The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-04
CARNEGIE HERO
FUND Commission
Awards Money and Medals TO
Fifty Persons
FOURTEEN GAVE UP LIVES
George E. Mccue, Negro, Is Awarded
Medal and $500 for His Brave Act
in Saving Baby From
Certain Death.
FOURTEEN GAVE UP LIVES

Pittsburg, November 3.-With the regu-
lar fall meeting of the Carnegie hero fund
commission today came the rewarding of
so persons for acts of bravery and illus
trious conduct With the exception Of
one award, made to citizen of Canada,
the entire list of persons remembered by
the Carnegie commission are residents of
the United States, % being persons living
in Ohio.
Approximately ss3,O0o % silver and 81
bronze medals, were awarded by the ac-
ton of today's meeting of the commits
sion. OF the so heroic acts approved, IA
of the persons responsible for them met
their death. In these cases next of kin
received the award.
Deeds of herosm during the flood at
Athens, O., on March A. 1907, received the
greater part of the attention of the COM
mission.
The acts of courage brought to the at
tention of the commission included saving
children from fast running passenger
trains. rescued from raging flooded rivers,
stopping unmanageable runaway horses
and carrying persons from burning build
ings.
Woods Gets $1,000.
Prominent among the awards and prob
ably the most spectacular act of bravery
called to the attention of the commits
sion was the case of HALEY W. Woods,
a merchant of Athens, O., during the
floods of the Hooking river, in March,
1907 Woods, unassisted, rescued two men
and woman from almost certain death
when he rowed a flat bottomed skin
xx,i11
the second-story window of a half-sub-
merged house, carrying his rescued fell
low citizens to shore and safety. In
Investigating the case of Woods the COM
mission found that he was in debt in
excess of $1,000 for his small merchandise
store and presented him with a check
for $1,000 and a silver medal.
Several other cases OF bravery during
this flood were also awarded suitably.
Negroes Brave Act.
A particularly worthy award was the
case of George e. McCue, colored Of Gar
den City, Kas.. whose heroic act In rescu-
ing a baby from in front of a fast trav-
cling passenger train was brought to the
attention of the commission by officials
of the town where McCue lived. A mother
had left a 2-year-old child strapped in
a baby buggy in front of depot and
express office. Wind blew the baby buggy
upon the railroad tracks, overturning the
vehicle. The strap held the infant in
the carriage. MoCue saw the overturned
carriage but did not see the baby. A pas
senger train running close to 60 miles an
hour was approaching. McCue ran down
the track about half way to the baby
carriage, saw that it contained an infant.
He redoubled his speed, reaching the We
hicle in time to throw it from the right
of way with a mighty effort, and just
cleared the pilot of the engine as the
train sped past the depot. McCue was
given bronze medal for his act and
$500 for educational purposes, he having
expressed a desire to attend am industrial
school for colored men.
In each OF the so awards human in
terest story of real heroism is told. One
hundred and six applicants for medals
and monetary reward were considered by
the commission at today's meeting.
Among the persons recognized by the
commission are the following: G. A. Low
ry, Pablo Beach. Fla; J. c. Stewart Blan-
ket, Tex; Mrs. Cemmie c. Lebus died.
Henrietta, Tex; I. j. Raif (died) Houston,
Tex; F. G.. Stewart (died), Hammond, La.