Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-07-20
I1erois1n Recognized.


New York Herald.
One ofthe most gallant rescues ever
made by the United States Life Saw
ing Service was fittingly commemora-
ted at Toms River on Thursday by
the presentation of United States life
saving medals of the first class. On
the afternoon of February 3, 1880, the
men of Station II and II were alarmed
by signal guns seward. 1t was Bit
ter day, the sleet driving before an
easterly gale so thickly that
it was only by covering their
heads with thick wooden mufiiers that
the men could face it. The apparatus
was got in readiness, and then all
hands strained their eyes seward to
catch a glimpse OF the vessel. AT last
through break in the driving sleet
they caught sight of schooner with
a rag of her forestry sail set, trying in
vain to beat off the lee shore, whose
breakers were even then close aboard
her. She was too far out for the short
lines to reach her, SO the men of both
stations Joined forces, and number
Of volunteers coming to their assist
ance they dragged the heavy apparatus
over the sand dunes and through the
inlets on the beach, taking advantage
of every opportunity to throw shot
at her. Several times the vessel
struck, but the fierce gale drove her
on again, and it was not until she had
bumped along the shore for three
miles that the line could be got aboard
of her. Within half an hour there
after the crew of five men we're lande d
and the vessel soon went to pieces.
Lieutenant w. Q. DeHart, Assist
ant Inspector of the Fourth Life
Saving District, reported the facts to
Washington, and the mems conduct
was thought worthy of the highest
honors which the nation bestows for
such heroic deeds. On Tuesday Lieu
tenant DeHart received the medals,
eighteen in number, from S. [. Kim
ball, General Superintendent of the
United States Life Saving Service,
and yesterday he presented them to
the men in presence Of large num-
Der Of spectators, accompanying each
presentation with few words express
i've of his ewn appreciation of their
gallantry. The recipients are Keeper
Lewis Treux, of Station IL; Keeper
William 2. Chadwick, of Station II,
and Charles Seaman, Tylee G. Pearce,
William Van Note, John Flemming,
BENJAMIN Truck, Peter Sutfn, VIM.
II. Brewer, Abram j. Jones, Demer-
est 7. Herbert, Oh aries W. Flemming,
David B. Clayton, Abner S. Clayton,
Isaac Osborn, William L. Chadwick,
Abner Herbeps, and David B. Fisher.
Some of these men are not members
of the life saving crews, but volun-
teered on this OCCASION.
REWARD OF HERoIsM.
The medals are two inches in diam
eter, three .sixteenths of az inch thick
and their coin value is $50 each. On
the diverse is design in relief repre-
senting three men in a surf boat res
euing drowning man from the waves.
Around the margin are the words:
Life Saving Medal of the First Glass,
United States of America" On the
reverse the Goddess of Liberty is rep
resented resting her hand upon a
shield upon which is inscribed the
recipients name, and a brief state
ment of the heroic deed. Over the
shield an eagle is soaring, and around
it are an anchor, cable, capstan and
other nautical emblems. Around the
margin in raised letters is inscribed:
In Testimony of Heroic Deeds in
Saving Life from the Perils Of the
Sea. Act Of Congress, June 20, 1874.
With each medal there was the fol.
lowing letter from the Secretary Of
The Treasury:
SRI have the honor to transmit
herewith the gold medal of the Life
Saving Service, which has been
awarded you under the act of June
20, 1874, for signal heroism shown by
you at the rescue of five men from the
wreck Of the schooner George Ton
lane, on the Sd of February, 1880.
On the occasion referred to the YES
sci rolled broadside to the sea along
the beach for three miles, and not
less than six hours before finally
ltranding. Her decks were mean
while buried in the surf, and her
crew upon the rigging. For the time
and distance named she was followed
on shore, through storm of violen
wind and sleet, by nineteen men, drag
| ging a heavy cart load of wreck ord
nance and apparatus through a region
of interhooded sand hills and through
frequent sluices bedded with quick.
sands. The cart often sunk to the
body in these waters, when those WhC
dragged it waded waist and hip deer
guarding their burden the entire wa!
against submersion or overturn. TIT
men had also to guard themselve
against the assaults Of floating cord
wood and Wreckage thrown off iron
f\ the wreck. Some Of them wer
knocked down. by these missiles, 9th
ers suffered bruises and Commissions
No man finched or fell away. A
times when the vessel paused the
hurriedly unloaded the cart on th
nearest knoll and fred shot lines I
! her, loading up again and folloWin
her as she moved on. These terribl
and generous labors at length reache
their climax when the vessel brough
up. The life lines we're at ono
: drawn between ship and shore, an
within thirty minutes the sufferin
crew in the rigging were saved.
OF the nineteen men who save
them you were one. 1t gives me I'll
truest pleasure to be the means
honoring your part in this gallar
= achievement nv Transmitting the mef