The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-17
REVEALS IDENTITY
BY HELPING TRAMP.
Hero Of Many Battles in James
River Never Sought Public
ity or Praise.
HAS RESCUED MANY PEOPLE
'rhcodorick Nunnally Night
Watchman, Tells How He
Robbed Water Of It's Prey.

When Thcodorlck Nunnaily OF 72a
south Cherry street, visited the City
Home yesterday to inquire the
e W,,n,r' on Of James poolcy tramp.
ing less than two weeks ago. he was
told that the patient may never re-
cover from the effects OF exposure on
ono Of the coolest nights Of the vim
ter NnDnally, who is fifty-scYen
years old, walked from his home to
the almshouse. and while there re-
cited to attentive listeners numerous
experiences he has had in saving tho
lives of many persons who in the
past forty years have neen face to
face with death In the treacherous
waters OF James River.
Nunnnlly's boast Is that he has
never lived further than 900 yards
from the river bank. and this he says
camped tho greater part of his life on
one or another of the several islands
oppositc Richmond. His visit to
Dooley yesterday Is by no means tho
first he has made to the City Home TO
look after the welfare of some person
ha has either rescued from drowning
or else shielded after exposure.
Has saved Ninny Lives.
In all kinds of weather. at all sea-
sons. Nunnally IS constantly prepared
find. and time and again. often at
the peril of his own safety, he has
dragged some helpless man or boy
from the canal or river. Nearly all
a hero have occurred at night, and tho
victims have been persons unfamiliar
with the territory, who have stepped
into the water In the dark. or who
have been upset In endeayoring to
row across the stream.
For thirty years this man. who has
so often robbed the river OF It's prey.
has been employed az night Waterman
at paper mill. at tho foot of Cherry
Street. back of Hollywood Cemetery,
which position. he says. he will never
resign, because there Is no other per-
son TO take his place as "IifesaYer''
and no one as capable as lie of re-
spending TO any emergency that may
arise Although he can furnish tho
names and addresses OF at least \
dozen of those who owe him their
lives. he has never accepted compen-
sation from any man, aud not one has
returned TO express his gratitude.
Kept Identity secret.
II have frequently read in the news
papers OF the men have saved. and
the accounts have always stated that
q boatman,' and this was because {
did not care to let everybody know
me-" said Nunnaiiy- Il don't care for
praise or giory. Al! I want is tho
to n felIowman and to feel that MY
life, even though humble. has not been
In vain. was surprised When my
name came out In the Dooley case. and
the only reason 1t did was because ha
was so far gone had TO take him
home with me.
II was horn on Haxal1's leland. at
the foot of Ninth Street. and my father
before me had a reputation for saving
lives. Just as ] have among my friends.
I moved after my fathers death. and
lived for a while near Belle Isle.
have spent some of the coolest nights
i ever felt In hut In the middle OF
the river. but since have been mar
ried I have lived on the shore. ] still
have my boat. and can manage 1t as
well as when ] was a youngstcr.
81 have never worn a. glove or an
overcoat. and don't care much about
mixing with strangers. OF course. be-
Ing a night Waterman. I sleep In the
daytime. and consequently don't get
into the business part of the city
much oftener than once year My
wife buys everything I wear, and
don't know the number Of my collar
peculiar to talk this way about my
self. but my motto is Every man to
his liking and my way OF going
through the world suits me"