A LITTLE HERO

Evening Star, Issue 15513, 8 June 1914, Page 3

A LITTLE HERO

WHO GAVE UP HIS LIFE TO SAVE OTHERS. • In his short life Albert Hatswell, of Hatton House, ■ Horn6ey road, Loudon, >vas known for his daring, and when only 12 he further distinguished himself—at tne cost of his life. Holiday traffic was passing along Holloway road, when suddenly a frenzied horse came pelting down the road, with a, heavy manure cart clumsily swaying behind it from side to side. Women screamed and gathered their children to them; ' A policeman mad© a futile snatch as the horse thundred by. All eyes concentrated on a group of children at play, unconscious of their danger, near the Nag's Head Public-house. Then, quick as thought, Hatswell Mashed out from the pavement and clutched the reins. But the hcrse swerved to the pavement, the slight figure was dragged with it, and fell, and .the heavy cart catne with a crash to a standstill against a tramway control box on the kerb. 'The children were saved, but their rescuer lay lifeless on the ground. "It was one of the pluckiest things I have seen," said an eye-witness. " The. boy must have been entirely without nerves, for lie jumped out at the horse like a flash." Five minutes after the accident Mr.s Hatcwell, the lad's mother, passed the spot on a tramcar on her way to work, all unconscious of the fact that the crowd were gathered around the body of her 6on. At tue time of the fatality '' Bertie," as he was known in the district, was walking to Hampstead, where he acted as golf caddie dunn'i the holidays. His mother, who is a charwoman at a hospital, lost her husband four years ago. and was left with four young children, the eldest being only a year older than her heroic son. "His mother had given him twopence to buy a cocoanut, and promised that she would faake him some cocoanut toffee at night," a neighbor said. " He was such a nice boy—always smart s and full of spirits. In the holidays he would ' caddie 'on the golf links, and his mother was looking forward to the time when the two eldest could bring in a little money, so that she would not nave to work so hard." Only the day before his death Bertie climbed up the side of the house, fully 4C';t, ami by clinging to a pipe retrieved a lest ball. Last year he saved a little girl fxom drowning in a pond on the Heath. At the inquest the coroner asked the mother : Was he a plucky boy ?—A very plucky bay. He could never see fear. He stopped a horse in the same way a few weeks ago. It was a builder's cart, and the man gave him 2d. He brought it in and «threw it on the table. I said "What is ! tlnit for?" He said: "Twopence; just stoped a, horse." The widow added that she told her son he must not do that sort of thing or he would get injured, and he replied : " Well, I can't eee little kids killed, can I?" A verdict of " Accidental death " was returned, and the jury expresed their sympathy and their appreciation of the boy's courage.—Mr Hartley, for the driver of the runaway van noise and his employer, expressed his client's regret for the accident and their appreciation of the boy's extreme courage. While there was no legal liability on his clients, he said, they felt they should do something, to mark their regard for the boy. Tremendous crowds assembled on the day of the funeral to pay a. last tribute to the little hero. The cortege left the residsneo of his Tinclo in Hornsey road, and the interment took place in Islington cemetery, East Finchley. The coffir. of

polished elm, with brass mounting©, was DOTn© oii an opein hearse, Which was preceded by a car loaded with a magnificent collection of floTal offerings. The coffin itself' was covered by a large cross of tulips and lilies sent by the caddies of the Hamp&fcead Golf Club,"and bearing on the ribbons the words " Thy will be done " and " Brave heart." Another tribute- was a beautiful wreath from ths staff of the sain* club. The floral tributes were costly, aad of beautiful design in many cases, coming as they dill from all parts of the United Ivingdom and (he Continent, the account of his death having deeply touched many hearts.' Deceased's" (schoolmates from St. MarkV. School at Grove road sent " Gates of Heaven" fashioned in narcissi, with tile words:

By the gates they meet us, 'Neath the golden sky. Meet us at the portal, Meet us by and by. A hunch of primroses from " Avenue, Fleet," bcre these -words : Wo have read of the cad death of your little brother, and we live amongst the primroses, so Mother said that if we picked them she would send them from us to you to put on your dear brother's grave. Our names are Hilda, Ethel, and Dolly Windgate.

To another wreath was attached a card bearing this inscription :

My dear- children, —I have sent you these few flowers far the grave of your dear brother, who for nit; heroic conduct should not be forgotten.

Wreaths were also sent from the Halloway Technical Institute, which Halswell ha'd attended, bv Mr G. 11. Radford, MP., Mv G. A. Touche, M.P., and from the staffs of the Central Hosrita), where his mother worked. Other wreaths came from the Nag's Head newspaper stall, and from neighbors and their children.. Among the mourners were the chairman and vice-chairman of the Islington Board of Guardians, and a number of Hampstead and. Highgato caddies. The procession made a halt at the fatal spot where a. black-and-white tramway standard was put in position to mark the place where this brave lad had laid down his young life for another. After a simple, impressive service in the cemetery church the interment took place at a quiet spot beneath the of a fir, tree. The sun was shining brightly, and several hundreds of people were gathered around the gravcfcide to sec the last rites administered.. Kifiht golf caddies bore the coffin from the hearse to the graveside. The mother, who leared on the arm of her surviving son, was deeply affected. Wiping away her tears, she steppel forward and dropped a bunch of narcissi into the grave. One of deceased's sisters, who was crying bitterly, threw a basket of primroses upon the coffin, whilst other sympathisers performed similar acts.