The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-15

commander of the Revenue Gutter
Service. People at the time wer.
decidedly aware of the honor due to
a man who had plunged several times
into n boiling surf and who had sue
ceeded in returning from wrecked
steamer with two helpless passengers.
Tor the reward, in medals and money
bestowed upon Lieutenant Rhodes. of
the cutter Dexter. was ~onsidera bic
a contribution Of over So 900 was pre-
scented 10 him ana he received ova-
tons IN many ports.
But TO my mind, the story OF his
bravery deserved just such a climax
Early one morning along In January,
81 the steamer City OF Columbus,
carry g.-some eighty passengers from
boston TO the South, ncarcd the Devils
Bridge, which lies outside of Gay
Head light at the entrance to Vine
yard Sound. 4 double ledge of SUB
merged rock forms this bridge, and ii
was upon the outer ledge of Devils
back. an eighth Of n mile from the
mainland. that the vessel struck. She
hllcd quickly, and soon the passengers
and crew who had struggled success
fully aCains; the water were forced
TO take refuge in the rigging. She
was in this plight, with the waves
breaking over her. when tho revenue
cutter sighted her. The wind was
blowing a gale and II terrible sea
some two or three hundred yards
away, and a boat manned by five men,
In charge OF Lieutenant Rhodes, was
lowered. This boat made two trips
10 the vessel. while the gig and life
boat We're busy at work. The vessel
sank in about four fathoms of water,
and portion Of the bow was the only
visible sign OF the hull. IT was i'm
possible 10 row over the rigging, for
the rescue boats would have been
dashed TO pieces, and the only hope OF
saving the men dashed to the wreck
was TO order them TO jump and then
Ia catch them as they arose 10 the
surface.
Two men, so exhausted and frozen
that they We're unable to loose their
hold OF the rigging, were after a
while. practically the only souls re-
naming aboard. and IL was for their
lires that Lieutenant Rhodes risked
his own. Seeking the captain OF the
cutter, he requested that he be given
Il man to steer, that he himself might
swim To the wreck. The request was
granted. but on nearing the steamer
IL was found that an attempt To go
alongside would be more than futile.
Nothing daunted. Lieutenant Rhodes
ing it, tied n rope around his waist.
Within thirty feet OF the vessel he
sprang into the sea and had nearly
reached the wreck when, struck by
piece of timber, he sank out of sight.
The rope was hauled In, and when
ne arrived on the cutter his leg was
found TO be badly cut. a change or
clothes and calncr aspect of the sea
decided him. nevertheless, to make
the rigging were reached, and Lieu
tenant Rhodes. fastening bowline
about each in turn, succeeded in get
ting them to the cutter. The cold
and exposure however. .sad proved
too much for the rescued ones and
they died almost Immediately II
was sad that such heroic rescue
should have so resulted, but Lieuten-
ant Rhodcs's action was none the less
brave"
Secret Service Heroasm.
'It would be almost impossible to
select some one deed az the bravest
in the secret service said John L..
Wilkie. former chief OF that establish
mert who is just now retiring to pri-
vatc- life. But l remember among
the records OF 20 or so the capture
OF two countcrfciters that required Il
.sood deal of real nerve on the part of
one VI our ItIl, IL nuQ
been discovered that II large amount
Of counterfeit money was changing
hands in and around Tyrone, Pa
Secret Service Agent Abbott was sent
10 locate the men passing the money.
and. most important, the source OF
supply. With more or less strategy,
he succeeded In gaining the confidence
Of several OF tho men handling the
money until finally he reached Hutch
10.
of tho country.
For about month Abbott con-
tinucd the process of 'ropinS in and
during that time he made number
OF deals with Hutchinson, purchasing
the counterfeit money from him. and
pretending to pass il off in other
towns. But. as in all these instances,
the men handling tho goods are not
so important as the men who make it.
So rch