Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-08-16
BRAVE GIRL SAVES
THREE FROM DEATH.
AIDED BY FORMER CITY ATTORNEY
ZIMMERS, MISS LILLE WAY
EFFECTS RESCUE.
IN The LAKE AT OkAUChEE.
Young Milwaukee Woman Plunges Into
Water at Risk of Own Life to
Save Swimmers

MILWAUKEE. Wis, Aug. Sin
an heroic and successful attempt to
save the lives of three men who
became exhausted while swimming i'll
Okauchee lake Wednesday afternoon,
Miss Lille Way. the l6-year-old daugh-
ter of Prof. Rudolph Way. the dancing
master. nearly lost her life, and was
saved together with the three men only
by the extraordinary efforts of William
j. ZimmerS, former assistant city attor-
ney.
Men Were Exhausted.
When drawn from the water the three
men were exhausted and those on the
beach worked over one of them. named
Lederer, for several hours before he
could be revived. Miss Way also was
completely exhausted from her efforts to
keep the three above water until Mr.
Llmmers reached the scene. The second
OF the young men was known as Weis-
kopt while the third is unknown.
The three had spent the greater part
OF the afternoon i'll the water swimming
to and fro between large sand-har
eighty feet from shore and the beach.
None of them could swim very we'll and
they became somewhat exhausted When
they decided to swim back to the shore
for the last time, one of them, WeiSkopf,
grasped one of his companions. The
second man struggled to free himself
and in few seconds all three lost their
heads and tlOundered about i'll the water.
holding to each other in Il mad effort
to keep their heads up.
Those on shore thought for time that
the youths were playing in the water,
but the seriousness of the situation soon
became apparent through the few chol-
ing cries given by the drowning men.
Girl RuShes to the Rescue
Miss Way was on the beach in bath
ing costume, She heard the cries for
help and, hesitating not Il minute, rushed
DraVeIy INTO the water, reaching the
scene OF the death struggle i'll few
strong strokes She grasped one of
them and also shouted for help for she
found she could not manage all three.
All those on shore who saw the sight
with the exception of Mr.. Iimmers, be
came frightened and ran away. lie
shouted to Miss Way, Get around back
of them. Don't let them hold you or
they'll pull you down. Iimmers was dI-
Yestlng himself of part of his clothing
while giving these directions and hmm,
diatejy plunged into the water Mean
While Miss Way made dive into the
water after Ledcrcr, who had gone down
tor the third time, and fortunately found
HIM and drew him to the surface She
instilled some confidence into the other
two and kept them all above water un-
til Zimmers arrived when he drew the
four to shore Miss Way barely able to
swim herself, holding Lederers head
above water, while the other two strug-
gled along fcebly. All three were soon
resuscitated by the efforts of those on the
beach and were taken to the hotel in
very weak condition. Miss Vizay though
greatly fatigued, was able to walk and
both she and Mr.. Zimmers received the
ovations of the great crowd which had
assembled.
Gives Credit to Girl.
The place where accident occurred is
Il deep hole between the sand bank and
the beach The beach extends into the
water % feet but from that point to the
SAND bar there is a deep hole and it was
in this hole that the swimmers found
themselves when they struggled with
There is nothing to say about the
matter" said Mr.. Iimmers this morn
ing, Il am sure Miss Way does not
care TO give it any publicity and | know
that l do not. The credit is all hers to
be sure. L only helped her"
Those who saw the accident declare
that all four would undoubtedly have
drowned had not Mr.. Iimmers braveIy
swan TO their rescue, for Miss Way
had been kicked by one of the swimmers
and was almost helpless. She regalned
! courage and strength when lie came,
however, and helped the men to shore.
Talk of Hero Medal.
Mr.. Zimmers, who is well known in
| city hall and courthouse circles. was the
subject Of much talk among his friends
and John Gregory, secretary Of the fire
and police commission, Alfred g. Viii
mot. district court reporter and II num-
Der Of others are talking Of forming Il
committee TO bring the matter to the at
tentiOn of the Carnegie hero medal com
mission. They believe that both Zm-
mers and Miss Way are entitled to this
honor.