The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-05
.BRAvERY0F
B D. / IN.
Swims One TLtlndred Yards iii
Icy Seas to Rescue
Adder.
SUBMARINE n BOATS ''''t A D II !.
One Goes High and Dry Upon
the Beach and Other
Barely Escapes.
fRx Associated Presso

& " +.
NORFOLK, VA, Dec. 1.-The naval tug
Peoria arrived at this naval station this
afternoon with the submarine torpedo
boat Adder In tow and left tonight for
Currituck to aid the Yankton and Vixen
In floating the Moccasin, now high and
dry upon the beach. #
The bravery Of Boatswain D,sery, Of
the Adder's crew, Is alone responsible
for that craft escaping the Moccasins
fate. a ea IS 81 \. W.
In the teeth OF "a thirty-four milo
gale, with mountainous seas crashing
over tho Peoria and burying tho Drift
ing. submarine buals beneath tons OF
water, Deery Responded " the culi for
volunteers, and with q slender line fnst-
ened around his waist plunged INTO the
ocean and batrled with wInu and toe
for fulI hundred yards, finally reach.
Ing the Adder and gaining her deck.
There he hau4ed a tnlck huuser ABOARD
by means Of the life line and nude it
fast.
All this tlmo the Adder was being
tossed about like a cork one minute ana
driven far beneath the surface the next,
rolling and wallowing In such q manner
as To make 1t almost impossible to retain
q position upon her scanty decking; put
peery held on and accomplished MS
work Then he went back to the tug
hand-over-hand on the nauscr.
GREAT CONFUSION.
H great amount OF confusion was
caused this morning and afternoon BY
conflicting reports regarding the where
abouts Of the Peoria, Adder and Yank-
ton. ,i9gi jst. Il IN 5si355
The navy yard was without any infor-.
) to- ,ho,n ha ga af \O
Bureau reported the tug and submarine
as going direct to Annapolis In naval
circles these circumstances, together With
s the ina bilIty Of tho life savers to enter,
tho stranded vessel, caused some uneasl-
ness. and especially oyer the condition
OF the Moccasln. The Currtuck life
saving station reports the Moccasin In
good condition, without any water In
her.
From the coast reports, however, It
Is not thought any Roadway can be made
toward floating this vessel without the
aid OF wreckers, as she is high and dry
upon the beach at low water, and d.
rcctly In a nasty surf at high tide.
LIT was stated at the navy yard to-day
that Boatswain Deery will be at once
commended to the President for bravery,
and that It Is possible he may be ordered
to the President for examination for
promotion.
The Adder Is lealsin g, and her electrical
ma chlrary. Is, bad w damaged. 'e6 K;
Lieutenant English commanding off,
/ Ger Of the Peoria. says the little boats
towed very we'll indeed. until they We're
Just Oft tho Virginia Capes. There tl,e
heavy seas running at the time proved
90 much for tho frail towing p1ts of the
Adder, which was towing first, following
the towsftiIs So. gf Sli n
They snapped short and the two sub
marines Wenttadrlf t.E8fS 5f&
Tho Peoria sought to- catch them, but
they drfted southwark before the wind
rapidly, There were only the broken bits,
on which to hold SO the tug could only
run In between them and keep tlssm
from humping tcge ther.sE{ sst5 I 5
ACT OF EIEROISM.
The seas We're running entirely too high
for the tug to run alongside the boats
and 1t would have bean suicidal to have
lowered boat Al tho Peoria could do,
therefore, was to keep the boats arart.
All Wednesday Mig ht this continued, and
then the line between tho boats snapped.
It was then that Boatswain Deery. Of
Brooklyn, performed heroic 4uct. In a
last attempt 10 save the boats. With
line about his waist8and another In his
hands. he leaped into the Icy saas that
were sweeping tug and torpedo boats.
aud swan to tho Adder. He made fast
his line and succeeded, at the risk Of
his life, In regalning the tug
II was then seen that 1t would be I'M
possible to anchor the Moccasin. rs had
been determined. when It was seen that
the tug could handle but one Of the boats
In tia heavy seas. The Yankton APP
reared and the Moccnsln was left to her
while the Peoria fought her way up the
coast with the Adder. Great seas swept
her bows all night, and she had hard
time reaching port. 3s