1878 Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York Medal. By George Hampden Lovett. Silver. About Uncirculated. 50 mm. 45.3 grams. Attractive deep bluish-gray toning over most of the obverse with some faint lighter gray mottling. The reverse is similarly toned but lighter. Scattered old hairlines and marks consistent with such an award medal, presented into non-numismatic hands but about as nice as is ever seen for an awarded example of this issue in silver. Dated July 31st, 1878 and presented to Gerard E. Beekman, "by whose courage and humanity a boy was rescued from drowning in the Hudson River at foot of Canal Street, New York." Beekman was almost certainly a Civil War veteran, as there was a private of the same name in the 6th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery. Gerard E. Beekman was a member of the Western Steamboat Squad and received not only the medal for his action, but $20, which were both approved by the Board of Police in their November 1878 meeting. The boy saved was given as Teianto Carlo, "an Italian lad, 9 years of age, who fell overboard on the 31st ult, at Pier No. 41 North River," according to the New York Times of August 7th, 1878.