Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-30
CARNEGIE HEROES.
Commissions Report Tells Of Many
Brave Deeds,


Brave Deeds.
The most recent statement Of the
Carnegie Hero commission cites in
stances Of bravery that range from
the exhibition Of sheer strength and
display Of nerve to acts involving re-
markable presence Of mind and light
nihg-like calculations. Mr.. Carnegie
declared, upon announcing his inten-
ton to found the hero legacy, II do
not expect to stimulate or create hero
ism by this fund, knowing well that
heroic action is impulsive." Develop
ments in the investigation OF cases
brought to the attention Of the COM
mission have proved that the ironmas-
ter was correct.
Apparently neither age nor race plays
part in the act Of saving life. Nor, 1t
seems, is there any thought Of the So
called first law Of nature. or self-pres-
ervation.
For instance, Clifford v. Graves. aged
so years, a farmer, Of Versailles, KY,
saw an enraged bull attack negro la
borer. The brute had tossed the man
against bank and had withdrawn
few feet for a charge. Graves did not
take time to run for an effective wea-
pom. Drawing q pocket knife, obvious
ly q futile weapon with which to fight
a bull, he ran to the negro's assistance.
The horns Of the brute had penetrated
the negro's stomach, but the bull de-
sisted when several sharp stabs In the
neck from the penknife attracted his
attention to Graves. Before help ar
rived. Graves was disemboweled and
crushed by the bull.
A silver medal and $500 were
awarded by the commission to Gravess
widow.
A silver medal and a monthly allow
ance of $75 for the balance Of her life
was awarded to Sarah n. Killikelly. 70
years old. Miss Killikelly. an author
and educator. saved Mary e. Kilgallon
a servant, from death by fire In Pitts
burg by knocking the blazing woman
to the floor and smothering the flames
with her own body and rug. Both
were terribly burned. but both survived.
The number Of awards in water ac-
cidents is remarkable. Terrific water
struggles are vividly described. and the
commissions report contains many In
cidents which are only collection Of
cold facts that hide thrilling stories Of
romance and human interest.
Wade n. Plummer, Is years old. q
schoolboy, saved John "a. Gibson, 10
years old, from drowning when the ice
broke at the finish Of championship
race In the middle Of the Lynches river
at Lamar, 8. C. Gibson won the race.
Friends crowded about the victor. The
ice gave way and Gibson sank. Plum
mer jumped into the hole and caught
the collar of Gibson as the latter was
being sucked under the solid ice by the
current. Plummer fought q terrific
battle against the tide, but despite his
heavy clothing and skates, escaped
with his friend after the fee had broh-
en- twice more. A silver medal and $500
were awarded the nervy boy.
The well known story Of Mark Casio
and his six men In the schooner Al
berta, who saved the lives Of the pas
sengers of the steamer Cherokee,
wrecked off Atlantic City three years
ago, is told. Casio received gold
medal and $S.5O0. OF this sum $4,000
is educating Casto's son. The crew got
bronze medals and awards Of $500.
The heroic work Of Oliver l.
Schmuch, Clarence ]. Pope and Henry
M. Curry, Jr., at the time Of the de-
struction Of Chi Psi Fraternity house,
at Cornell, comes In for attention. All
these men were students. Schmuch
received burns endeavoring to find his
room mate, William n. Nichols, who
was lost in the fire. Pope fell from the
third story Of the house while trying
to save James McCutcheon. I'd. HIS
attempt was unavailing, and he was
seriously injured by the fall. Curry
likewise received injuries In the futile
attempt to save McCutcheon.
And so the stories go. The report Of
the commission is vastly more than a
statement Of deeds.