New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-10
Gregory Tars, Who Braved
Sea Death, Guests at
Press Club.
ACT OF RESCUE
STAMPED IN GOLD
Speakers Laud Daring of Men
While They Shrink from
Glory Of Deeds.

The heroes OF the Gregory. VINO saved
the lives Of FIVE survivors from the Okla
homa as they were struggling In the
waves after their hfeboat mad foundered'
were the guests of honor last night at a
dinner at the Press club. With their cap
tain. William Asphalt. the three men.
chief officer r. n Buck. Second officer
John Sidney Williams and Third Ofhcer
i. u. Roberts. who ent over the side Of
their vessel into what. for all they knew
was certain death and brought their
fellow men back 10 safety. were Toasted
and toasted. and hen gold medals were
given to them as atmore lasting tribute
10 their horoism
And with this reward went the an
nouncemcnt that 10 each IF them the
owners Of TIE Oklahoma had sent 800
Nor did this end the list Of rewards. Tor
It was also announced that Congressman
Dale would introduce a bill in Congress
to-day commencing their deed, and that
the Carnegie Hero Fund would also take
recognition Of their heroism
But for all these words II praise the
simple modesty with which the men
themselves spoke OF their act was the
climax. and after all did more than any
thing to commemorat the spirit of their
hcroism
The frs; Of the guests Of honor to speak
was Captain Asphalt. who told in racy'
"sea-dos" language of the sighting Of the
FIVE men in the boat and the acts Of his
men in saving them.
Il feel more honored tonight than ever
in my life" he said. For what We did
never expected anything like this. II
was a bad sea. but nothing more than a
good hard gale. We were running with
the gale. We were satisfed-we wanted
to get in Saturday night because we
knew We would have a good time in New
York.
Wei. then We sighted what looked Ike
a raft. and then the poor fellows on il.
1 hadn't TO call anybody twice for rescue
work-then their boat capsized-and the
next thine / saw was Roberts hopping
over the side. Then / saw Williams
skipping in. Then / saw Buck making
ready. and ! ordered him TO put line
about him.
Every body down TO the smallest boy
We had did splendid work. and We finally
got the poor chaps aboard"
Then spoke the men themselves-the
three men who hoped" and skipped
into the sea.
As the POSTMASTER, l. J. c. Clarke, in
troduced the first Chief Officer Buck, he
al.
owners Of the Gregory, had advanced Mr..
Buck in grade.
Il can't express my appreciation Mr..
Buck said II thank you-I thank You
very, very much"
He was followed by John Sidney Will
Jams, the second officer who. like Buck,
was at loss to express his feelings
Il have nothing TO add" he said we
well. We only did what any one would
do who Happened to find himself there
That's all"
Even these two short addresses seemed
to Third officer T. d. Roberts. when il
came his turn 10 speak to have exhausted
all there was 10 say about the matter.
Mr.. Clarke introduced him as the baby
Of the heroes.
1T is mighty hard lines TO come last,
when everything there is 10 say has been
said" he said. IL don't want there to
be any false impression about what we
did. We acted on the impulse Of the
moment. We saw there were men to he
saved, and we did it
In his opening address Mr.. Clarke said:
we have met to honor the brother
If fe,l Il &
the sea Fate came with these men i'm
their ship from the calm seas Of the
south into the north until they faced the
time Of storm.
Their own ship was plungins, yet the
task Of rescue came instantly to their
minds We are here TO honor something
erandly brave. They did not think OF any
reward What they did they did as
turn Of duty
John A. Hennessy spoke Of the fact that
one OF the heroes had only three weeks
before been married but still followed the
call Of duty and had plunged into the sea
10 save fellow man
lie was followed by Percy Sutherland
Bullen. correspondent of THE London
Daily Telegraph who spoke from the
English standpoint in appreciation of the
men.
David II. Compton. one Of the owners
of the Booth line. and Lawson Sanford
were also present.
\ cablegram Of greetings and apprecie-
ton was read from the London Press
club. while 4. j. Pitts. member OF the
Detroit Press club. brought greetings
from that organization.