The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-25
ENSIGN GHERARDl, LIFE SAVER.

The Navy Department, for the third
time within three years. has recorded
officially the bravery OF Ensign Walter
Rockwell Gherardi and it is interesting
to note that in each case the young OF
ficer's herolsm found it's opportunity
In time of peace and that II was exert
ed in the saving OF life.
Three sailors were swept overheard
from the battleship Maine in a tremen-
dous gale off Hatteras on Feb. D. 1891
and Gherard. then a naval cadet vol
unteered to take a boat 20 their rescue.
The boat was destroyed five minutes
after VI was launched ana the cdue1
and his cre~ We're rescued with Ille-
lines. .,
Several months later, while Gherardl
was attached To the Texas, then at
Brooklyn Navy Yard he plunged over
board dressed I'm uniform ana rescued
"a drowning sailor.
Capt A. a. Snow. Commandant ol
the United States Naval station at Sah
Juan, Porto Rico. has reported To the
Navy Department Ensign Gherarul
latest feat. In the cyclone OF Aug. >,
1899 the schooner Conception loideu
with 15O emigrants from Santa Domin-
go with the steamer NaSco draBSeu
their anchors and went ashore IN 'hc
harbor of Mayaguez. Ensign Gherar-
di and j. j. Jiminez. civil engineer
ran down the beach 10 render assls-
tance The storm was at ITS helB u
and the wind was terrific. Ghefafdl
plunged into the water With his clothes
ON and saved with the assistance or
JimineZ such members OF the crew
and passengers OF the Conception as
the waves brought within redcn' Al
-bur ffvp or SIX r--ctr+---
10 lump into the water were saved, anu
after providing them with sheHer Ghef-
ardi led his little party OF rescuels 20
the relief of the crew OF the steamer
Vasco. which was beating herself 10
pieces on the beach a few hundreu
wards from the Conception. The vas
] co threw out "A life line but II Ten shoI
! OF shore The rescuing party lothleu
/ n line by Joining hands which eXtehdcC
| ant into the surf with Gherardi i'm tht
! lead BY this eXpedient. which was lht
| only posslb,e one i'm the circumstances
| C,berardl caught the life line an'
| brought II ashore. and by means OF II
the crew were saved. capt. Amy ol
| the Fifth Cavalry who voluntarily re-
| ported these rescues to the conilahu
! ant Of naval station at san Juan say
! "That go many lives were save
| f~,n the schooner Conception and tht
| steauar Vasco Is undoubtedly due t'
Ensign Gherardrs efficient ieadershli
| and his heroic personal efforts Mr.
| Gherart,l IS son of Rear Admira
] Bancroft Gherardi who was retired II
! 1894 after gallent career IN tie IaVy
/ The Ensign rs now In the Naval Hos
pital I'm this city recovering from ar
/ illness brought on by his exposure "a
| MayagueZ.
| Commander Bowman McCalla heC
! no more galient men on the Marble
head than the naval cadets and en-
signs who worked in the boats drag
ging for hidden mines, as regardless ~
the hostile FIRE from shore as the mos
seasoned veterans. II was Ensign lr
! vim V ellis Of the Porter who jumpe,
overheard and unscrewed the war-he 70
q "a floating torpedo that threatenec
boat. Cadet Powell commanded boa
that waited TO rescue Hobson' an
Lieut.. Victor Blue made himself IA
nous by daring feats afloat an
| ashore.