Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1892 — Sergeant Vaughan. [ARTICLE]

Sergeant Vaughan.

A hero in_ humble life was recognized in New York lately by'the gift of a gold medal. He richly deserved it, a fact which appears in this record of his deeds, published in the Christian at Work: A sergeant of Are patrol in this city, John R. Vaughan, was present at the Are in the Hotel Royal a month ago. At a window in one of the upper stories was gathered a group with anxious faces —a father, mother and child —waiting, perhaps, to die together. At the nex't window, in an adjoining building, appeared a sergeant of our patrol. The distance was too great to reach. Without hesitation he threw himself down, resting one arm upon the sill and entwining his leg around a telephone wire, fortunately conveniently near; with his other arm, one by one he conducted this group of three over his prostrate body, as a bridge, to the window of safety. His work was not yet done. Ascending to the roof he discovered a man standing upon the sill of a window in another portion of the house, doubting whether to meet death by jumping or wait to be overtaken by the Are. Shouting to him to wait and he would save him, Mr. Vaughan rushed to the street, and calling upon his comrades to follow, ascended to the roof of another adjoining building; hastily throwing off his coat, hia companions holding him by his legs, he threw himself head downward over the cornice, and with their assistance raised this man of over 200 pounds in weight to the roof. The rescue was completed, these lives were saved. Mr. Vaughan was presented with a gold medal commemorating his heroism. And be richly deserved it. He was a true hero, and none the less so that he performed his deeds in the line of his duty.