Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-10-04
!. w. H. CheIton Held Record
as ReSCuer.
Took Many Desperate Risks, Drawing
Gales and lceflows In Chesapeake
Bay to Get Perishlng Crews
Ashore.

Baltimore, Md.-Capt. William Fl.
Chelton, Chesapeake bay command
er, died at his home In Lawsonia, a
suburb OF this city, the other day,
aged sixty-nine years. Captain Chel-
ton had been sailor from his youth
and commanded a vessel when he was
fifteen years old.
Captain Chelton had a record un-
equaled in America for saving human
lives, the score to his credit being SO,
and his work in this direction begin
ming in August, 1859, when, as a boy
of fifteen years. he leaped into the ba-
sin in Baltimore, at the foot of Cal
vert street and saved a girl who had
fallen overheard. An effort was made
20 raise purse for the lad, but he re-
fused to accept anything and he never
for his subsequent rescues earned q
cent.
To his dying day, however. he was
proud of United States medal
awarded by congress in 1902, follow
ing the publication in the Sun of an ac-
count of his lifework of humane en-
deavor.
Captain Chelton, though great life
saver, has also taken a life. This
was when he was deputy sheriff of
Somerset county On May %. 1907,
he attempted to arrest Frederick
Long, who was wanted for larceny. He
ordered Long to surrender. but the
man fired twice at him and then Chel-
ton used his pistol. The man shot
twice again and ran through a field,
where he was found dying with a bull
let in his lungs. On that occasion,
too, he drove several miles with the
wounded man to get medical aid.
Captain Chelton was born in North
CUMBERLAND county. Virginia, in 1874.
but lived in Maryland during nearly
all of his life.
He was OF medium height, but had
the breadth of shoulders and depth Of
chest which betoken great strength
and pair of sturdy legs which stood
him in good stead in many feats OF
swimming by which he saved men on
the deep. He also made several res
cues on land and saved three women
from being killed by trains.
He is said to have had ample cause
for believing republics ungrateful. for
he joined the Union army at the out
break of the Civil war. expecting a
bounty of $500 besides his pay for
long service. When his term of en-
listment was over and he settled up
with Uncle Sam he received a check
for So which, he was told, was all that
was coming to him. He never cashed
the check. but kept 1t as a souvenir.
During a greater part of his time in
the army he wss plotting federal gun
boats in Maryland and Virginia wa
tiers on blockade duty. In this service
he piloted three gunboats in an attack
on Cherrystone. the fight lasting from
early afternoon until the next morn
ing.
Rescyes by Capt w. H. Chelton:
s59-August- girl at head
Of basin
Fourteen United States sol
diers
1s63-Two' men at Pungoteague,
swimming 100 yards to reach them.
1S71-Man clinging to North point
buoy.
1s71-John W. Crisfield at Crisfield.
Nd
1s72-Girl at Crisfleld
1874-Girl. fifteen years old. Girls
field.
1s7s-Nine men from boat Off
Sharpe island.
187S-Nine members of crew OF
schooner Northampton in Magothy
river.
1ss7--Captain and crew Of five from
sioor Samuel Bruster at Hog island in
the Potomac.
1885 Captain and crew OF three OF