New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-27
THE RIVER CONQUERED HIM.
VAIN ATTEMPT TO RESCUE A WOMAN.
HEROIC BATTLE OF SAILOR AGAINST ICY
WATER AND ROARING WIND.


When dusk was turning into darkness yester-
day the men working or lounging on the East
River Pier No. Al, at Pike-st. noticed The pier
a poorly dressed woman of just past middle
ace whose face was haggard and lined with the
marks of want Over her head and shoulders
was a shawl. a scanty protection from the icy
blasts The woman Mary Nash, and her
home was at No. 63 Pilie-st Her husband,
William, who was employed in the Fulton Fish
Market lay helpless from rheumatism in the bed
which he had not left for seven days.
The couple were III the last stage of poverty.
Bravely the woman had tried to earn bread for
her sick husband by working at a Cherry-st dyeing
establishment. But work was scarce and she could
get scarcely enough money for their barest needs
She lost heart and tried 10 drown remembrance
in drink. Then the thought occurred to her that
It would be well to end life and hfe's troubles
In the waters Of the river.
II about 80 p. m. yesterday that she
left her home, without word of farewell TO her
husband, and made her way to the Pike-st. pier
The men who noticed her that she took one
or two unsteady turns backward and forward. and
then, as if inspired by sudden determination,
walked rapidly to the river and off the pier.
The steamboat Municipal, attached TO the De
partment of Street-Cleaning, was putting labori-
ously down the river. The water was almost
choked with ice. the wind blew gale and
progress for any kind of craft was Of necessity
slow. The Municipal had just reached the
Pike-st. pier as the woman r"ched the
bulkhead. The men on board the boat saw the
shawl thrown on the floor of the pier and saw
the woman run forward and plunge into the river
John Carin, cook of the Municipal heard the
shouts of the men on the boat and reached the
deck just the head of the suicide rose above the
water for the first time. Then, carried by the
wind, could be heard the faint, wailing cry Save
me, save me-
If it's in me. I'll do IT," cried Carn, drag
ging off his coat, and with these words, he
leaped headforemost into the river The ice in
the water bruised and cut him. the chill struck to
his bones the wind drove him about like a cork.
but his brave heart rose superior 10 all. lie was
only few feet from the pier when the woman
head rose above the water for the last time. Two
powerful strokes and as the face sank again he
had caught the drowning creature by her hair.
Then placing his left arm around her, with his
right hand he tried TO fight his way TO the shore.
Every rope on the Municipal was frozen hard
and stiff, the wind and ice drove the boat back as
she tried 10 approach him, and the men were power
less. There help for Carlin but his own
strong arms. Half swimming and half driven
forward by the wind and tide, he bore his un-
conscious burden through the ice and water until
he reached pier 40 Just off the pier barge
was floating down the river. The men on board
had one rope and that they threw TO Carlin.
AS the rope flew over his head
he made wild grasp and caught 1t, and in the
same moment he and the woman in his
swept under the. barge. His strength was all
spent, his senses were rapidly leaving him. but
he still kept his convulSive hold the woman.
The next thing he knew he was lying on the deck
of the barge, but the woman was gone. As the
bargSnen tugged at the rope to draw him on deck
she had slipped from his benumbed and nerveless
fingers, aud her dead body fioated down the river