Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-26
eN 13-YEAR.OLO BOY
SAVES LIVES OF p PERSONS

, followed upon the recent disaster near
North Brother Island
twenty-five lives We're saved by the
courage and unselfishness Of Charles
eighteen years old. His rescues were
performed, too. with breaking heart
for he knew that, while he was alG-
| ing others. his mother and grand
mother We're lying dead on the beach,
of North Brother island.
The story Of the rescue We give IN
his own words: ''There was not much
time to think. he said: land as soon
as I saw what was up. did what
could. was on the hurricane deck
of the General Slocum. and. when
knew there was fire the first thing
did was to put lifepreserver around
my little brother Louis, who is ten
years old, and | sot him to stand by
me- Then I saw that there was going
to. be a panic, and [ thought that in
the water was the best chance for him
50 [ threw aim overheard. Louis IS
all right
Il made trip Gown below to see If
| could be of any help. but | saw thai
the fire vas beyond control and that
nobody would work in any kind OF
system. noticed that two or three
Eoats were com,,g and | backed up
against the rail- calling out that there
was good chance and plealin! viii;
the passengers to keep cool aud not
shove The rail went. though. and I
tumbled backward into the water.
THE first person that saw was
Mrs Addicks, who keeps Il ca-,!7
store and she called me by name, and
I went over and helped her by keep
ing her chin above water and towing
her little She got to shore all eight
and was not hurt got into the Wafer
again and helped Miss Emma Haas,
the sister of the pastor until g bcat
came to take her. and then | saw my
mother and grandmother. They were
floating face downward I got them
boti, ashore and helped the doctors
with them on the lawn. It's no use
said the doctors: we can't Go any.
thing for your people, my boy"
q felt as though my heart woulst
break. and then | hooked oHt To:
the water and saw that there ere
yet men. women and childraa who
might be saved. A man c3.le along
il. little boat and | >Nam out to
him and worked with him. went
overheard whenever could and
swan up with people AMI helped
them into the boat. Many Of them
era bbed at me, but was able to pre-
vent being dragged down. | felt hands
way down in the water holding at my
feet. Hands caught me everywhere,
and above me was the fire raging AMI
roaring. [ wish that I could have
been stronger and could have done
more.
The stranger in the boat and |
brought four or five ashore at time
and took them upon the beech had
my clothes off and was able TO swim
in the public baths: and, if it had not
been for the practice that | got there
Ho,ld not have been able to do ary-
thing
I'VE brought ashore many bodies.
too, and not until there was no
chance Of saving anybody did | quit
Counting those | got into the boat or
swan out for. | saved twenty-five. If
had been a stronger fellow might
have done a good deal more
Hero? Oh I'm nothing like that
happened to have the knacA OF
swimming a little better than some
other persons and so thought it was
my duty to do the best I could. Be-
sides. I'm not thinking much of that
kind of thing, with my mother and
g, andmother lying there in the room
did all | could for them, but the
smoke must have suffocated them be-
fore they were in the water