Barney King
Kentucky Post, Thursday, 28 January 1932,
page 1
One of the most colorful of river careers was terminated late Wednesday with the death of Barney "Cap" King, veteran Newport steamboat man, who had piloted over the Ohio and its tributaries for nearly 50 years. The passing of Cap King recalls many stories of his adventures on the river. Tales of heroism are mingled with those of fun and service in the history of his long career.
For many years previous to his retirement, he was captain of the Hercules Carrel, reputed to be the staunchest craft in the Cincinnati harbor. There was never an ice pack or a flood that didn't find the "Hero Carrel" busy making paths for other boats, or salvaging some craft torn loose from her moorings by the running current. In most of these rescue trips "Cap" King participated.
Even today riverdogs like to tell the story about Cap's rescue of the Cincinnati, former packet boat of the Louisville & Cincinnati Line. During high water the Cincinnati, a large boat, broke from her morrings at the L & C dock. She headed out into the stream and would have been pointed toward sure disaster had not old Cap King and his boat gone after her.
They succeeded in catching the Cincinnati just as she would have crashed into the pier of the C & O Bridge and towed her safely back to her home dock.
Cap King was a brother of the late Thomas King, a noted diver, who was connected with the Newport Fire Department for 35 years. Tom King aided the Fire Department in salvage and rescue work.
One sister, Mrs. Kate Velkly, 302 W 11th st. Newport, survived the veteran captain who made his off river home in Newport all his life. Services will be held at the Immaculate Conception at 9 am. Burial will be in St Stephen Cemetery. The body is at the funeral home of William C Betz Sons, 23 E Sixth st. Newport.