William L. Sterling, 53, foreman carpenter, died attempting to save Edward J. Hughes, 49, carpenter, or one or more of three other persons from suffocation, Boston, Massachusetts, November 2, 1916. Three members of Sterling’s gang of carpenters were overcome in the hold of the Steamship Devonian, which had been fumigated with prussic-acid gas, and a fourth fell from a ladder that he was descending into the hold. From the main deck Sterling and another man started down to the rescue. The latter was advised by his son not to go, and he stopped. Sterling went on to the bottom, 41 feet below the main deck. He stooped over a man as though to tie a rope to him and then began to climb the ladder. He was overcome when he had got as far as the lowest deck, and he fell back into the hold. He was later removed from it but lived for only an hour. Two of the men originally overcome were later taken out dead, but the other two were removed alive and recovered. 17935-1347
17935 – 1347
17935-1347