Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-09-04

Baronet Takes Four Women From
Disabled Pleasure Bont-Assumes
Command OF the Craft, whose Mas-
ter Was Dased by Accident.
Black skies streaked with flashes of
lightning. a seething squall tearing
boats from their moorings and sending
u feet Of yachts. both steam and sail,
driving to leeward until there were a
crashing and spllntering of spars and
bulwarks, and in all of this Sir Thomas
Upton in half swamped launch has
tening to the rescue OF imperiled wo-
men. was the scene off Sandy Hook fol-
lowing the second of the series of races
for the Americas cup, says the New
York Herald.
In terrific squall from the north
west that broke over the Sandy Hook
anchorage the brigantine rigged steam
yacht ALTA, belonging to John II.
Flagler, vice commodore Of the Atlantic
Yacht club, with Mrs. Mandelick moth
er Of Mrs. Flagler, and Miss McClena-
han and two maids on board, was driv-
en- on to the big steam yacht Giralda,
flagship of the Philadelphia Yacht club.
Bearing true to the whipping hurrl-
cane. the bowsprit of the Philadelphia
yacht impaled the Allita at the bull
warks just aft the starboard gangway.
There was a terrific crash as huge
hole was torn In the bulwarks, and the
bowsprit Of the Giralda was broken
short of at the stem. Then as the
yachts ground against each other like
upper and lower millstones the rigging
was torn from its fastening until the
Giralda was decapitated and the star
ened to go at any moment
1t was at this time that Sir Thomas
appeared with his friends Jack Wilson
and Colonel Neill to effect a needed
rescue. There was no opportunity to
get between the yachts, and minutes
before the starboard companionway Of
the Allita had gone overheard the
baronet shouted, Come here, ladies'"
and Mrs. Mandelick and Miss McClena-
han hastened to the footrail, where the
willing hands of Sir Thomas and
friends were upllfted to receive them
There was no gangway or side ladder,
and In the vicious sea the women We're
helped one by one to seats safe though
uncomfortable because the launch had
well nigh swamped before its arrival
Safely back to the Erin the launch
sped ON, but Sir Thomas practiced eye
had noticed still more work to do. Sig
mailing his big tug, the Cruiser, to up
anchors and steam alongside, another
launch, the Smoker, as she is nick
named, was quickly filled with dozen
picked sailors, and, with the baronet,
Colonel Neill and Mr.. Wilson, went
again to the entangled yachts.
Sir Thomas, seeing the panic of those
on board, assumed command of the
Allita, as Captain Ludlow, the aged
sailing master, seemed dazed by the
turn Of affairs. The wreckage was
cleared away, and in the teeth of the
driving storm the big Cruzier sent a
line aboard the yachts. After the
Erin's crew had weighed the Allita's
anchor the tug towed her stern first to
a safe anchorage a quarter Of a mile
away.
This done, and well done, Sir Thomas
hastened to the Giralda, which, be-
sides losing her head gear, was tangled
in a fish net which extended out far
from the shore.
Are you looking?" called out Sir
Thomas from his launch. What can
do to help you? Come on board of the
Erin"
Before Commodore English of the
Giralda or his party could answer Sir
Thomas was alongside and on deck.
II thought you were both going down
at one time" he said. my, but you
are scored up" as he gazed at the dam
age forward.
=. Commodore English asked only that
the Cruiser stand by until they had
sufficient steam to get away.
From Sir Thomas own lips, when
seen on board the Erin later, came a
modest recital of his chivalry.
II saw the Allita driving broadside
down upon the Giralda, and as they
came together" said he, 81 feared that
the bowsprit of the Philadelphia yacht
would tear away the main rigging of
Mr.. Flagler's boat and the mainmast
and maybe the foremast, with its heavy
yards, would fall. Why, it might have
killed the ladies'"
During the excitement the Earl and
Countess of Shaftesbury, with the Hon.
Charles Russell and other members of
the Upton party on the Erin, watched
the exciting incident from the bridge
Of the big yacht. Commodore English
whose sentiments were assented to by
his friends, said:
"Sir Thomas came on board and In
the midst Of the job made us forget our
troubles. When the races are over he
ought to be kept in this country. He Is
a wonder! Mrs. Mandelick, with Miss
McClenahan, said: Eyes, we had a very
narrow escape. We owe everything to
Sir Thomas. No one was injured"
Blesses Crowd In Railway Station.
Fully 1900 people gathered at the
Grand Central station to say farewell