Mexico Missouri message., 1907-07-18
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A HUMBLE HERO.
0ter, Of the Man Who Did . Brave
Deed and Then Forgot u.

"IJe is the brayest man l ever
knew" said Mr.. f. Hopkinson Smith
OF Capt. Thomas A. Scott, whose death
occurred a few weeks ago. and whom
the author has made famous In some
OF his stores and novels. But no act
attributed by the pen OF fiction 10 this
submarine engineer and diver can
equal the real facts of his courage and
aelf-sacrifice. The New York Tribune
quotes from Mr.. Smith the tale of one
OF Capt Scott's deeds which lifts the
man into the ranks OF true heroes.
The captain was In the employ OF the
OR.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 cruncb,d
her way through the aoating foes I'M
til the pack choked her paddles In
mid-river The weather was bitterly
cold and keen wind was blowing. II
was an early morning trip. and the
decks we're crowded with laboring
men, the driveways we're fu,i Of teams,
and women and children stcod inside
the cabins. a solid mass up 20 the
swinging doors.
While the boat struggled TO gain
headway, an ocean tug crashed into
her side. cutting great V-shaped
cash below her water-line. Shrieks
went up from hundred throats. Men.
women and children were crazcd with
fear. The disabled boat careened and
fell over on It's beam. The water
poured in like a torrent Sinking
seemed only a question Of seconds.
Capt. Scott, on the wrecklng tug Re-
hance. 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 regalned
n nearly even keel. With a threat to
throw any man overheard who stirred.
he dragged mattresses. blankets.
clothes. anything. and crammed them
into the hole. Il was useless; even the
oil rags had been used and still the
water poured in.
Capt Scott stood for q moment as
tf undecided, then deliberately forced
his own body into the gap with his
arm outside. level with the floating
fee.
An hour later the disabled ferry.
boat. with every soul safe. was towed
into the Hoboken slip. When they lift
ed 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 a bill TO the ferry company
for salvages. which had been refused.
Captain. said the president Of the
wrecking company to Scott the first
time the latter appeared at the ONCE.
@we're going to have some trouble
getting our pay for that ferry job.
Here's an aftidavit for you to swear
TO-"
The captain took the paper. read It,
laid IL down, and walked toward the
door.
did you sign it?"
mo. and amt going to-"
''why?"
"Cause I amt so mean as you be-
Look at this arml Do you think I'd
have got into that hole II II hadn't
Ibeen for them women and babies?
And you want 'em to pay for IT,"
Then he walked straight 10 the
cashier. demanded his pay, resigned
his position and walked out.
Some time after some one asked tho
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 q
tug and listed some, and sorter plug.
ged her up. Been so long l most for
got about It."