The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-14

man from drowning ana the recollection
of that incident will always remain fresh
in my mind as long. as memory lasts. 1t
was just after midnight on a bitterly
cold night, the thermometer registering
about five degrees above zero, while the
temperature of the water must have been
as cold as liquid air.
l was crossing Warren bridge, which
spans the Charles river between Boston
and Charles own, on my way home, when
a woman attempted to end her life by
plunging into the icy waters below. l pre-
vented her from carrying her purpose
into effect, but came very near. ending my
own life, in trying to save hers.
Just beyond the draw bridge, l observ-
ed a woman on the opposite sidewalk.
acting strangely and I watched her. But
a few moments elapsed when she looked
wildly around her and with a quick move
ment she sprang for the railing and
mounting it threw herself into the waters
twenty feet below. AS she was climbing
the rail l cried out to her but she paid
no attention to me.
The wind was whistling anything but a
merry tune at the time and, although l
was wrapped up in an Irish frieZe over
coat, l was not even comfortable. l had
on a pair of heavy gum rubber boots, too,
for the snow was deep The general con-
ditions were not such as to induce one,
when that woman went over the bridge
rail it struck me that she could have Sc
lected a better time if she wished
However l knew that / was in for it,
and so l ran to the spot where she had left
the bridge and at once mounted the rail.
glance at the river was enough to give
one an attack of chills without entering
it, for 1t was filled with floating ice. 1t
was dangerous to jump into it, for to
strike a piece of the ice was liable to in
jure and render powerless the strongest
swimmer. But there was no time to be
lost and I plunged overheard not waiting
to remove my oVercoat or rubber boots
as 1 was afraid I might lose her in the
darkness under the bridge.
A strong ebb tide was running al the
time which was carrying her towards
Charles river bridge at a fair rate of
speed. She was struggling frantically to
sink herself, for her skirts had formed an
air bubble and was really as effective as
a life preserver would be in keeping her
afloat. Swimming up l caught her by the
back of the neck and jerked her up on
to her back and started for Howe's boat
house adjoining Charles river bridge,
where l was forced to release my hold for
a time, and removing my coat and boots,
caught her again.
BY this time we were beyond the bridge
and I headed for the Hoosic Tunnel docks
where l knew there were tenders to which
we might cling until assistance arrived.
Catching the fender which runs along the
front of pier 4, l called for help and the
night Waterman appeared on the wharf
above. He very much excited, and
catching a boat hook which had long
handle he began to spear at me as if |
was a piece of floating driftwood. l was
quite ready to fight the dangers of the
icy water and battle with a rum crazed
woman, but did not expect to be called
upon to face a mad man with a harpoon,
for the heavy iron boat hook answered the
same purpose that a whale lance would.
After the heavy spear had been driven
dangerously close to my head two or
three times, Notwithstanding very vigorous
protests on my part, ! pushed off with my
burden and moved down stream.
Up to this time we had been i'm the
water over half an hour and I was be-
numbed with the cold and ] felt that |
would lose control of my muscles before
long. When we pushed off 90 continue
our journey down stream my charge be
came vicious and began to struggle. 10
scratch and to bite, and she managed in
The struggles to get the forefinger of my
left hand into her mouth, which she bit
TO the bone and almost severed at the
first joint. A scar now marks the finger
extending all the way round. She also bit
me upon the wrist and attempted to bite
my face
The struggle was awful; she was a
powerful woman and it was only by the
exercise of all the strength of the tactics
of the brutal street fighter that l managed
to subdue her In effecting rescues it's
sometimes becomes necessary to be bru-
tally humane.
We continued to struggle most desper-
ately until the dry dock slip at the navy
yard was reached when | managed to get
my burden upon the landing steps. A few
minutes before we reached the steps she
fortunately became unconscious. The bat
tie for life certainly couldn't have lasted
much longer for | was completely en-
hausted and could scarcely move mus
Gle. With the assistance of navy yard
policeman we got upon the wharf.-the had
been in the water almost fifty minutes
She was taken to the police station and
cared for while l was driven home took
hot drink and went to bed. awoke
in the morning in excellent physical con-
dition considering the frlghtful experience
of the night before, suffering only from
stifened muscles as a result of the severe
labor in subduing the. maddened woman.
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