Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-23
FOUR CHILDREN
RESCUED FROM
FATE IN FLAMES
AUG. SCHMIDT, MUNICIPAL COURT
CLERK, CARRIES TOTS TO
SAFETY.
BREAKS DOWN DOOR OF HOME.
Eric Mueller Assists in Putting Out Fire
Little Ones Had Played with
Matches.
MOTHER HAD LOCKED THEM IN.

Locked in their burning home and IN
Locked in their burning home and I'M
able to make their escape, while flames
approached closer and closer, four chill
dren Of Mrs. Mary Sovas, 80 Fifth
street. were rescued from certain death
by cremation by August G. Schmidt, as
slStant clerk in the municipal court, and
Eric Mueller, at o'clock this morn
ing. The two broke down the door of
the home and rescued the children, and
then eXtinguished the blaze.
The four children saved, all little girls
are:
Anna, aged years
Josephine, aged 312 years.
Emella, aged years.
Agnes, aged 10 months.
Woman Utters Cry.
Schmidt and Muller were passing the
Sofas home, when they were startled by
the cry OF woman, THE children are
IN there" They looked and saw smoke
issuing from one of the rooms of the
house. Running around the cottage,
Schmidt put his shoulder to the door,
and it gave way. He dashed into the
kitchen and found the four little children
huddled together and anXiOusly awaiting
death or rescue. The Oldest girl, aged ,
years, seized the baby and was taken
outside by Schmidt. Then he returned
and secured the other two and took them
out.
In the meantime, Mueller had secured
water and eXtinguished the flames in the
bedroom. When the fire department ar
rived the flames had been put out
Locked Children in House
Mrs. Sofas left her home this morning
to go TO work, and left the children at
home. 1t is believed she locked the door,
Shortly after the departure of their moth
err, the children began to play with
matches and set the bed afre. When they
tried to escape they were barred at the
kitchen door.
Il simply leaned against the door, and
it gave away" said Schmidt, explaining
his rescue this morning. The oldest
child had the baby in her arms, when
broke into the kitchen. The children
were small, and terribly frightened by the
fire"
TenYear Girl Hero
Julius WaaIberg, 315 Fifth street,
grocer, and Veronica Klein, aged 10,
BIB Fifth street, assisted in the rescue.
Little Veronica took charge of them
when they insisted on returning to their
burning home and carried them across
the street to her own home, and later
gave them into the custody of their aunt.
She told the following story:
I was sitting by the front window
studying my lesson, when | saw the
smoke across the street and ran out. L
went to the door, and saw the children.
They were outside, but started to run
back in. | grabbed Emela and Agnes in
my arms, and carried them across the
street. Annie had a hold of my side. In
the middle Of the street, we stopped, and
then | took them right into my hiuse.
Then they went to their aunt, and | had
to 90 to school.
Mr.. WaaIberg put out the fire. He
jumped right into the room, where the
bed was afre First he broke the win
dow. Mr.. Waalberg threw comforter
or the flames, and then he called for
water.
when the children were in the kitchen
they tried to run back into the bedroom,
hut were taken outside. Then they
wanted to go back again, and [ took
them.
i saw Mr.. Schmidt and Mr.. Mueller.
They're great big boys. One is fat.
They helped too. One got water and the
other carried it to the fire after getting
the little children out. Mrs. HeindOrfer,
who lives upstairs over the Sofas house.
heard the children crying and chased
them from the bedroom. Then they
wanted to go back, when the men got
them. They were in the kitchen crying
then.
After we got to my house, l had to
go to school. The aunt of the little girls
came and got them afterward. Then l
went to school,
Complaint Is Made.
On the ground that the children are
mistreated Patrolman August Stark
made complaint to Chief Probation OF
fcer Zuerner this morning, and an inves-
tigation will be made. Patrolman Stark
says Anna Sofas is made to gather wood
at the Pabst shipping depot and carry it
home She is compelled to cross dan
gerous street crossings, and is too young
to care for herself on the crowded
streets, especially about 6 o'clock at
night" said the patrolman. The other
children also are made to bring wood
home from the auditorium building"
Vt the home it was said Mr. Sofas is
employed at the cement mills, while the
mother works out
At the home today the kitchen door
was locked. with the key on the outside.