The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-09-28
A HERO IN HUMBLE LIFE,

Tine drowning of riverman named
Dennis Sewell in the Mississippi last
Saturday afternoon while attempting
to rescue boy from watery grave
has cast gloom over the minds Of
thousands in Minneapolis who had
never heard of him until they read OF
Ibis tragic and heroic death in the
newspapers. He occupied Il humble
position in life, being an employee Of
the Mississippi and Rum River Boom
company for sixteen years, and per-
forming his work faithfully and salts,
factolily. He acted we'll his part in
that lowly and hazardous sphere of
labor and won the confidence and re,
spect of his employers and fellow
Workmen.
While in the employ of that COM
pany he is said to have saved from
drowning twelve persons who fell
into the river, and in his last gallant
effort to save an unknown boy he lost
ONh AiLC ttuu lClC u VILE lOul
small children almost unprovided for.
Had Dennis Sewell been different
kind of man he would have hesitated
before risking his life as he did. The
boy whom he tried to rescue grabbed
him around the neck and in his des-
peration held the hero in deadly
grasp and, dragged him down to the
bottom OF the river where both per-
ished.
The death of this brave man is par
ticularly sad. He was a hero without
being aware of the fact. He was a
good citizen and an exemplary mem,
Der Of the Catholic church. He be-
longed to the Catholic Foresters and
was buried under their auspices from
Ascension church. The large congre
gation which attended the funeral OBJ
sequics and the many floral tributes
which decorated the casket testified
to the esteem in which Inc was held
His pastor, Rev. j. Harrington, eulo-
gized him, and said in part:
'Nhere lies here Il hero in this cof-
fin; a man whose life was good and
noble and whose death was Il fitting
crown to his life. \ better man. Il
more heroic man. never lived. He
proved it when The jumped into the
river risking his life for little boy
Whom he didn't even know: who was
nothing to linn. He risked his life and
lost it. He is with God. Dennis Sew.
ellis position in life was Il lowly one,
but he was as great Il hero as this
world has seen in many long day.
He gave up his life for another That
the sacrifice was in vain does not
lessen it's value"
The widow of the hero is FRUSTRATED
by her husbands death and is almost
inconsolable. She was present in the
church during the services, but was
so overcome with grief that she was
tenderly carried out by her friends.
Her husband owned the house in
which the stricken wife and children
now live, and he had small amount
of insurance in benevolent societies.
That is I'LL he has left the family
through his industry and frugality.
The admirers Of Dennis Sewell will
see to it that the widow and fatherless
children will not be in want. Steps
have been already taken to start a
fund for his wife and offspring. The
company in whose employ he was for
many years has made the first contri-
button.
The local papers will lend their in
fluence in the praiseworthy undertake
ing, and subscriptions from the ad-
mirers of the noble hero who sacri-
feed his life to save that Of reckless
youth will be received by them for
the family.
The death Of this humble man has
touched the sympathetic chords Of
the human heart, and the name Of