The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-09-13
A Humble Hero.

HE is the bravest man | ever knew,
said MIR. F. Hopkinson Smith OF Captain
Thomas A. Scott, whose death occurred
few weeks ago, and whom the author mas
made famous in some OF his stores ana
novels. But no act attributed by the pen
of fiction to this submarine engineer and
diver can equal the real facts OF his eour-
age and self sacrifice The New York
Tribune quotes from Mr.. Smith the tale OF
one of Captain SCOTS deeds which lifts
the man into the ranks Of true heroes.
The captain was in the employ of the Off
Shore Wrecking Company, when one
morning in January an accident happened
to a Hoboken ferry boat.
The ice in the river was unusually heavy,
and the boat slowly crunched her way
through the floating foes until the pack
choked her paddles in mid-river. The
weather was bitterly cold, and keen wind
was blowing. 1t was an early morning
trip. and the decks were crowded with
laboring men, the driveways were tull OF
teams. and women and children stood in
side the cabins, solid mass, up to the
swinging doors.
While the boat struggled to gain head
way. an ocean tug crashed into her side,
cutting great V-shaped cash below her
water line. Shrieks went up from a hun
dred threats. Men, women and children
were crazed with fear. The disabled boat
careened and fell over on its beam. The
water poured in like torrent. Sinking
seemed only a question of seconds.
Captain Scott, on the wrecking tug Re
lance, saw the situation. Bringing his
boat alongside, he sprang to the deck of
the ferry Quickly he forced the crowd
to the starboard side, and thus righted the
boat, which regained nearly even keel.
With threat to throw any man overheard
who stirred, he dragged mattresses, blank
cts, clothes, anything, and crammed them
into the hole 1t was useless; even the
oil RAGS had been used, and still the water
| poured in.
Captain Scott stood for moment as if
undecided. then deliberately forced his own
body into the gap with his arm outside,
level with the floating ice.
An hour later the disabled ferryboat,
with every soul safe, was towed into the
Hoboken slip. When they lifted the
captain. he was unconscious and barely
alive. The water had frozen his blood
and the ice had torn much of the flesh
from his arm from shoulder to wrist. When
he opened his eyes, he said feebly to the
doctor
WAS any of them babies hurt?'
Weeks passed before he regained his
strength. Then he went back to his work
on the Reliance. In the meantime the
wrecking company had presented bill to
the ferry company for salvaees, which had
been refused.
"Captain.' said the president of the
wrecking company to Scott the first time
the latter appeared at the office, I'VE re
going to have some trouble getting our pay
for that ferry job. Here : an affidavit for
YOU to swear to.
The captain took the paper, read 1t,
laid it down, and walked toward the door
Did you sign it?
NO, and | ain going to.
"Why?''
Cause I AIM so mean as you be,
Look at this arm Do you think | d have
got into that hole if it hadn' been fol
them women and babies? And you want
EN- to pay for it,
Then he walked straight to the cashier,
demanded his pay, resigned his position
and walked out.
Some time after some one asked the
captain to tell the story of how he stopped
the leak.
''Oh, there amt nothing to tell, re-
piled the captain ''She got foul Of a tug
and listed some, and | sorter plugged her
up. Been so long most forgot about 1t.