING some business for house In
st. Louis LII whose employ he had been for |
several years. An acquaintance OF his in |
listed on taking him to call at the residence |
If friend one evening. He met there and |
was introduced to a Mrs. Richmond, a widow |
" great personal attraction. She had been q |
widow for three years. and was then only |
,wenty-four. She was visiting at the house |
where Fry met her. her home being In Chicago. I
Fry fell In love with Mrs. Richmond. They
for several months, when the
travelling agent made the young widow an |
,ffer OF marriage, and she accepted 1t. a |
lay early In the present month was selected
'or the wedding. Fry went to Chicago the last
)f November A few days before the wedding