New-York tribune., 1922-02-06
DenbyHonors Seven
Scanlcn Who Saved
Mates From Death
Members of Huron Grew
Commended for Rescue
Work in Gas Bias. That
Cost : Lives in Flour Hold

Prom The 7riburo's Wnst,ngfon Buycon
WASHINGTON, Feb. 0.-Lcttcrs of
commcndation have been sent by the
Secretary Of the Navy to seven Nom
hcrs OF the crow of tho Huron, flag
ship OF the Asiatic Fleet, for their
hcrolsm in rcscuing four comrades
from gas-hlcd flour hold. it was an
nounced to-day by the Navy Depart
mcnt. Two scamcn lost their lives ain
line OF duty" in tho accident. One of
those commended was Wesley Her,
second class seaman. Of 1872 Central
Avenue, Brooklyn. The others were
Walter Thomas Foley. Of Boston:
Frank Gregg IIcckard Of Pittsburgh: :
Clarence Acton Howell. of San Fran
cisco; Harry Kramer. Of Fruit Vale.
Calif.; Merton Henry Mangold Of
lorrna, Okla, and William Wachcr. Of
Seattle.
The court Of inquiry recommended
,ha' the Secretary Of the NAVY send
letters OF coincidence to the next Of
KIN of Anton fuhn, Of Conrath. Wis.,.
ana John j. Morrill, Of Burlington.
L.. 10Y thc'r attempts at rescue
ne finding Of the court said in part:
Vn AUGUST I. 1921, regular Dc
Ia'i o. mess cooks. consisting of Will
nam H. Moore. seaman second class,
united States Navy: James V. AIRING
ION. seaman second class; Edwin Blair
fireman third class; Anton Huhn. late
seaman second class. and David Mathc-
son, seaman. second class. and under
the supervision Of John J. Morrill,. late
seaman second class, Jack O. the Dust
had gone to the forward hold to break
out -four required in The bakcshop.
FOUL air had been in evidence in this
ho!d upon various occasions. Matheson
was the first to enter and he was i'm
mediately overcome by gas since
analyzed as carbon dioxide Upon see
ing Mathcson fall unconscious to the
moor Morrill, and Huhn went to his
a assistance, and they were in turn rem
derod unconscious by the gas before
thcy succeeded in reaching Matheson
At this point one Of the mess cooks
went to the disNensa'y for assistance.
NV achcr and Kramer went down into
the flour hold. Wacher was immedi-
atcly overcome and Kramer scarcely
succeeded i'll escaping to the platform
above.
"Mangold descended to the -four hold
rs soon as Kramer had reached the sur
lace. Mangold was forced to return to
the platform &bove.
"kramer and Howell. perceiviny that
fresh air was essential 70 the mantc-
nance Of life below, had begun to rig
a windsail to a discharge from the
rentlIating system The discharge
from the windsail was lowered to the
hold before any Of the four men were
rescued from below
"Mangold, having recovered suh-
GENTLY from his first attempt. went
down again, having a line about his
)wn body and another for use in hoist
ing the unconscious mon. He succeeded
IN attaching the line to Wacher, who
vas drawn up.
"Foley went down next and succeeded
IN attaching a line TO Matheson and
sslsted in hosting him.
"Hackard noXt went down and at
lached line to Iluhn. Altar recover
ng sufficiently, he returned and got
inc around Morrill,, the remaining man.
1.-THE FIRST two mon taken from the
oold were revived by means OF artificial
respiration. The last two were dead
when removed from the hold.
at is established that the gas prob
'5ly was carbon dioxide generated b.
he Fermentation Of damp -four"