The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-05
REWARDS FORSAVING LIVES.
SUITS OF CLOTHES, CASH, AND MEDALS
GIVEN TO BRd we MEN,
Two Gold Medals Given This Month TO Two
Brave OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Average Fifty
Yenr-rhn LII RnNInr tinnIntr.

| neSuAy OF last week. Wnlle IN swimming NJ inc
foot OF East Flfty-nlnth street. he rescued from
drowning lad who had sunk for the third
time, was unconscious when taken from the
water, and was resuscitated only with great
| difficulty. Mr.. Iollack says he thinks that
! there is u reward offered for this sort OF thing
and wants THE Sun to tell him how he con got
| 1t, lie accompanies his story with the names
| OF Witnesses OF his deed. The boy himself,
| Samuel Lehman OF 40l East Sixtioth street. IL
| named rs ono of thcse Witnesses and Mrs.
| Goldsmith OF 5l4 East Fityeighth street to
whose house Pollack says he carried tho I'M
conscious lad, as another.
| Mr.. Pollack seems to make out pretty good
case OF ordinary life saving. Under the rules
OF tho Office OF the only society in this vicinity
that makes n habit OF paying for tho pulling OF
boys out OF tho water, however. no will havo to
40 one step further before he can yet any re-
ward besides the satisfaction afforded bv n
consciousness OF duty well dono. II he and his
witnesses can prove to tho satisfaction OF three
worthy gentlemen. who preside ovor the re-
ward department Of the Lifo Saving Benevolent
Association OF Now York. that in saving tho
Lehman boy ho incurred considerable per-
sonal risk and was moved purely by humanity,
without any thoughts Of n cash reward no will
probably be able to draw upon the funds
OF that society for anything his case
n
suit OF clothes to substantial cum
OF money. He Is too Young in his career n
life saver to hope for medal. but II he sticks
to the business for n few years and has n fair
degree Of success. he may some time be sum-
moned down to tho office Of the Atlantic MI
tual Marine Insurance Company, at IL Wall
street, and have pinned upon his bosom q
silver disk, as big dollar, with represent
ation OF n ship, stormy night Mt sea- and
breakers dead ahead engraved on ono side OF
It, ana on the other sdo n record OF his last
notable deed in the itc-savlnG line. II he Still
persists In his habit OF jumping overheard
every timo he hears n cry for help. and gets a
score OF twenty or thirty lives 70 his credit.
and then does some particularly daring thing,
such Us diving under vessel and staying
there until he has released somo unfor-
tunate man from the ENHANCEMENT Of
the rigging OF a sunken boat. or plrnginR
down between IN incoming ferryboat ami the
pier to pull out n man or woman who was In
too much OF hurry 10 get ashore, he may re-
coive another summons 10 the Wall street
Office. and this time come away with n gold far
sinile OF his silver medal to show to the folks
and hand down to his children and his grand
children as a proof that they had a particularly
bravo and courageous man for an ancestor.
When he has got his gold medal, If he ever gets
II, no VIII U0 nOt eNhClly unique dIlOnR men,
but he will have sufficiently separated
himself from the common herd to be out OF all
danger OF feeling crowded.
One OF the first men with whom Mr.. Pollock
should try TO ret acquainted after he reaches
that section OF the hereafter where men with
the life saving socety's gold medals will
flock should be Cant. Cadwallader Kinggold OF
the United States Navy. Capt. EingGoid was
one Of the earliest who received the S3ciety,s
chief decoration. lie got 1t for so handling his
big and clumsy frgate down off Hatter4S
her up alongside a largo troop steamer that
had driven ashore and saved q thousand men
from what seemed to be certain death. Besides
being nice thing to wear on a coat that
medal secured for Capt. kinggold promotion
which OVERRIDE all the regulations OF the SER
special resolution OF Congress Since then many
men have obtained the socety's gold medal,
Of To e it, Hasey sed as5
wear one. and several other river front heroes
have had tho decoration, but .cOmparati,elv
the silver medal. When a man has been 50
persistent iu saving life. along the docks that
clothes and money he receives a silver medal.
sometImes. Il his deed Is a particularly brave
he gets tho silver medal the first time. There
is o silver medal at the societys Office now
waiting for Capt. Parsons TO oG cal for i; he
West Fifty ninth street and scranod around on
the bottom OF the river until he, found, and
u
There have been two gold medals given out
this month The rSt 2nf TaSI9 GapL p"'riS6
is a AGO confirmed life saver. He has pulled iity-
two persons out Of the water up 10 the time
that the, society decided to give him n gold
medal. This presentation was made on Juno
6 ut the annual exercises OF the House Of
Refuge on Hanlnll's Island. and the officers OF
the medal and tell him what a brave and good
man he was. The other gold medal was given
| between
street and Fort Lee. Capt: OBrien is ,consid-
erahIy addicted to NE saving, although not to
YER YER watch and ? silver medal from tho
Lee a few months ago and rescued deck;
hand OF tho steamer Pleasant Valley who had
a lot OF rope fragments OF the davts. and other
there was nothing left to give him except the
water somewhat ,thickly, populated with NOV;
other incidents OF the confusion that the acct
dent had caused about the dock until he an;
brought him 20 the surface. The Captain had
previ ousy rescued eight persons from drown
ing since the year 1874 when he first began to
keen score Of his rescues.
or another about fifty persons every year Tor
ing. The expense OF this is considerable. but
It is met entirely from funds contributed to the
EOcloty long ago Dy lib lOunueTE' anu WHICH |
now constitute a permanent endowment for II. |
more than sufficient 10 meet all the demands.
The gold medals cost over $50 each and the |
silver ones about $ll. The other rewards vary |
according to the circumstances OF each case. |
II the brave man Is some, ragged tramp or
hanGer-on about he docks. lie generally Rets q |
suit Of clothes. A workingmsn with family |
10 look after and no more money than he |
wants, usually gets cash, say $50 or some
thing like that In all. tho society e;xpends |
WSrdine "a acts 'e Of bravery There are no
strict rules as to tho nature OF the act |
that shall merit a reward or as to the proof re-
auired OF 1t. The who 10 matter is In the hands
OF a committee OF three which investigates
every claim. and makes up its mind |
alter consideration OF the statements in writ
ing OF tho persons directly Interested and OF
citizens who may have witnessed the deed
the ma tier is called to the attention
of the committee by some third party who has
been witness OF the rescue or who has heard
Of II. Sometimes the person rescued makes
the application and sometimes tho brave men
apply in person for their reward.
The Life Saving Benevolent Society OF New
York was founded In ls4g and its original pur-
pose was 10 encourage meritorous conduct.
10 grant rewards, donations, and premiums In
money and medals. to procure and use ito-
boats, boat and station houses with articles
and materials to afford facilities in saving life
In cases OF Shipwrcck or otherwise, and by