The Washington times., 1905-07-22
Died a Brave Death

Died Brave Death
Three hours later the soul left his
tortured body America has had many
a naval hero but the name of New
man K. Perry should stand high ON
the list. He died as brave man
should die, an honor to country and
to his flag.
The Bennington is lying within
stones throw Of the shore Her star
board side Is down to the waters edge.
and her bow ten feet higher than her
stern. Ali that was white about the
Bennington is now a dirty gray, shad-
ing into black, amidships. where the
force of the explosion was most feIt,
The gun deck is & tangie or c0rdage.
Ladders are bent and twisted. Every
thing is covered with greasy gray
sediment an inch deep IN places. one
stay was loose and swinging in the
morning breeze.
Al the stern the stars and stripes
are still flying. on deck Is young man
in a torn ana dirty uniform of Il lieu
tenant His name is Yates. lie Is in
charge of the ship
With hands on his hips this slender
young man gives orders Blue ciad
seaman salute and do his bidding as if
nothing had ever happened
Order Out of Chaos.
The slim little first lieutenant vas
Df1t-EtIlS ffIuet cut o. Ilitft3S lASl 9tN' kPtt
long enough 10 say:
Look about all you like. but don't
disturb the commander. He can't be
troubled just now. I'd like TO talk.
but-well you see I'm very busy"
Then he was gone.
a tousled seaman came down a rickety
steel ladder
..How's everything" asked young
sailor of him.
The elder sailor answered without rails
ing his head. Dead.
And Lieutenant Perry persisted the
''Died yesterday afternoon. said the
other seaman.
My God! amt it awful he murmured
TO himself. He scrambled up the deck
But he was young. 1t WIS his first
voyage.
John Turpin's Experiences
BY and by he ~vtn learn. like the big
gunner's mate. John Turpin. who es-
capped the Maine tragedy without
scratch. and who was the first man to
go to the rescue yesterday.
One experience like that ought to last
n man 4 lifetime. John Turpin was not
born to die by an explosion.
Leaving the wreck. the point of in
terest was the barracks on the corner
il i
hurriedly turned into a hospital On
the porch were numbers of sailors ban
Qaged and burned desperately
\ number of those whose Injuries
were slight We're leaning over low
fence. gosslping with the curious seek
ers.
Inside the barracks men were tossing
on cots. muI1ed and bundled out OF al
recognition.
Here and there a man in his delirtun
babbled of home. Others screamed as
the agony seized them
Died DeceutIy.
Side By side two sailors were lying.
both burned nortaIIy. scalded until their
flesh was in qaivering strips. The end
was matter of hours and both knew II.
One lifted his voice III blasphemy,
ecalled en- God to take MS life from him.
cursed and raved wildly in his awful
pain The other MAJ. as badly hurt.
turned his head and looked across the
narrow aisle between the cots,
Dent talk that way shipEaa te. he
said. We've eniy q few hours 10 live
Why net be decent 1
TWO hours later they were side by
side IN the nnGFgue.
Uptown crowds we're standing on the
corners. talking over the tragedy N
hushed voices. Across the street from
the little park big crowd stood IN
front of curtained windows, Every
minute an ambulance would drive up and
q sti4 figure on stretcher would dis
appear IN doors. t was the -EaoTgue.
THAT makes twenty-osse forms IN this
one place" said q bs-stander in low
voice.
In House Of Death.
IN that house of death sheete,i figures
are everywhere Thirteen were lying III
one room
Three blocks further up town there
was another crowd about the side door
of an undertaking establishment Two
ambulances stood at the door. d crowd
Of young women were lowering about.
afraid TO enter, unwilling to go away,
and striving hard to be content with the
glimpses Of the dead as they were car
rIed in
one pretty young girl Of perhaps
nineteen, sobbed Historically as the am
bulance doors were opened. She gaZed
at the stretcher, but did not offer to go
away,
Inside twelve sheeted figures lay in a
long row. Many We're unidentified and
the faces were nnexpoaed. Nine men
looked as IL death found them in their
sleep. Their faces were so peaceful and
SO free from the traces Of pain.
All had been scalded. save one. There
was an ugly wound on the top OF his
mead For him there had been no pain.
Morbidly Curious.
Men ana women passed up and down
this grisIy lot. bending over and looking
longingly at the dead faces. What they
sought there God only konws. Nothing
IS sacred from the idle human animal
who seeks a new sensation.
I've got Lieutenant Perry in here,
said a man in white apron. Want TO
see hlm?''
Six newspaper men trooped into the
little stone-ftoored room. The man in
the apron slowly unwound a towel and
lifted the last covering. a veteran OF
the press was first 10 speak There was
that about the tortured face which made
1t hard TO speak Of the way this brave
man died.
He died like a hero. said the veteran
slowly Cod rest his soul tonight"
But Lieutenant Perry would have
wanted to die with his men on the floor.
Death takes little notice Of shoulder
straps.
FoTty-six Dead.
There are thirty-nine dead men IN the
various undertaking esta abIlshments.
Seven men are known TO be in one OF
tie closed apartments This brings the
number Of dead up to forty-six. and does
not include two missing.
The first report that the deck Of the