Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-01-22
WAS DARING DEED
Exploit of Nebraska Fireman Who
Was Recently Awarded
Gold Medal.
GRABBED BOY FROM PILOT
Although Successful in Attempt, He
Was Himself Thrown and
Badly Hurt.

George Poell of Grand Island, Neb.,
the fireman on the 81. Joseph and
Grand Island railroad who recently re-
ceived n letter from President RooSe-
welt notifying him that lie had been
awarded Il gold medal for saving the
life oil child, thereby nearly losing his
own, has told in his own words the sto-
ry of his deed of heroism. Many of the
details of his heroic act We're recently
told for the first time, says special
dispatch from Grand Island, Neb., to
the Chicago Tribune.
Mr. Poell lives with his wife and her
mother in Il modest little home pur-
chased wholly from the proceeds of the
sale of his photograph and of the child
no rescued The photographs were sold
by the rescued child's father.
The people of the county also showed
their admiration for Mr.. Poell by elect
ing him county clerk, an office which
pays $1,000 n year. Mr.. Poell was I'M
known in the (dalD county, and his sole
campaign issue was his rescue of the
child.
Son of station Agent.
Tie child whose life was saved by
Mr.. Poell in so daring a manner was
Paul Ussary. the two-and -half-year-
old son of John Ussary. the station
agent at Powell, Ncb. On June &c last
the child was seen on the track ahead
of a train which was running at rate
of thirty miles an hour. The train
could not be stopped in time. and Mr..
Poell climbed out of RS cab. crawled to
the locomotive pilot, snatched the child
from certain death and threw it to one
siCe of the track. In doing so he slip
ped and fell. He was caught either I'M
truck and was dragged 300 feet. bump
ing over the ends of the ties. His right
foot was torn off at the ankle. both
arms were broken and his flesh fright
fully torn and bruised.
I'oeli was conscious when picked up,
but his first thought seemed to be for
the child. At his request Brakeman
Everhart Immediately ran back $50
feet from where the fireman lay to find
the child. He had only a slight contu-
sion on the head and almost immedi-
ately began to cry. He was quickly re-
stored to his mother
Talking the other day of his thrilling
experience, Mr.. PoclI called attention
to the fact that in every account so
far as published it had been stated that
he thought of his little brother at home
at the time.
II don't know where the newspapers
got that said Mr.. Poell. Though 1
have a little brother at the old home in
Hanover, just didn't happen to think
of him. In fact, there wasn't much
time to think. We were rounding
curve at pretty good rate and on n
down grade with heavy train. Sud-
denly the engineer put on the emergen.
cy brake. 1 looked out ahead. There |
was n child on the track. The little |
fellow seemed to have heard us and in
his childish way appeared to turn part
ly around and then toddle off straight |
ahead of the engine. as if to run away |
from us and beat us.
THE engineer could not leave his |
stop the train In time. / can still see |
those little blond curls bobbing up and |
down. Something told me I must run
out, get on the pilot and sweep him Off |
the track. and-well, that was the only |
thing there was to do. In some way I |
slipped. got caught just below the cyl |
Inder. was dragged quite a distance
md then dropped"
Proud of Husband.
Mrs. Poell is as proud Of her husband /
IS she well may be- She shows the
shoe which Mr.. Poell had on the miss
ng foot at the time and explained. the