Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-04-09

rewis Roy Crawford of % South
rbirteenth street, Philadelphia, and
Iobn Good of Perryville, Md, a few
Avs ago received medals from the
-nited States government for bravely
s,scuinr nine Wilmington boys from
5rowning on July 4th, 1900 On that
arentful day party OF IL boys from
MS city went to Penn's Grove, n. j.,
ina u foot catboat. After an enjoy
sbIs dav they started home, but when
ritbin 200 yards of the mouth Of the
~bristiana River storm broke and
he boat was capsized. All of the
,ocupants we're thrown into the water,
Inf managed to get hold of the up
rrned boat. The sea was running
biph. however, and they were re-
neatedlv washed overheard. Several
II the boys could not swim and those
rbo could devoted their attention to
ooking after the less fortunate.
rwice James Serson, aged II years,
# 1112 B street, brought Charles and
william Spiedel back to the boat and
,nce he brought Robert Elliott back,
Zach time at the peril Of his life.
Once three boys we're clinging to him
IN the water, but he did not give up
hone until a high wave came and
washed two Of the boys so far away
that they we're beyond help. These two
were drowned and nine were saved, the
latter managing to cling to the up
turned boat until they were picked up
bv a naphtha launch, which was on
lis way from Port Deposit, Md, to
Chester At the time the names Of
Il the rescuers were not learned, but it
was ascertained afterward that they
were Crawford and Good, who have
just been rewarded by the government.
The boys who were drowned were
Robert Elliott, aged II years, of $40
South Claymont street, and Charles
Spiedel. aged 10, of l0l7 Linden street.
The boys who were saved were James
and william Serson of 1l12 B street,
John and Willard Mitchell of 603 New
Castle avenue, William Spiedel Of 1Ol7
Linden street, a brother of one Of the
drowned boys Michael Brown of New
Castle avenue and ClaymOnt street,
William Peace of 1921 b street, Edward
Barlow of 320 Townsend street and
James Hanson of 424 Claymont street.
Mr. Crawford was surprised, when
4 be received a medal, a few days ago.
The medal was accompanied by a let
Der from Secretary of the Treasury
Leslie NJ. Shaw, which contained the
following:
There is transmitted herewith a
silver medal, awarded you under acts
Of Congress approved June Goth, 1874,
and May 4th, 1882, for assisting in the
rescue Of nine boys from drowning in
the waters of Delaware River july
ith, 1900.
1T appears, from sworn evidence
presented to this department, that,
in the afternoon Of that day, a party
of II boys, from IL to 10 years of age,
while returning to Wilmington, Del.
from PENIS Grove, on the opposite
side of the river, whittier they haC
gone in a 2l-foOt catboat for a holiday
outing, were overtaken by storm
when within 200 yards from TIE homS
shore and capsized.
On the day in question you, JohI
Good and two others, were proceeding
from Perryville, Md, TO Philadelphia
10 small naphtha launch, and, en-
countering the same storm when of
Wilmington, you ran in alongside
wharf and sought shelter within
shanty on board a dredge boat lynn
+ close by.
You had been in the shanty bu
a short time when you saw a sailboa
out in the river, running swiftly befor
the wind and headed in your direction
. with the evident purpose of maxim
the wharf to which you had tied
A Your experience with sailing Graf
. told you that the boat was in extrem
danger, and you remarked to you
companion that, if she made the slight
est change in her course, she woul
surely capsize. Hardly had the word
been spoken when your predictio
came true.
The storm was still at its height
but without a moments hesitatio
you and Mr.. Good sped to your launch
cast off and put out to the rescue
Owing to the heavy downpour of rain
ihe launch's engine would not wor
4 properly, until you had gone some dis
lance, but, fortunately, you had picke
4 up an oar as you ran from the dredge
and with it you propelled your boa
ana kept it head TO the wind until tn
dithculty with the engine had bee
overcome.
1t appears that all the occupants {
ihe catboat had secured places upo
IT'S bottom Immediately after the acci
uenti but that two of them had shortl