The Denver star., 1915-06-26
JOHN E. sroNER's NOBLE ACT.
Rsseuss Miss Mary Donovan From Sea
at Atlantic City, N. j.

Rsseuss Miss Mary Donovan From Sea
at Atlantic City, N. J.
The New York World Of Tuesday:
June g. had the following account Of a
thrilling rescue made by John q.
Stoner, a one armed boardwalk chair
pusher at Atlantic City, N. J.. on Mon
day, June z. The World said:
John q. Stoner, one armed Negro
who pushes boardwalk chair. today
shamed thousands Of men at the beach
and Michigan avenue by braving the
sea and saving the life Of Miss Mary
Donovan of Springfield. Mass.
Her companion. Edward Brady, an
art glass worker, had been swept away
and drowned after getting her to a
piling at the end of q jetty. Frank
steubal, clerk of the Hotel Brighton,
helped Stoner bring the unconscious
girl ashore.
Miss Donovan, Brady and several
others were splashing in the surf at
Indiana avenue when she was drawn
into deep water by the undertow. Bra
dy started after her. They felt no
| alarm at first because they were not
far from shore and believed they would
drift in further down the beach. Thou
sands along the boardwalk gave scant
attention. believing the two were TAX
ing leisurely swim with the tide.
But after they had been carried a
quarter mile Miss Donovan became ex-
hausted and screamed for help. Bra
dy was tired, but managed to pilot her
to the end Of the jetty. AS he backed
away to avoid big comber he was
flung against pile. Unconscious, he
sank and did not reappear. Promenad-
ers rushed to the beach and rails by
hundreds, but none at first ventured
into the surf toward the girl. who
was being continually battered by
waves that threatened to break her
weak grip on the pile.
Several men finally went into the
water. but when they felt the pull of
the current at the depth of their waists
they came back. leaving her to her
fate.
Stoner was pushing a couple down
the boardwalk when he heard the
young woman's screams. He deserted
his chair without word and leaped
the rails to the sand. Dashing through
the crowd. the MANNED Negro battled
his way through the breakers. He
was flung on top of the jetty and of
again, was bruised and cut and was
buried often by waves. But every
time his head would bob up a little
nearer to the imperiled girl.
Steubel had sprinted three blocks
from a point up the beach where he
had been bathing. He carried long
cedar surf board, and with this he
started out in Stoner's wake. When
the Negro reached the girl she grab
bed him around the neck. Both sank.
But Stoner's head soon appeared above
the surface, and 1t was seen he held
, the girl. His gallant battle toward
shore was half finished when Steubel
reached them with the board Togeth-
er they placed Miss Donovan's limp
water. Persons from the shore FORM
ed a human chain and towed them to
the sand.
Steubel and Stoner were too much
exhausted to go back and try to find
Brady. No others made an attempt
Miss Donovan was taken to the At
lantic City hospital. where 1t was said
she would recover.
Stoners wounds were dressed in the
hospital. Then he Iimped back to the
rolling chair stand and apologized for
having deserted his chair.
"Thats all right" said the manager.
'Your Jobs safe as long as you want
It."