The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-26
(By Jonathan winfield)

| Washington. Dec. 25.-Heroes of the
railroad track, persons who at the risi
of their lives have saved others from
death on railroads, are rewarded by
the federal government with medals
of honor. The honor is not lightly be
slowed, for only ten persons-one OF
them a woman-has been so singular
ly honored by the United States.
She is Miss Mary Guinan. of Middle
town, N. Y. Returning home from
work one day her way was barred by
i'lowered gates at a railroad crossing
| Coming from opposite directions were
| two express trains. They were to
pass at the street crossing On the
track was an old man, bewildered by
| the shouts Of warnings from the on
lockers. Moments were precious, il
he was to be saved.
The girl. unmindful of her own dan.
ger, ran under the gate, seized the
old man in her strong grasp and sup.
ported him between the tracks while
the trains whirled past with sparse
two inches of either side of her form.
The most spectacular hero is
Charles Arms, of GAINESVILLE. Tenn.
He lived near the Louisville and Nash
vile railroad bridge. on the Cumber-
land river. For two months Arms had
been confined to his bed with malarial
fever. The doctors had just left after
the morning visit. when Arms was
startled by crashing noise. A train
had broken through the draw, baggage
and mail cars being precipitated into
the river. The river owing to spring
floods was a raging torrent.
Instantly Arms was out of bed. Par
TALLY clothing himself. he ran to the
river bank. He saw the top of one of
the mail cars still above water, and
two mail clerks and the baggage mas
ter clinging to it. They were crying
for help. Those, who were gathered
with Arms, said it meant death for
anyone to attempt rescue as no boat
could live in the raging flood.
Arms launched his skiff and called
for volunteer. Not one would take
the risk. all declaring him to be crazy.
Alone he pushed the frail boat into the
whirling water and skilfully avoiding
the swiftly rushing logs and debris
gained the car top, took the three men
off and brought them safely to shore.
He was none too soon. A few moments
later the car settled below the water
Four of the other heroes snatched
children from instant death by climb
ing out on locomotives and lifting
them from the track
The case of George H. Poell, of
Grand Island, Nebraska, had a ro-
mantle turn. He was employed as a
railroad fireman and saw little
child of three years playing on the
track. He went forward, climbed
down on the cow catcher and seized
the little one. But his foot slipped
his leg went under a wheel, and with
the child, he was thrown down an en-
bankment. Poell lost his leg, married
the widowed mother of the child and
is now clerk of his county.
Charles w. Haight, of Utica, engi
neer, saw little child on the track
He applied the brakes, ran forward
and from the cowcatcher, jerked the
little child to safety. Three hundred
yards further the train stopped and
Haight was found clinging to the
front of the engine with the little child
of track walker pressed to his
breast.
Frank Larson, of Fremont. Neb.,
performed a deed similar to that of
Poell, but he held his footing and suf-
fered no physical injury.
In Pittsburg, Edward Murray, a
freight conductor, did the heroic deed
that made him the fourth of those he
roes. He was riding on the footboard
Of a shafting engine. At street
he saw a brother and sister,
helplessly on the track. The engine
could not be stopped in time. Jump
ing to the track he dashed madly at
the children, throwing the boy off the
track, seized the girl and made a sue
cesful leap for the running board, just
as the engine passed over the spot
where he and the children had been a
moment before.
Edward McGrath, crippled station
agent at suburban station in Mil
waukee, is another of the chosen ten. !
The gates at the crossing had been
lowered and an express train was ap-
preaching. McGrath saw a six-year
Did child on the track. She was
lazed and made no effort to save her. +,
self. Although a cripple, the station
agent unhesitatingly went to her aid. |
lust as he cleared the girl from the
rack, the pilot beam struck McGrath. !