Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-19
I'm 1S.YEAR-OLD Soy
SAVES LIVES OF p PERSONS

followed upon the recent disaster near
North Brother Island.
TWENTY-FIVE lives were saved by the
courage and unselfishness Of Charles
eighteen years old His rescues weHN
performed. too, with breaking heart
for he knew that, while he was alG-
ing others. his mother and grand
mother were 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: "and as soon
as saw what was up. did what |
could. / was on the hurricane deck
of the General Slocum. and. when
[ knew there was a fire, the first thing
| did was to put a lifepreserver around
my little brother Louis, who is ten
years old, and | sot him to stand by
me. Then saw that there was going
to be a panic. and | thought that in
the water was the best chance for him
81 I threw him overheard. Louis is
all right.
Il made a trip Gown below to see if
could be of any help. but | saw that
the fire was beyond control and that
nobody would work in any kind Of
system. | noticed that two or three
Eoats were coming. and | backed up
against the rail. calling out that there
was good chance and pleading with
the passengers to keep cool aud not
Ishoye The rail vent. though. and I
tumbled backward into the water
..The first person that I saw was
Mrs. Addicks, who keeps a carl;
store and she called me by name, and
went over and helped her by keep
ing her chin above water and towing
her little. She got to shore all light
and was not hurt. got into the Water
again and helped Miss Emma Haas.
the sister of the pastor, until 2 beat
came to take her, and then I saw my
mother and grandmother. They were
floating face downward. I got them
both ashore and helped the doctors
with them On the lawn. It's no use,
said the doctors: we can't Go auy.
thing for your people, my boy
Il felt as though my heart would
break. and then looked out unon
the water and saw that there we're
yet men. women and children who
might be saved A man came along
il, a little boat and I swan out to
him and worked with him went
overheard whenever could and
swan up with people and helped
| them into the boat Many of them
grabbed 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 and
| roaring I wish that I could have
been stronger and could have done
more.
1.-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
| would not have been able to do any.
| thing.
We 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. #
had been stronger fellow | might
have done good Zeal more.
Hero? Oh, I'm nothing like that
happened to have the knack 0f
swimming little better than sonoo
other persons, and SO I thought it was
Eli duty TO do the best I could. Be
sides, I'm not thinking much of that
KIND OF thing with my mother and
aAdmother lying there in the room
| dld all | could for them. but the
smoke must have suffocated them be
lore they were i'll the water"