Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-28
CARNEGIE AWARDS
FOR D. c. HEROES
Two Men, One Dead, Num-
bered Among 20 Persons
Singled Out for HonorS.

'SlnyleQ Uut TOT nOIlOTS.
Awards for heroism, one postum
ously, carrying with them medals and
in one case pension aggregatinE $so
a month, have been made to two
Washington men by the Carnegie
Hero Fund Commission.
A bronze medal for heroism has
been awarded, the commission an
nounced today, to Mrs. Dayton Baird
Miller. widow OF a former Washing
ton clergyman who gave his life In a
vain attempt to save his 10-year-old
nephew from drowning in the waters
of the South River last August. Mrs
Miller also has been awarded pen
sion of SIS a month and IS month
for her S-year-old daughter. Julia
The widow and daughter Of the deat
hero live at 757 Quebec place
J. p. Spellbring Also Named.
James p. Spellbring. 10 years old
or 1880 Second street northeast, has
been awarded the Carnegie hero
medal and has been offered com.
plete college course. probably at the
Carnegie Institute OF Technology. He
was also involved in the double trag
edy at Edgewater, Md. on August %
1925, which cost the lives of DR.. Mil
ler and his nephew, Frederic Ride
nour. of New York. Spellbring bat
tied the waves and currents OF Ches-
apeake Bay for more than 80 min
utes in an attempt to save young
Ridenour before the lad slipped from
his grasp and was drowned. Spell
bring almost gave his own life in the
attempt for he was pulled in boat
unconscious. The awards made 10 the
two Washington men were among
the % recognized as acts OF heroism
hv the Carnegie commission. Four
teen of those cited lost their lives.
In each case a bronze medal was
awarded.
Mrs. Miller will find the cash award
that goes with the Carnegie medal
useful Mrs. Miller has not vet beer
officially notified of the award. She
works in law office in the Southern
Building.
Widow Very Gratified.
am most gratiffed with the award
and feel very deeply the generous
sentiment behind il. Mrs. Miller said
Il hone YOU will make it plain that
| sincerely appreciate IL. particularly
as IL will aid in the support Of my
family"
Spellbring may receive complete
college course at the Carnegie In
stitute OF Technology at Pittsburgh
or cash award. but has not been
notified as to further awards.
representative of the commission dis
cussed the matter OF a college educa
ton with him a month ago. hut ar
rived at no decision
SpellbrinE is an apprentice plati'
mum worker employed in JewelrS
shop at Connecticut avenue and l
street Somewhat nervous and
aba shed by his public proclamation
as a hero, ne said he was very glad
10 receive the Cargenie medal ant
added that ii is something he vii
prize all his life. Spellbring told oI
the double tragedy near Annapolis
last Summer in a halting voice, re
counting the details in tone that
showed his vivid recollection OF the
accident that cost two lives and
nearly claimed his own.
He paid high tribute to DR.. Miller
as man and a hero declaring that
the clergyman had sacrificed his owr
life in an effort to save the life OF
his nephew.
Youth Slips Overheard.
A party of six. including DR.. Miller
his wife. boat captain named
Mooney, and his wife, the Ridenoul
youth and Spellbring, had gone out
on the South River fishing. Return
ing in the teeth of wind. 10-year-
old Frederic Ridenour, playing on the
gunwales of the boat, suddenly slip
ped overheard.
without waiting to throw off e
DT Miller Loaned
board and held the boy up. while 6
current steadily swept them farther
from the boat. As the boat captain
attempted to turn the engine wen
dead and the tiller rope broke. leaving
the boat helpless. With the wine
sweeping the craft away from the pail
in the water and n current pulltns
them in the opposite direction, DIR
Miller was seen to be growing weaker
Life preservers were thrown over
board but he could not reach then
back.
Spellbring to Rescue.
Spellbring, seeing his plight, dow,
overheard without removing a sweater
or shoes and swan to the struggling
pair in time to take the boy from DR.
Miller's back AS he did so DR.. Miller
went down and did not rise to tn,
surface. Struggling against the our
rent and the waves that slapped hin
constantly, Spellbring swan with thu
vounester toward the drifting boat
Twice the lad broke away and twice
Spellbring dove beneath the surface II
recover him.
The third time the boy went dowr
Spellbring could not find him and 81
weak was he with his prolonged i'm
mersion and his battle against TIT
choppy waves that he himself sank
AS he came to the top, almost uncon
! scious he graSped life preserved
that had drifted near him. To this III
chung until the boat could be brohgh
! 70 him. He was taken aboard total,
unconscious, and Mrs. Miller. who hat
lust seen her husband drown before
| her ewes. worked over him until h
recovered.
Spellbring speaks diffidently OF hi
part In the tragedy. He prefers t
tell of DIR. Miller and the part thu
dead hero played. He was a maj
among men" Spellbring said. HAD
he been less he might have seized m,
when ] swan to him, weakened as h,
was. Instead he gave the boy to m,
and sank without a word. II he hat
chung to me we would probably al
have been drowned
Father Is Dead.
| Speilbring lives with his mothe
and 2l.year-old sister. Marion, at tn,
! Second street address. His fathe
died last June. He was at the South
| River cottage of one Of his employers
+. NJ Leitheiser, when the acciden
occurred.
Mrs. Miller bore up bravely under
thu shock but COLLAPSED hours aft
| erward Today she is living with hel
| mother, at 757 Quebec place. Hel
s.year-old daughter, Julia, is going t,
| school.
| DR.. Miller had two pastorates IL