The sun., 1908-09-21
DON'T BUTT IN UPON A HERO
FIRE DEPARTMENT ETIQUETTE
IN A BATTERY RESCUE.

hut the Aiadman In the water Was Too
Much for the First Fireman In and q
Section Of Throo Dived After Him
on Command-Get Him. OF Ceurse.
Battery Parks transient population Of
pleasure seekers and loungers was thrilled
yesterday afternoon by q chorus Of Man
overboardl' A multitude rushed to the
granite aided boat basin on the uptown
side OF the Aquarium and next to the shore
quarters Of the crew Of the nautical fire.
men of the New Yorker. They also had
heard the cry and had heeded It with
characteristic swiftnees. Ten Of them
ran out Of the house and into the park,
They saw big man foundering In the
basin and thousand men. women and
children looking on.
The first fireman to reach the chains
Of the granite posts on the park edge was
Chief Engineer John German. He was
In uniform. and he did not discard any
thing except his coat and hat before
plunging in. Among the other firemen
were Battalion Chief John B. Conlon.
Lieut. John NJ Pratt and William
MoGough. James Simms and William
Gudenrath. No one went in with Cor
man. rs 1t Is an unwritten rule Of the
department to let life saver do his own
stunt in his own way and take all the
glory and bas-relief Of Carnegie. II
there's one coming, Interference would
have been discourteous.
German found the noundering man
apparently very anxious to drown. and
when he got his hands on him discovered
that he had encountered a mailman.
German is a six footer and is powerful
swimmer, but he could do nothing with
the man. who olutchei him by the head
and bore him under. German fought
to release himself, but the madman held
ON. Then the firemen on the granite
wall began to look serious. But none
of them stirred. They were under orders
Of their superior officers.
II was looking had for Gorman when
orders finally came. Chief Conlon and
Lieut.. Pratt. as quickly as they coulo say
.You. you. you.- and point to Simms,
McGough and Gudenrath. detailed them
to Jump in and help the chief engineer,
who was battling gallantly. getting in a
blow once in while to subdue the maniac.
All three. merely shedding their uniform
coats, -dived in line and together. 1t
looked for O while to some OF the enormous
crowd that now throngcd the three walls
OF the inclosure like spectators OF an
aquatic drama that the Fire Department
was having an exhibition rescue. which
II wasn't.
All the nautical hremsn are swimmers
and most Of them are very good ones.
The three who went to help German were
at his side In few strong strokes. He
was then pretty nearly all in. The
madman was still strong enough to put
up a fight. but he did not put up much
after getting few stiff clouts that took
the starch all out Of him. Besides he had
swallowed a lot OF water and got some
into his lungs, He was limp and uncon-
scious when two Of the firemen brought
him to the Battery wall. The other
fireman helped German.
Lieut.. Pratt and Chief Conlon. each
holding on to one Of the chains between
the posts with one hand. reached down
with the other and dragged the uncon-
sciovs man to the walk. They worked
over him until he revived and was able
to say that he was John Crane Of IS
Cheever place. Brooklyn. DR.. Laurie Of
the Hudson street hospital took him away
in en- ambulance. He had become wild
again and he was strapped to a stretcher
and dosed. The doctor said it Was a
bad cass OF fighting d. T.'s.
When Crane and the chief engineer
were hauled up into the park the crowd
let out fine cheer for the firemen. who
hurried into the house and got a change
OF clothing. Just before they started
somebody noticed pocketbook floating
in the basin and one Of the firemen went
in again and rescued the pocketbook
He held it out to his chief. remarking, Il
guess that belongs to him. pointing to
Crane. Fireman McGough felt in the
breast pocket OF his blouse and said in q
tone OF relief. Il guess not. That belongs
to me, and there is thirteen dollars in 1t.
There was and McGough rot it..