The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-05-14
VANDERBILT DIED
To SAVE WOMAN
Millionaire BraveIy Gave Up
Life Belt on LuSitania.
COULD NOT GET ANOTHER.

Torpedoed and Say He Went to
Death Like True Sportsman-Froh.
man, Lame, Was Helpless but Calm.
Two survivors of the Lusitania dis
aster have given testimony that Alfred
@. Vanderbilt died heroically; that he
went to death to save the life Of a
woman.
Thomas Slidell, a friend of Mr.. Van.
derbilt, who lives at the Knickerbock.
er club In New York and was travelling
with him, told OF the sacrifice first
Later Norman Radcliffe, who lives in
Dillingham;. Kent. and was returning
from Japan. offered veri1cation.
Thomas Slidell said that Mr.. Wander
bilt was standing on B deck with two
or three persons, all of whom had life
belts on.
Just as the Lusitania was heeling
to her final plunge" went on Mr.. Sill
dell. IAN old woman, apparently with
out friends, came along. Seeing that
she was without a life belt. Mr.. Van
derbilt without hesitation took of his
W and fastened 1t around her. AT
that moment the boat went down.
What happened to the old woman /
don't know, but | do know that Mr.
Vanderbilt Is dead. He could not swim
and must have known that by surren-
dering his life belt he was sacrificing
his own life.
"Some Of those standing with him
were saved. 1t was Miss Loney who
told me of Mr.. Vanderbilt's sacrifice.
Meant to Help Red Cross.
lit Is not known generally what Mr..
Vanderbilt's mission on this trip vas.
The night before the Lusitania went
down he told me In confidence, but !
see no reason why 1t should not be
known now that. although he had Civ
en- large sums to the Red Cross. he felt
he had not done enough and was com
ing over to do more.
HE said that he intended to fit out
two motor ambulances and go with
them himself to France to help the
British and American Red Cross peo-
Pile personally In one capacity or an
other.
'Now all his plans have come to
nothing. He forgot everything In the
fact that he could be of service to this
old woman. His own life. position and
wealth did not count He did what he
knew TO be his duty"
Norman Radcliffe. who was rescued
after cllnging to a box In the sea for
three hours, had with him a steward
OF the Lusitania.
Died Like Sportsman.
This steward" Mr.. Radcliffe said.
told me he had seen Mr.. Vanderbilt
on the Lusitania's deck, shortly after
the ship was struck. with a life belt
about hts body. When the ship gave.
every indication that 1t would sink
within a few minutes, the steward said.
Mr.. Vanderbilt took off his life belt and
gave IL to q woman who passed him on
the deck. trembling with fear OF the
fate she expected to meet The stew
ard said Mr.. Vanderbilt turned back.
as though TO look for another belt. and
he saw him no more"
oliver o. Bernard. scenic artist OF
Covent Garden. said:
II saw Alfred G.. Vanderbilt stand
ing at the port entrance to the grand
salon. He stood there the personifica
ton OF ~sportsmanlike GOODNESS. In his
right hand was grasped what looked
to me like a large purple leather jewel
case. 1t may have belonged to Lady
Mackworth. as Mr.. Vanderbilt had
been much In company Of the Thomas
party during the trip. and evidently
had volunteered to do Lady Mackworth
the service of saving her gems for her
"Mr. Vanderbilt was absolutely un-
perturbed. In my eyes he was the fig
ure of a gentleman waiting unconcern-
edly for q train. He had on a dark
striped suit, and was without cap or
other head covering.
Frohman's End Was Peace.
Vanderbilt, the sportsman, is gone.
Genial Charles Klein, the playwright
Is gone. That erratic American lit
erary genius, Ebert Hubbard, is gone,
and with him a wife to whom he seem.
ed particularly devoted. And Charles
Frohman is gone.
~"Frohman's was the only body !
could recognize in the Queenstown NOR
tuary. and perhaps 1t will interest his
many friends In London and New York
to know that the famous managers
face In death gives uncommonly con-
vincing evidence that he died without
a struggle. 1t wears a ~serenely peace
full look.
"Frohman must have found 1t more
difficult for him to take his place In a
lifeboat than any other man on the
ship He was quite lame, and hobbled
about on deck laboriously with a heavy
cane. He seldom came to the general
dining saloon. either out of sensitive