Barre evening enterprise. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-1898, 1898-05-05
WONDERFUL RESCUE.
HOW SERGEANT VAUGHAN SAVED A
LIFE AT A HOTEL FIRE.

;" a Member of the New York Departmer
Who Endangered His Own Life to Saw
Guest of the hotel Royal Who Ha
About Given Up All Hope.
, Jacob a. Riis, author Of Chow tn
Other Half Lives" writes Of "Heroe
> Who Fight Fire" in The Century. Til,
frticle is onGsf the series "Heroes O.
: Peace. " Nv. Riis tells the following
story Of heroic rescue at the Hotel
Royal fire i'll New York some years ago:
Sergeant Vaughan went up on the
roof. The smoke was so dense there
that ne could see little, but through it
he heard Il cry for help and made out
the shape Of man standing upon a
wlndoE sill in the fifth story overlook
ing the courtyard Of the hotel. The
yard was between them. Bidding his
men 1oilow-they weEe five all told
he ran down and around in the next
street to the roof Of the house that
formed an angle with the hotel wing.
There stood the man be low him only
JUMP away. Lut jump which 10 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.
ut is no use" he said, CHANGING I'D.
Don try. You can't do it,"
1he sergeant looked wistfully about |
nm. Not stick Or piece CT rope was
III sight. Every shred was used below.
There was absolutely nothing. "But
couldn't let him, he said to me months
after, when he had come out Of the hos.
pltal a whole man again and was back
ut wo>k, 81 just couldn't, standing
there so quiet and brave" To the men
he said sharply:
II want you to DO exactly as tel
you now. Don't grab NE, but let me
get the first grab " He had noticed that t
he man Wore heavy ovcrcoat, and had :,
'lrcady laid his plan. !
Don't try, urged the man. "You e
annot gave lAe. will stay here till it |;
'ets too Lot, then will jump" 81 81
mo, you won't, from the sergeant q
he lay at full length on the roof, look. n
lg over lit isa pretty hard yard down in
1ere' will get you or 90 dead myself. " I I.l
Inc 1our sat Gu tie serCoant's legs as d,
swung free down to the waist, so he W
as almost able to reach the man on the sit
lhdoW, with outstrotched hands. t th
NOW, jump-quick' he command. SO
y ana the man jumped. He caught >p'
m by both wrists as directed. and tbe
rgeant got a Strip On the collar CT Lis Az
at. +.
y Holst'' he shouted to the four On ~ II
root, and they tuggcd with their
eht' Ihe sergcants body did not
we. lending over till the back creak-
1t hung over the edge, a weipbt,of So,
pounds suspended from and holding IL
Town. The cold sweat started upon
men S foreheads as they tried and ---
u AGAIN, without gaining an inch.
'od drlpped from Sergeant Vaueban's MI
trlls and ears. Sixty feet below was
paved courtyard. Over against him
the window, behind which he saw
back draft coming gathering head.
with lurid, swirling smoke Now
urst through, burning the hair and 4
coats OF the two. For an instant he
lsht all hope was gone.
Ut III a flash it came back to him
'elleve the terrible dead weight that AL
nchcd and tore at his muscles he
swinging the man to and fro like a A II
lulum' head touching head lie n
swing him up! a smothered shout
led his men. They crept nearer the
without letting go their grin IN
ana watched with staring eyes the
al Pendulum swing wider and wild. ~
tther and farther until now. with X
ehty effort, it swung within tbpir > L
l. They caught the skirt of the coat
on pulled in, and in moment
him over the edge.
ey lay upon the roof oil s;r
Mess, sightless their faces turned r
winter sky. The tumult of The L
came up as a faint echo. Tho
I q d score of engines pumping be.
en- upon them, froze and covered no-
WIN Ice The very roar Of the fro no
q laf OIL The sergeant was the ~
recover. He carried down thn VII
. A"a saved and saw him sent off
hospital. Then first he noticed
was net negro. The smut had
10Ged off his face. Monday had -
u eelolo ne came to, and days
before he knew his rescuer G,r-
" Vaughan was laid up himself
1 'a ''' ~1a' to he his n %1'4 s sas Pop
l. was too much for human
d. 1t was spring before bo ra
~ MS quarters, to find himself 81
d. Ietted and made much Of