Morning journal and courier., 1882-07-22
HOnOring a Hero.
The Bennett Medal Presented to Fire. man Michael Comm erford.
 From the New York Times.l

The Bennett Medal Presented to Fire
 man Michael Comm erford.
 From the New York Timesl
 Fireman Michael Commerford, whose her oism in the rescue of imperiled lives in a tenement house fire in January marked him as the most deserving among several candi- dates for the Bennett medal, yesterday re- celved the reward for brave devotion to duty. He was presented with the gold medal in the afternoon, the ceremony taking place in the Union Square plaza. A great throng of peo- pie was crowded in the square, and the cot tage in the park was reserved for invited guests. great throng of people crowded in the square, and the windows of the houses were filled with other spectators Twelve companies of firemen wheeled into SeveL- | teenth street with the Seventh Regiment band preceded by cordon of police on foot at the head of the ranks. A number of en- zines, gaily caparisoned, drawn by the fire horses, were ranged between the ranks of the hremen, who were all in full uniform. The men and engines formed In the square, oppo- site the plaza, where Captain Williams and his aides were on guard, and then Assistant Chief Charles Shay marched out and saluted somegentlemen who stood apart from the great crowd in front of the cottage. These gen. tlemen were Fire Commissioners German, Van Cott, Purroy and the Hon. Charles A. Dana. President German returned the com mander's salute, and then, taking MT. Danas arm, the Commissioners, led by the Assistant
  the brigade, the band playing stirring air in the meantime. The inspection over, the officials returned to the plaza, a command to march was shouted by the leader of the department, and then the several companies of men, wheeling into the square, marched out and met in three solid ranks. Then they iaced about, and, amid cheers for the grace and precision of the evolution, saluted the Commissioners. President German then stepped forward and read list of the honor men who had in previous years received the Bennett decoration. There was pause and then the name "Michael Commerford" was called aloud, and as B tall fine looking man of very unassuming manners stepped out from the rear rank, in response there a spontaneous and hearty outburst of cheers and continued clapping of hands. He walked down slowly through the lines to where Mir. Dana stood bare headed awaiting his coming. He saluted the Commissioners, bowed to MT. Dana. and stood modestIy be- fore the crowds while Mr. Dana, with elo- quent earnestness and much oratorical grace, addressed him:
 MICHAEL CoMMERFoRD: This great throna of citizens and this assemblage of the fire department gathered here in recognition of certain public service rendered by you on the 4th day of January last To you it is not necessary to recall the nature of that ser vice, but it Is suitable that this audience should be told what it was. On that day the tenement house standing in the rear of No. 35 Madison street was on fire, and in one of it's upper rooms were three children of Mar garet Egan. The room was filled with smoke so that it was impossible to see and almost impossible to breathe in it. An at- tempt was made by one of your comrades to save these children, but the gallant fireman who undertook this effort was driven back by the stihing smoke and the insupportable heat. Then 8 ladder was procured and placed across over the alley which separated the house from the nearest building, so that one end was in the room and the other end in the building opposite. This ladder was not strong enough to bear much weight, but by lying down upon it you able to crawl along until your head and shoulders were in the fated room. Stretching yourself out from this ladder and extending forth your hands in the darkness, you first found William Egan, boy of six years, already in- sensible, and passed him out over the ladder so that he was recovered and brought away in safety. Then, venturing in again, you were enabled to lay hold of John Egan, @ boy of three years, likewise insensible, whom you also rescued. For this heroic and humane deed am directed to present to you this medal. It IS 8 most beautiful and hon. orable token, and you and your friends, and your children, and your children's children, may well be proud of it. It shows that at a critical moment when the highest courage was called for-the courage to risk your own life for the sake of others-you performed that supreme duty with coolness, persever- ance and success. It is great thing when a man possesses the moral energy and the power to seize upon such an opportunity It is a great thing, not merely for the hero himself. but for his friends, for the commu- nlty, for the whole people who can gather inspiration and support from such actions. It is proper to say here that take peculiar pleasure in being for this purpose the organ of tho authorities who confer this medal Jt q ofi of the late James Gordon Bennett, one of the most remarkable and original journalists who have appeared in recent times. He was 8 man who, amid every temptation and every difficulty, knew above all things else how to maintain those precious treasures of the mind, entire independence of opinion and entire freedom of utterance. It adds to the value of this medal that it thus in some sort represents those great qualities. You are the fifteenth member of the fire department to whom Mir. Bennett's medal has been given. 1 congratulate you, Michael Commerford, upon the addition of your name to list so noble and so certain to be long preserved in the memory of men and I am sure that whenever the occasion arises, there will al- ways be found among the tiremen of New York men of heroism and of devotion who will emulate the lofty and affecting example set by you and by the other possessors of the Bennett medal.
 After the applause which greeted the speech ceased, MT. Dana handed Commerford the honor medal given from the Bennett fund. The medal is of gold, handsomely en- graved, and bearing in 8 wreath this inscrip- tion:
 'Presented to Fireman Michael Commerford, in appreciation of meritorious performance If duty fireman. T. Bailey Myers, James Mclean, Robert 5 Zone, Trustees. Fire, Jan 4, 1884,"
 Commercials lip quivered with emotion as he received the trinket. He pinned it upon his coat, said "Thank you'' in 8 simple way, again saluted the commissioners, and then marched back to his place amid more cheers and applause. He was marked by thousand admiring eyes during the pie turesque evolutiuns which followed, and as he marched past the plaza for the last time a little woman ran out from among the cheer ing crowds and grasped him by the hand. and little child with her cried out glesfully, My papa!"