The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-03-16

Who Endangered His own Lie 10 save
Guest of the Hotel Royal wao Had
About Given Up All Hope.
Jacob a. Riis, author of Glow the
Other Half Lives, writes Of Heroes
Who Fight Fire" in The Century. The
article is one of the series Heroes Of
Peace. Mr Riis tells the following
story of heroic rescue at the Hotel
Royal fire in New York some years ago:
Sergeant Vaughan went mp on the
roof. The smoke was so dense there
that be could see little, but through it
ne heard a cry for help and made cut
the shape of man standing upon a
window sill In the fifth story overlook
ing tho courtyard Of the hotel. The
yard was between them. Bidding his
men follow-they were five all told
be ran down and around in the next
street to the roof Of the house that
formed ar angle with the hotel wing.
There stood the man below him only
jump away. but jump which no NOR
tai might take and live. His face and
hands were black with smoke. Vaughan,
looking down. thought him a negro he
was perfectly calm.
''It is no use. a" he said, glancing np.
Don't try. Yoa can't do it. "
The sergeant looked wistfully about
bim. Not stick OF piece Of rope was
in sight Every shred was used below.
There was absolutely nothing. but 1
couldn't let him. he said TO me months
after, when he had come out Of tue hos
pital whole man again and was back
at work, Il Just couldn't. standing
there so quiet and brave. To the men
he said sharply;
II want yOu to do exactly as | tell
you now Don't grab me, bat let me
get the first grab " He bad noticed that
the man wore a heavy overcoat, and had
already laid his plan.
Don't try. urged the man. ''Ycu
cannot save me. | will stay here till il
gets too hot, then l will jump" Z"
mo, you won't, " from the sergeant.
as be lay at full length on the roof, look
ing over. ut is a pretty hard yard down
there. Twill get you or so dead myself
The forr sat en- the s,Tgeant's legs as
he SWING free down to the waist, so he
was almost allie to reach the man ON the
window, with outstretched hands.
''Now. jump-quickl" he command
ed, and the nan jumped. He caught
him By both wrists as directed, and the
sergeant got a grip en- the collar CT his
coat.
Hoist' he shouted TO the four On
the roof, and they tuggod with their
might The sergCant's body did not
move. Bending over till the back creak-
ed. it hung over the edge, a weight Of
203 pounds suspended from and holding
it down. THE cold sweat started upon
his mems foreheads as they tried and
tried again. without gaining an inch.
Blood dripped from Sergeant VaUghan's
nostrils and ears. Sixty feet below was
the paved courtyard. Over against him
was the window, behind which he saw
the lack draft coming, gathering head
way with luTid. swirling smoke Now
it bUrst through, burning the hair and
the coats Of the two. For an instant he
thought Gil hope Was gone.
EUt in Cash it cane back to him.
To relieve the terrible dead weight that
wrenched and tore at his muscles he
was swinging the man 10 and fro like
pendulum. head touching head. He
could swing him up! A gmotheIed shout
warned lis men. They crept nearer the
edge without letting go their grip on
him and watched with staring eyes the
human rondnlCm swing wider and wild
er, farther ard farther, until now. with
a mighty ofiort, it swung within their
reach. They caught the skirt of the coat,
held On. pullod in, and in moment
lifted him ever the edge.
They lay ppCn the roof, all six,
breathloss. sightless. their faces turned
to the winter sky. The tumUlt CT the
street cane up as a faint echo The
spray Of q score Of engines pumping be-
low fell Upcn them, froze and covered /
them with ice. The very roar Of the fire
seemed far of. The sergeant was the
first to recover. He carried down the
man be had saved and saw him sent off
10 the hospital. Then first he noticed
that Lewas Eot q negro The smut had
been rubbed OF his face. Monday had
dawned Lefore be came to, and days
passed before he knew his rescuer. Scr.
geart Vaughan was laid up himself
then. He had returned TO his work and
finished it, but what he had gone
through was too much for human
strength. 1t was spring before ho re-
turned to his quarters, TO find himself
promoted, Iettod and made mech Of.