Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-27
A NOBLE RECORD.
A Man Who Has Saved the Lives Of Eight
Persons.

| Man Who Has Saved the Lives Of Eight
Persons.
He HEcErvEs THE FIRST LIFK-sAvrN0 NRDAL
/ AWARDED BY SECRETARY cABLisLE-A BRIxR
sxxToa OF BACH HEROIC Aor-rHK sxCRs-
TAkYs coxPLrxrSrARr IENARKs.
Secretary Carlisle has made his first award
Of life-saving medal The person upon
whom he conferred this honor was William G.
Lee of Savanna, Ga, who has . wonderful
record as . saver Of lives from death
by drowning, OF the eight rescues
which Mr.. Lee effected it is . note worthy fact
that seven of them were made in the darkness
of the night. The letter of transmissal states
THAT on every occasion you displayed first al
most peerless courage and then the utmost
skill and resolution in your noble work
II heartily concur in the unstinted eommsnda-
ton bestowed upon you by all the Witnesses Of
these remarkable achievements.
The stories of these rsscues are told In the
letter Of transmittal, which is quoted here:
HIS FIRST RESCUE
THE first rescue narrated was made on the
18th Of December, 1878. Frank Fyler, acting
steward of the steamer Centennial. then
living at the foot Of Bull street. Savannah, Ga,
and of which you had charge, was boarding
the steamer in the night time when the gang
plank slipped and he was precipitated
into the river. Hearing . cry for assistance
you leaped from your bunk and dashed over
board in the darkness so quickly that you were
able to seize the man before he " as swept away
by the rapid ebb tide and convey him to one OF
the paddle wheels of the steamer, where. with
your aid. he held on until taken on board the
boat. He testifies that he should have drowned
but for your timely efforts and that the circum-
stances were such as to endanger your life.
ONE OF STILL GREATER VALUE.
"Your second rescue was one Of still greater
merit. On the 18th Of June, 1880. large ex-
cursion party was conveyed from Savannah,
Ca. to Tybee Island on board the steamer
H. II. Plant, OF which you were acting mate,
and at about 1890 o'clock at night Mary A.
Stafford. girl of fourteen years, suddenly
fell overheard in Tybee roads, carrying with
her her little brother of three years.
Hearing an cutlery you rushed to the side Of
steamer where the children had disappeared
and, while hundreds were helplessly standing
by. sprung after the drowning little ones. As
you touched the water you caugh: the girl and
quickly swan with her to the gangway. where
You We're both lifted to the deck Then for
the first time you learned that the boy
ness was so intense that he could not be
seen, but you instantly plunged back
Into the water, and detecting q break in the
floating phosphate. your experience told you
that the child was probably there. You swan
with all haste that way. reaching and grasping
carrying him back in safety to the arms OF the
almost distracted mother on board the steamer.
ANOTHER LITE SAVED.
1.-TWO months later, August 30, 1880, you
saved the life Of Jas. C. Pope, who fell from the
gang plank Of the steamer Centennial at
Doboy. Ga. Between II and IL o'clock at
night the steamer was lying alongside her
wharf and Pope was carrying trunk ashore on
his shoulder. when he lost his balance
and fell with his burden into the
water. Without q moments hesitation
you jumped overheard with all your
clothing on, and seized the man with a firm
grasp. The dangerous current seemed about
to sweep you under tie vessel, but with great
exertion and much peril TO your own life you
managed to get hold of the stern line and
finally delivered the unconscious ald totally
helpless man on board the boat
THREE MORE PERSONS RESCUED.
'On the night Of February 10, 1888, you
added the rescue OF three more persons to your
already enviabie record While the steamer
Anita, OF which you we're acting mate, was I'm
der way on the st. John river, Fla. you heard
voices near the vessel, and suddenly discovered
rowboat close alongside apparently
filed with men and women. and before
Roadway could be stopped the boat
was crushed under the port paddle wheel Of
the steamer. The weather dark and
foggy that you could not see the Imperfect per-
sons, but you hastily seized several life pre-
servers and plunged into the river. With great
skill and GOODNESS you managed to ge5 life pre-
servers to each of the two women. Mrs.. Watts
and Mrs. Stamford, and one OF the two men,
Mr.. Stamford tEere having been four persons
in the boat. The fourth. Mr.. Elijah Watts
was drowned, but through no lack OF
courage or effort on your part, the testimony
showing that you would almost certainly have
rescued him if you could have had another lie
preseryer. While you were bravely encourag-
ing and supporting the three people you had
reached boa. Vas sent to your assistance, and
all were finally taken on board the Anita. In
this extraordinary enterprise YOU nearly lost
your life having been seriously disabled by
blow inflicted by chair recklessly thrown
from the steamer.
THE EIGHTH PERSON SAVED.
The eighth person saved By you appears to
have been Harris Davis, rescued on the 5th Of
July, 1885. while you were captain Of the
steamer George VI. Bird. The steamer was
making a landing at Norwalk, on the 81. Johns
river, when Mr. Davis, passenger, fell head
long into the stream. Pushing through the
crowd you jumped into the river where you saw
some bubbles rising, and a. you went
under the water encountered the drowning
man. who wildly clutched one Of your arms
and 30 incrmbered you that, although you
brought him to the surface, both probably
would have drowned had not assistance been
speedily afforded. Fortunately you we're able
to catch a rope which was thrown to you and
both were safely taken on board the boat. In
this case, ss in all the others, the testimony
agrees that Won freelv imDeriled ycur awp