The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-16
FAST UNDER WATER.
PLrcKY LILLTdN RoEDER RESCUED
AFTER 4 DESPERATE FIGHT.


Lillian Roeder. daughter OF n wcll.known
resident OF Bayonne. was tho victim of a curl.
Gus accident. which nearly resulted In her
drowning. yesterday morning, while out crab
bling with her brother Charles. For over half
an hour Miss Rocder was pinioned TO a pile Of
rocks about four feet from the surface of tho
water by a boulder weighing over 500 pounds,
which had fallen across her leg in such n way
as TO make IL impossible to cxtricate her. Dur
ing all that time she had to DO held so that her
nose and mouth were above the surface. This
got to be a difficult matter after n while, as the
tide was coming in rapidly, and nothing but
tho girls pluck and the ~untiring efforts of those
who won't to her rescue saved her life.
The Roeders live at Linden and Ocean ave-
uucs. in the Greenvillo section OF Jersey City.
and a short distance from their homo is the
house of tho Greenville Yacht Club. Both
Charles Roeder and his sister are members Of
the club and the young man owns two Of the
yachts which make up its fleet.
1t was about 8 O'Clock yesterday morning
when Roeder and his sister started out grabbing.
They went 10 the Cove" as n spot formed by
an old stone pier about 500 yards south OF the
yacht club 10 known. and for nearly half an
hour angled for crabs with q chunk Of meat on a
string. They hadn't had much luck and Miss Roc.
der suggested that thoy go home. Her brother
WAS llllh anu IL louhk otho Noo houlhlik
in her line. when her foot slipped and she fell
into tho water. There was about ten feet Of
water wherc Miss Rocder fell, but as the young
woman Is q good wimm her brother didn't
worry much about her. Nevertheless he jumped
in himself so as to be ready In case she needed
assistance. Tho two laughed over the accident
and swan for a spot beside the pier whore they
knew there was q stone ledge about four feet
beneath tho surface.
II was impossible for Miss Rocdor to swim in
TO shore with all her clothing on, and 1t was her
brothers intention to leave her standing on the
ledge while he Skinned up the side OF the pier
and got a rope with which to haul her up. The
two reached tho ledge in safety. and on his
sisters assurance that she was all right and
would have no difficulty in staying where she
was. Roeder started up the side OF the pier. Near
the top u big boulder projected about two feet
from the pier. Tho fat top Of this rock has been
q favorite ~roosting spot for small boys ont fish
ing or Grabbing for years, and though it was
loose II never occurred to young Roeder that it
might fall. He grabbed 1t with both hands and
started to draw himself up. The rock slipped
from its place and the next moment young
Roeder found himself on his back in the bay
with a shrek for help in his sisters voice ring.
ing In his ears.
Miss Roeder had disappeared. but the circles
In tho water where the boulder had fallen and
the bubbles rising over the spot where she had
stood told the young man the story OF what had
happened as completely as II he had seen it.
Without q moments hesitation Roeder Owed TO
the surface Of the ledge. AS he expected. his
sister was lying there, pinioned by the great
rock, which had fallen across her right leg. and
held It fast from the knee down. The girl was
making frantic efforts to get her head to the
surface. but 1t was OF no use. Alone she was
helpless, and would have drowned very quickly,
but her brother grabbed her around the neck
and managed to get her head to the surface. He
was obliged to hold her in a haIf.reciining pos.
ture, so that her nose and mouth would be out
of the water at the same time.
Miss Roeder was cool and collected. and twice
she held her breath and went down while
edge OF the ledge, but Roeder was unable to dis.
tnro It's s9uiliSEEtum In the least, and he anally
1austed. and, realizing that his sister mus.
shouted. too, for. although she never lost her
Don't try 10 do more than hold mo up" she
said to her brother. My leg is broken and all
mashed; know. and nothing that you can do
SO Roeder held her there. although his strength
vas fast failing and his arms and hands were
numb from the strain upon them. In two or
three minutes-it seemed hours TO tnem-some'
body came out on the yeranda Of tho clubhouse
ana looked In their direction. 1t was Charles
johnson, a member of the club. He realized
that the Roeders were in danger, and, shouting
81, ' SON John q ao and Y 2i bert L iSGtfsd; ne Sho w %G IN
the clubhouse. and the three jumped into a row
Roeder told them what had happened. and
while Llghtbody relieved him Of tho burden oil
Miss Roeder's body. the elder Johnson dived &c
tried 70 push tho rock OF into. the deep water
He couldn't bpdRe II. and coming, to the surface
pushed on the boulder together with no more
success. and even when young Roeder, who hsd
tom with them. they failed 10 move it.
MEANWHILE the tide was Eapidly rising ant
Iishttbo aiy protested @ase ssi' her ot BY e Slss hsSee ono : hane
over her nose. but he couldn't do much. and thu
fha h suffered greatly while the men worked a
After ten minutes Of work MI. Johnson an
rock on Of the eiri' lie leg Was By prying Il. Il wa,
useless. ho said, to waste, valuable time trying
watch Miss Roeder johnson swan to the pier
Sismoered up the side and ran TO shore. wher,
S M SSt 3 10 isD Ts aifSs soF I pSlS; and I'm less ss ,b than M. ,s!
BY this time the tide had risen above Mis-,
hoedet's mouth. and It was only By holding he
kept out OF the water. Almost every ripple sweep
across her entire ace. and the men saw thatl
t must S DC t % au fcES y young woman at all 'ho'
M. Johnson dived to the bottom and fixed thu
Then ~ be tn pr iisSSk at L P % if,t asa sna for thu ts' a GSst tim'
MISS Roeder made q struggle. She oogldn't. or!
out, out an expression or agony crossed her fac
and she almost wrenched herself free from tn
arms Of her brother. who was holding her again
Inc pole was changed to another part OF tn
rock, but 1t was no Improvement.
After several other trials II became apparen
that 1t would be impossible to pry up the rocl
without causing Miss Roeder much suffering
ana. as there was no time to lose, Mr.. johnson
showed the pole in the best spot he could find
placed the other end over HIS right shoulder
and bracing himself against the pier with botl
feet, pushed forward with all his strength.
The others watched the pole bend in great ex
element: For several seconds the stone didn'
oudgee. Then suddenly the pole straightene
out there was q great disturbance on the SUI
laie OF tho water. the pole slipped from Nj
Johnsons shoulder, and he came splashing dow
on his face in tho water. The stone had role
over the edge OF the ledge into deep water. TIL
expression of pain passed away from Miss Roe
ders face and her head. responds. to the ur
conscious force of her brothers. arms. came GU
and then tainted.
She was lifted into the rowboat. covered wit
coats. and rowed to the yacht club, where SO,
eral women from the nearby houses were sun
nioned TO attend her. A physician was also sen
lor. but before he arrived Miss Roeder had Doe
seSlved with stiniulants: When the physical
nid come he found that the young woman RICH