Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-24
THE BARDS' CATCH.
IT WAS A LIVE FAT MAN WHO
WEIGHED s4s POUNDS. 1,
He HAD Fallen Overheard from
the steamer Connecticut-Nas
Asleep Mt the Time, Bat Quickly
Awoke. .aaess.ass
provIdence Journal.)

passenger OF the CITY OF i<aWrehce
made acquaintance, was exceedingly
thankful that he was corpulent. In
fact, had It not been for his excessive
bulk. the man would have been drowned
without any question, as he spent over
two hours In the midst Of Long Island
sound, the nearest human being living
in a lighthouse four or five miles away.
He fell overheard from the Connecticut
early Sunday morning. and was rescued
from his serious position by the City OF
Lawrence, which left this city Saturday
night for Coney Island with party OF
Providence excursionlsts and returned
early Monday morning.
The lucky fat man Is a wealthy New
York manufacturer. who had been to
Boston on business the last part OF the
week, and had taken the boat from this
city for his home. He calls himself
William Griswold, and when asked TO
write his name he spelled 1t "Gerwald."
From his anxiety/to conceal his identity,
II Is probable that either or both names
are fictitious.
The mans avordupois was not, how
from death by drowning long before
the City OF Lawrence was near him.
A remarkable self-possession and cool
| Judgment stamped the actions of the
man and prevented his giving up in de-
| spair while alone in the expanse of
waters with the prospect OF speedy
death before him. All his movements
were calmly calculated, and resulted in
a rescue which would have been we'll
under similar conditions.
Captain Nathan Kenney was in charge
of the Norwich Line steamer City of
Lawrence. The head OF the genial
/ Captain has grown gray In service on
the seas, but he admitted he had never
heard OF an experience equal TO that OF
the man whom he was instrumental in
rescuing. Shortly after s o'clock Satur-
| day evening the City of Lawrence left
Pomroy's wharf with Providence excur-
sionists for Coney Island Nothing out
of the ordinary occurred during the trip
down the sound, and about an hour
after sunrise the Captain and several
other officers of the vessel were in the
pilot-house directing the steamers
| course. They were off Stratford Shoal,
| about a mile west by south from the
| lighthouse, sailing ahead in a sea that
was hardly stirred into ripples by a light
breeze.
| Suddenly. far out to the left OF the
| boat was heard mans voice: BOAT
| ahoyl Helpi Helpr Captain Kenney and
| his officers jumped TO their feet and
| looked over to where the voice came.
| Frantically waving his hands and leap
! ing half out of the water man could
be seen, nearly half a mile away from
the steamer The captain put the wheel
hard to starboard and circled around
nearer the swimmer. who-continued 10
| call out. directing the crew Of the ves-
sci. When the engines were stopped,
| through the skill of the captain the
steamer was alongside OF the man
| few yards from him.
Thomas Adams, a deck Waterman, n
gray-headed man. but Drawer than many
younger. snatched life preseryer and
dived overheard with II. fearing the
man, who seemed exhausted. would
sink before he could be raised on deck.
The preserver was fastened around the
waist of the man, and Adams returned
to the deck of the boat.
"Well," said Captain Kenney, later, 81
thought when / got a look at the man
that 1t was Grover Cleveland who had
fallen off the Oneida" He certainly
looked something like the Democratic
President in face and general build. il
was a question how the man could be
got on board the steamer. The officers
thought 1t improbable II he could be
lifted into one of the small boats. and
did not lower one. although IL had been
swung out i'm the davits ready for use.
Finally a line was thrown out and the
| man in the sea hitched II around his
waist He was lowed TO the side of the
boat and ladder was lowered him,
but he was too weak to climb IL. A
half hitch was taken by one OF the crew
around man and ladder, and both. by
the united efforts OF the crew and Special
officer Dave O'Connor and others, were
landed safe on deck.
Cries OF IMAM overheard" had reused
the majority of the passengers, who
| FASTENED to the lower deck AS the
| face of the rescued man came over the
rail a cheer went up. and when in the
arms Of the crew he was set on table.
and smilingly thanked them for their
services, the men and boys cheered
wildly.
DIR. A. Markoff, who has an office on
Potter's avenue. OF this city was one
OF the excursionists, and FASTENED to
render assistance. Stimulants were ad-
ministered. and the rescued man was
soon able TO walk TO the Captains
room, which had been turned over 10
his use.
Hes all right" said one of the pas
sengers, as the man began 10 Joke with
| the sailors you bet" said another. and
| then everybody wildly cheered the man.
Under the care OF the doctor he was soon
| in a comfortable condition. and two hours
| later. after having been accommodated
with cigarette. told his story In style
that showed him 10 be not only a
shrewd and intelligent man, but one OF
| extreme GOODNESS.
Ill, % he hot ha Ne
| of cigarette smoke, the sound OF the
! paddle-wheels OF this boat was the sweet
| est music ! ever heard in my life
had had an attack of cramps In one leg,
and. after rubbing that away l was so
chilled that / could not have lasted much
| longer.
He was averse to telling his name,
which was discovered later to be Girls
void or Gerwald. He lived with a mar
| r,ed sister, Mrs. Hirschberg, at No. AGO
| Claremont avenue, Brooklyn.
| II am single man." he continued.
doing business in New York. and living
with my sister, in Brooklyn. Last
| Thursday went to Boston on business
| and finished Friday. Then l went to
| Providence to see some friends. I took
passage on the Connecticut for New
| York meeting one OF the clerks on board
who knew me.
"a trouble incident to my fieshlness pre-
vents me from sleeping In bed more
| than three or four hours. and ! sayed In
| a chair Just az day was beginning TO
break I awoke. and few minutes later
went TO the rail and leaned over. I must
have fallen asleep In that position for
the next thing / remember was boring
| through the water. apparently making
| tourney TO the bottom Of the sound.
| when I rose to the surface the Connecti-
| cut was a long distance away. and no
one In sight, so / thought 1t was useless
/ TO halloo.
Il reckoned when I came to consider
my position that possibly the Fall