The age-herald., 1898-03-22
HEROES OF THE
 BATTLESHIP MAINE
Pittsburg Dispatch.

SeAe1oNAtRANs hour of her grief for the loss of 50 many of her brave sons, Columbia has found some solace in the deeds of heroism that shine conspicuousiy amid the wreck and ruin that form the basic details of the story. The news dispatches have referred briefly ito these incidents. ;7
 Beneath the blue coat of William An thony, marine on board the nl-fated ship, there beats a heart that shows the stall wart stuff Of which Americas defenders are made. It is Captain Sigsbee who tells the story of William Anthony's heroic de- votion to duty. disregard for aught but the discipline of the service and coolness in the hour of death.
 When the Maine received her death blew, and the first impulse of the living was to get away from the disastrous scene, Capt Sigsbee ran from his cabin to reach the deck. In the passageway outside his cabin door Sigsbee ran into a man, who, cool as on ordinary parade day, drew himself up and saluted his superior officer. Be- yond the spot where stood the erect and soldierly form of the marine, Capt Sigs- bee could hear the cries and groans of his wounded men, and could see the reflection of the flames that had shot up from the inferno whence came the devastating ex- plosion
 fAS ue WOnu6TeQ WHdL OH edTtn OF OH sea this marine meant by barring his way at such terrible hour, this figure gave utterance to words that should become historical:
 "Sir," said William Anthony, ''I have to inform you that the ship has been blown up and is sinking
 It is a pleasure to know that this hero of the lost Maine lives and is at the vice of Uncle Sam for peace or war Well may Spain endeavor to apepase the anger Af hot xI%af-s tta df.- lenders such men as William Anthony.
 Any Yankee marine would have done the same" was the modest reply of Anthony to the eulogisms of men who heard of his bravery in the terrible moments following the explosion. And Anthony is doubtlessly right.
 Anthony was evidently destined to be a soldier. He enlisted almost as soon his schooldays were over twenty-eight years ago, and has worn the uniform of Uncle Sam ever since. He first saw service dur ing the old days of the Ku-klux, and later drifted into the marine corps as a volun- teer. It suited him so well that a marine he has remained ever since. Previous to joining the marine corps Anthony had done good service on the western plains, where his conspicuous coolness and bravery marked him for man of iron nerve. His fondness for the canteen was the only thing that stood in the way of his getting a commission, during his career both as a land and a sea soldier.
 Of his stern sense of duty many stories are old. The best Is this While he was stationed at the Brooklyn navy yard his old mother, whom he had not met for many years, came over to see him. It happened that Anthony at the time was sentry duty, and when he saw the gray-haired mother his impulse was to drop the rife and clasp her in his arms. But this would have been violation of the rules of the service that only ordinary would be guilty of Anthony was not an ordinary man, and so with the impulse struggling in his heart, he begged her to go and wait for him in the guard room until, duty done, he could let heart feelings have the mastery without trampling on disci- pline.
 And Lieutenant Jenkins? What was he doing that he failed to reach the deck with the rest of the survivors? It reads like romance of ancient battles 10 know that this hero of the Maine was seek ing at the last moments of his life for means to answer back, shot for shot, the enemy that he supposed was shattering the ship with shells. The body of Jenkins has never been recovered, but enough Is known concerning his movements, after the first of the double explosions that wrecked the Maine to know that this he- roic officer was struggling when death over took him to reach the gun that would have been under his charge in action.
 What thoughts the brave young officer had as he made that death rush to the post of duty will nIsWer be known. Self preservation may be the first law of nature, but self-sacrifice is the first law of naval duty, and Lieutenant Jenkins obeycd to the death the impulse that led him to the post of duty when the wounded Maine stag gered under the first blow of the unseen foe.
 Columbia may we'll weep for the loss of such men of iron brave Jenkins whom the terror of a death under the awful con ditions that prevailed below decks on the night of the Mainss destruction could not turn from the duty path that led 10 the gun by which alone, in the startled mind of the naval hero. the power that had dealt the blow could be reckoned with.
 Neither need the heroes or the terrible night be sought for among the fighting force of the battleship alone There are heroes of peace, as well as Of war, anu 1T any honors are bestowed upon those whose brave deeds cast g,eam of light ecross the gloom of the disaster surely Chaplain John P Chidwick will come In for share Like the other heroes named, the chaplain was true to his duty in the hour of death He kneN with the dying on the torn and shaking deck of the sinking warrior of the sea and cheered the last moments of some with words of hope that when the soul left the broken bodies the saiioSs would reach harloor. He was everywhere. was the hero or uhe church. A>oihc @oiioi" cred his own feelings less. As long as a wounded man needed help Chaplain Chid- wick was there to minister to his wants
 When at last he was taken ashore with the rest of the survivors 1t was to coiltlnno hss oaaseIesss efforts to tighten the burden of the wounded and render help wherever help was most needed. No rest would tnis brave and devoted chaplain take until tired nature rebelled and he was forced to relax ris efforts to minister to the wants or others and take Mttle sleep It was very little for, as the sad story from Havana has been told from day to day the chap lain's name has been constantly mentlohea. He has been in the hospital by the side of the wounded. He has been here, there and everywhere. and always with modest air of doing nothing. He would have m sisted upon keeping from the olspatcn.' all mention of himself, but the correspoh, dents forced recognition by their praise or the brave chaplain.
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