Evening star., 1905-11-04

full headway, ploughed her keel hard into
a foggy night in January. Three
quarters of an hour after she struck
a life-saVing man on patrol discovered the
casualty and hastened TO the Quogue sta
ton to summon his comrades. who hastily
repaired to the scene, dragging their SURF
boat, gun and breeches buoy. Several lines
were shot at the wreck without effect The
crew then launched their boat, but were un-
able to force Ii through the drifting wreck
age. Soon after dawn the schooners mastS
fell and several of the wrecked crew, VINO
had taken to the rigging. were thus hurled
into the water and drowned. But there
still remained. black against tie gray morn
ing sky, five desperate men clinging TO the
jib boom. This refuge was then carried
away by the angry sea, which claimed three
more men, and therefore left only two sur
vivors of the entire ships company. These
men, after the crash of the boom. Were seen
drifting toward shore upon some Wreckage.
A fortunate shot from the Lyle gun carried
line to the hands Of one of them. He
made IT fast. and the life-savers began to
haul the wreckage slowly toward the beach
One of the shpwrecked men was then seen
to take the line under his arm and to begin
to pick his way over the pitching Held or
floating debris. He did not proceed far be-
fore a heavy sea knocked him down and
swallowed him up. Death was the penalty
of the mans foolhardinesS; so II seemed
until Surfman Halsey of the Quogue sta
tion placed n line about his waist ana
plunged INTO the breakers III SPdTtu VI hilt
unfortunate. Halsey did not stop to con-
slider the fact that his chances for life We're
small amidst those heavy timbers now car
ried aloft on some white crest, now plunged
deep into the trough of the sea. Fighting
his way to the helpless he dragged
him close to the beach, whereupon other
life savers holding the line fast TO him
dragged ashore both him and his charge.
The man remaining upon the wreckage now
repeated the step of his comrade and was,
in his turn. swept beneath the breakers
Surfman Warner of the same crew now
followed the example of Halsey, nut mace
his way to the perishing sailor without
waiting to fasten line TO himself Gold
medals have been awarded to both of these
plucky chaps.
Women Medalists.
Eight women have received these medals
since the hero fund was established The
first thus honored was Ida Lewis-Wilson,
the famous keeper of the Lime Rock light
house. at Newport, who al various times
had rescued at least thirteen persons when
decorated in 1881. Her gold medal was con-
ferred particularly for her rescue of two
soldiers who had broken through the ice
at Lime Rock in February 1881. Six years
later Edith Clarke OF Oakland, Cal, re-
ceived gold medal for rescuing school
mate from drowning In Lake Chabot, ana IN
1883 Marie D. Parsons of Fireplace Point.
L. L. received a silver medal for resculng
from drowning, when ten years old, young
man and little girl The same year t"o
women Mary Whiteley and Maud King OK
Charleston. S C.. received silver medals for
collectively rescuing from drowning three
men whose boat had capsiZed In Charles-
ton harbor Mabel Mason of the Mama
juda light station, Detroit river. received
a medal of the same kind in 1891 for res
cuing man thrown into the river by me
swash of a passing steamer. BeTue -;
Burr of Lincoln, Neb., received gold medal
in 1892 for rescuing from drowning win win
heroic bravery" two young women VIII VIII
whom she was bathing in Blue river. Inc
sarne wear another gold medal was awarded
Massie Milne of Newark. \. J.. who az
Avon. n. j., rescued, by swimming 10 her
assistance and bringing her ashore, VIII
an who was being carried out TO sea by me
tide and who had fallen unconscious into
~ s'-f JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS