The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-19
JOHN RHINERART A HERO
AT RISK OF HIS LIFE HE SAVES
CHARLES LIE CLAIRE FROM
DROWNING

Lee Claire Had Gone Down for the
Third Time, and Was Lying I'm
conscious at the Bottom of FIJI
teen Feet of Water.
Charles LIE Clair, painter, living IN tha
rear of AZ West Fairfield avenue, owes his
life to John Rhinehart, a resident Of the
upper West side levee. With a splendid
exhibition of courage, Rhinehart plunged
into the river with his clothing on, and,
diving to the bottom in fifteen feet OF
water, brought LIE Glars unconscious
form to the surface and swan with him
to the shore. The brave rescue was wit
messed by half a hundred people, who
had quickly gathered on the river bank
at the news Of LIE Glars supposed
drowning, and when Rhinehart, almost ex
hausted by his efforts to save his friend,
was about to give up the struggle, near
the shore, several men waded into the
current and pulled him, with LIE Clair,
to the bank.
LIE Clair's narrow escape from death
happened shortly after o'clock. In
company with Rhinehart and several
other companions he went up the river
to the island, near Yoerg's brewery, to
go in bathing. LIE Clair was the first
one in the water. He dove out into
deep water, and coming to the surface
took several strong strokes that threw
him into current eddying about a point
of the island Suddenly he was seen
to throw up his hands and sink. Rhine
hart, who had not yet started to I'M
dress, saw his friend go down. LIE
Clair did not again rise to the surface
Realizing that his friend had been seized
with a cramp and strangled into uncon-
seriousness with the muddy water,
Rhinehart plunged bravely into the river
and swan to LIE Clairs rescue. Marking
the spot where LIE Clair disappeared
Rhinehart paused a moment for a long
breath and then dove beneath the water
He was out of sight long time, it
seemed to people on the shore, and fear
was expressed that both LIE Clair and
Rhinehart were drowned. But in a mo-
ment a head bobbed up several yards
below where Rhinehart had dived. 1t
was Rhinehart, and he was struggling
with an object about which his left arm
was tightly locked.
The watchers saw the object was LIE
Clair's body. Down under fifteen feet of
water Rhinehart found his friend living on
the sandy bottom. With an almost super
human EFFORT he wound one arm around
LIE Clair and forced his way to the sur
face. His strength was well nigh gone
with this task accomplished, but he swan
desperately toward the shore. dragging LIE
Clair with him.. When near the bank
willing hands were stretched out to
Rhinehart and pulled him and his burden
to safety.
When LIE Clair was laid upon the bank
1t was feared that he was dead, but half
a dozen men went to work resuscitatinH
him, and after nearly half an hour were
rewarded with signs of returning con-
seriousness. LIE Clair was finally able to
sit up, but was too weak to walk. He
was carried to his home and had so far
revived last evening as to be almost en-
tirely free from the effects of his close
call to death Rhinehart quickly recover
ed from his exertions in behalf of his
friend, and modestly accepted the COM
mendation of those who witnessed his
courageous act.