Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-26
llRST MEDAL TO NEBRASKA
George Pssll Reosivs Recognition Of
Bravery Under Act Of Congress
PRESIDENT co1MtNos THE RECIPIENT
Medal Itself Not Yet Made, hut Notifi-
cation of Recognition of Bravery
In saving Life of Child Comes
as Christmas Present.

GRAND ISLAND. Neb.. Dec. S.-tSpe-
cial.)-Mr. George PoelL the hero of the
Powell. Neb,, life saving incident and re-
Gently elected county clerk OF this county.
| received as his choicest Christmas gift n
letter from Edward A Moscleef secretary
| OF the Interstate Commerce commission.
| and from President Roosevelt. advising him
OF the award to him of the first medal of
honor given under the act of February 3
| 1905.
The enclosures consisted Of a recommen-
dation by the Interstate Commerce COM
mission committee investigating the appli
cation for a medal Of honor made by Mr..
John o'Dowd. secretary of sunhower lodge
No. 277. Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men. of Hanover. Kan, and a statement of
| the facts. This committee on awards, hav
| ing carefully considered all of the facts in
| connection with the case, unanimously
| agreed upon the recommendation that the
! first medal of honor under the act be
| granted TO Mr.. Poell. The act is for the
| "bestowng Of bronze medals OF honor upon
| persons who by extreme daring endanger
| their own lives in saving, or endeavoring
| to save. lives from any wreck, disaster or
grave accident, or in preventing or endeav-
oring TO prevent such wreck disaster or
grave accident. upon any railroad within
commerce"
The statement of facts submitted by the
committee of the Interstate Commerce CONF
mission gives practically the same state
ment of the facts Of Fireman Poells run
ming out alongside the engine, standing on
the pilot grabbing the child of Mr.. Paul
| Ussary from in front of the advancing
train. sweeping 1t off the track and out of
harm, and himself slipping and being
dragged distance of 100 feet before the en-
gineer could bring the engine to stop
forty feet of which was over a bridge. II
related in detail how the brave fireman's
leg was torn off and of his other injuries
The incident occurred on the St. Joseph Il
Grand Island at Powell. Neb.
Letter from President.
The letter from the president, over his
own signature is as follows:
My Dear MIR. Poen: You have been
awarded medal of honor provided under
the act of congress approved February q,
1905. You have, by extreme daring, en-
dangering and almost losing your own life.
saved the life of a child at the cost OF
crippling yourself permanently. The en-
closed statement of facts sets forth what
cooness, greater skill and daring. or more
heroic indifference to his own safety 1t Is
not in my power to make You yy any material
ceived when. in saving the life OF help
less child, you SO nearly lost your own But
I trust that the medal will at least be proof
| you have done and yours is the satisfac-
tion of feeling that you have performed a
deed which will serve as an inspiration ia
every American who hears reads of It
and which lifts by just so much the stand
ard OF the citizenship OF which we are 90
, proud.
With earnest hopes for your welfare, be.
p THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Not ts la Avs medal given uDdaI
this act is shown by the following letter tc
, Mr. Poell by the secretary OF the Interstatt Il
' Commerce commission:
a Dear MI Poell: BY direction OF the pres
ident. the commission Is transmitting here
with a letter which he has written you IN
0 forming YOU that you have been awarded
l medal OF honor under the act OF congress
approved February o. 1905, together with q
statement Of facts upon which the aware
9 I can add nothing to the words of com
. mendation which are expressed IN the pres
5 tunity to express my admiration for you
| heroic action and my satisfaction at th'
n knowledge that II has received public rec
e The medal awarded you is the first on
e granted upder the law. The design for sam
;, has been selected and is now being pre-
pared by a competent artist. As soon as !
: is completed and struck at the mint II viii
Il be sent to you with the button provided b!
;, the law TO be worn in it's stead. The presl
" dents letter is sent you in advance of tn
Il medal itself in order that the knowledg
n that your herosm has received public rec
. ognition may contribute somewhat TO tn
y 10Y Of the holiday season Very sincerel
o Yours EDWARD A. MOSFLEY.
n Secretary.
e The many friends of Mr.. Poell amon
railroad circles and others are but littl
less pleased than himself at his recognition
( Mr. Poell was elected county clerk on tn
democratic ticket by a majority OF 274 vote
d in a county estimated to be normandy re