1909 Carnegie Hero Fund Medal. Silver. About Uncirculated, Mounted in a Bezel.
78 mm, including bezel, but excluding hanger at top. 201.96 grams, total weight. Obv: Frock-coated Andrew Carnegie bust to the right, inscriptions CARNEGIE HERO FUND above and ESTABLISHED APRIL 15TH 1904 below. Rev: Outline map of North America, arms of old Canada (four provinces), Newfoundland (then a separate Crown Colony) and the U.S. around a cartouche inscribed to the recipient ARCHIBALD H. DAVIS, JR. / WHO ATTEMPTED TO SAVE / R. MANLY HAZZARD / FROM DROWNING / TALLULAH FALLS, GA. / AUGUST 10, 1909. Rich steel-gray patina to matte-like surfaces. Accompanied by the original brown leather, green plush interior case, which is quite tattered, the lid detached from the base, and both the interior and exterior with considerable scuffing, chipping and other signs of handling. The Carnegie Hero Fund website, carnegiehero.org, includes the following information about the recipient of this medal: "Archibald H. Davis, Jr., 19, student, attempted to save R. Manly Hazzard, 16, student, from drowning, Tallulah Falls, Georgia, August 10, 1909. Davis swam upstream about 100 feet to Manly, who had become distressed in the Tallulah River in water six feet deep. Manly grabbed Davis, and they struggled desperately while the current carried them rapidly toward a large rock in the river. They went under the surface together several times, and at one time Manly had hold of Davis at the throat. When they reached the rock, Davis, who had broken Manly's grasp, stood up in shallow water and tried to lift Manly up, but the current swept them off the rock and they became separated. Manly was drowned. Davis was almost powerless from fatigue, but after swimming 20 feet, he managed to catch hold of some bushes and pull himself half out of the water. He then collapsed and was not revived for an hour." (Total: 1 medal; 1 case)