The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-31
A LONG SWIM.
Incident in the Life of the Late Gov.
Russell, of Massachusetts.

Russell, of massachusetts.
Boston Globe.
Chief among the characteristics dis
tinguishfng William E. Russell in his
early days was indomitable pluck that
stamped him very early as man like
ly to succeed in anything which he
undertook. Examples of this combi-
nation of courage and perseverance
We're abundant in his athletic expert
ences at Harvard, and in one or two
instances of his career, which made
him very famous indeed throughout
the university in his native city,
One Of these was his conduct in a
famous race of class crews in 1876
Russell's boat was beaten by half a
length and he himself had to receive
the attention of friends after the con-
test. He showed in this race an amount
of determination and endurance which
not even his most enthusiastic adj
mirers had attributed to him. Another
incident of courage and grit was fur
niShed in an accident in which he came
near losing his life
In the summer of 1876 he went down
to Nantucket to pass a few weeks on
the water. He had three friends with
him, and the four young men were to
sail a sloop that had been fioated for
the first time that year..
On squally morning the craft was
overhauled and the young fellows de-
cided to make a short trip in her There
were two strangers at Nantucket,
young men of about the same age as
those in the party Of collegians, and
they were invited to have sail. The
six went out accordingly.
The sea was high and the wind blew
sharply, and about five miles from the
shore the little sloop was capsized. The
wind struck her so that she filled very
rapidly and Immediately sank.
The only thing that came to the sur
face was long oar and by the unani-
nous consent of the four students this
was placed at the disposal of the two
who had been invited out to sail
The situation was nationally discuss
ed, and it was decided that an attempt
should be made to reach Coatue
shoals, point that was farther away
than the shore they had left, but to-
ward which the tide was running and
the wind blew. Russell and one of his
college mates led the others off.
The swim before them was long
six miles, and with the heavy sea that
was on, and the wind that was blowing,
it meant at least three hours in the
water
On shore the fishermen and their
families were sitting down to dinner
when the accident occurred-all but
one This mans wife had been delayed
in the preparation of the monday meal,
and during the wait he sought to kill
time by sweeping the sea with his
glass.
Thus it was that he saw white sail
glisten in the sunlight and disappear.
He didn't know what had happened,
but he was convinced something was
wrong.
He got into dory and made for the
spot where he had seen the sail, leav
ing word that others should follow
him.
The two young men that held the oar
kept afloat but for few minutes,
while the others were battling for the
shore. 1t was evident that the oar
would longer support only one, and
the elder of the two sang out: "Well,
good-by, old man; this oar won't hold
us both, and you can have my chance"
Then he sank and was drowned.
When the fisherman reached the
vicinity Of the accident he found the
surviving young man in the water un-
conscious, with his arm wound tightly
around the wooden sweep.
The fisherman saw some distance
ahead when he looked up. a white ball
hobbing up and down. This was one
of the collegians, and he was discovered
by the white handkerchief that he wore
about his head. When he was pulled
into the boat he gasped family, my
brother" and sank in dead faint to
the bottom of the dory. These two
words told the fisherman that there
was at least another person ahead. So
that when the boat of fishermen, who
had followed the first dory were seen
behind, they were signaled to go ahead
as quickly as possible and look for more
swimmers. This they did, and picked
up the brother, who told them that
Russell and his companion were still in
the water. When Russell, who was yet
a long way from land, turned about to
catch sight of his companions who he
supposed were following, he saw a sail
coming down like a thing of life with
the wind and tide, and he knew he and
his friends were saved
Russell had been swimming exactly
an hour and twenty minutes.