The Washington times., 1928-12-28
I I'M Is I D
REWARD
HEROES

Peace hath her heroes no
less than war and so tomor-
row two Washingtonians are
to be honored with The Wash
ngton Times medal for va.or.
At IL o'clock in the boardroom of
the District Building Policeman Roy
s. Bridges, of. the Traffic Bureau,
and Sergt. Thomas ID. Lyon, Of the
Fire Department, before the District
Commissioners, heads OF the Police
and Fire Departments, relatives and
friends, will step forward and have
pinned upon their breasts the re-.
wards for their heroisn.
John T. Cushing, publisher Of The
Washington Times. will act as donor
of the medals.
Three to Get Ribbons
In addition to the two gold medals,
ribbon decorations will be awarded
to Firemen George w. Rock and
William w. Brown and Policeman
Jeff Van.
Several years ago The Washington
Times began its practice of award
ing annually gold medals to guard
ians of the Capitals peace and safe
ty. The rewards were for ron
spicuous acts of bravery during line
Of duty" the winners being chosen
by committee including the heads
of the Police and Fire Departments
and civic leaders.
This years police hero Is Roy s.
Bridges, who risked his life to dis
arm and arrest a maniace near the
corner of Ninth and G. Streets one
cold day last winter.
The fire hero is Sergt. Thomas
d. Lyon. who saved the lives of
three persons trapped upon a mar
row porch of their burning home.
Policeman Bridges attention was
called to shot and cries for help
from a crowd in front of the Ninth
Street jewelry store. He saw man
break from the crowd and leap
aboard a passing motor car. Com
Wandering a car. he started q
wild chase through the downtown
section. Sometimes the fleeing man
took to the street, Bridges following
suit. Again both jumped aboard
passing machines.
Gun Misses Fire
Ever mindful of the citizens all
around him. Bridges did not fire
his pistol at the fugitive. As he
overlook the man, the latter drew
a pistol and pulled the trigger. 1t
missed fire and Bridges kept right
on.
Again the fugitive snapped his
pistol in Bridges face. Then the
officer closed in on the man, wrest-
TN fk.OV hi n
swapping on the handouts.
The arrested man proved to be
Robert Evans, who had held up a
jewelry store on Ninth Street. He
had the loot in his pockets. Later
Evans was adjudged insane and is
now confined at st. Elizabeth s
Hospital
Sergeant Lyons brave act called
for equal courage. Responding to
an alarm, he found three persons
trapped upon a narrow second.
story porch of a blazing house.
There was no time to send up a
ladder.
Making his way through thick
smoke to a position opposite the
porch, Sergeant Lyon had his com.
panions swing him by the feet
across the gap. Three times he
swung through the smoke and
flames, each time holding fright
ened and almost smothered person in
his arms. "A few moments later
the flames were licking the porch.
All In Days Work
"Oh, that's all in a days work, ("
were his words to his superiors
afterward
Firemen Rock and Brown plunged
into the waters of the Potomac,
saved a comrade, H. ]. Bicksler, and
then calmly resumed fighting a
vicious lumber fire. They didn't
even mention their brave deed.
Policeman Van risked his life in
tearing the blazing clothes from an
11-year-old girl, extinguished the
fire, administered first aid, sent her
to the hospital and turned in a rou-
tine report. His superiors learned
of the details later from the injured
child's father,
1t IS such men to whom the Cap.
ital entrusts it's peace and safety
and tomorrow they are to be hon.
ored by The Washington Times.