The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-21
HERO OF YEARS PAST
CONGRESS is TO RECOGNIZE SHER
LOCKS BRAVE ACT.
Half 4 Century Has Passed BY Since
the Man Rescued Score of Those
Whom the Waves Were Tossing
About on Lake Elgin; the Wreck
of Lady Elgin Recalled BY Move
of Lawmakers.


scph Sherlock of Winnetka is-or was
at one time-a hero. Mr.. Sherlock
heard today that he may receive a
medal for heroism. He pondered for Il
while. and then remembered that when
he was young farmer of the north
shore half a century ago he saved Il
score OF lives from the wreck of the
Lady Elgin and was rs many times in
danger of losing his own.
The only reward the young farmer
looked for was the gratitude OF the
rescued, and it was all that he received.
Other medals were distributed for BRAY
crv on that occasion: but it was not
until yesterday that the heads OF
things in Washington were reminded
of the services of Joseph Sherlock.
c. C. Craine, 220 Seminary avenue re-
Gently wrote to Assistant Secretary OF
the Treasury Hilles in Washington su2
costing that a medal for herosm be
given to Mr.. Sherlock. Mr.. Crane is
the son of II mere slip of n girl' who
was carried to shore by the Winnetka
farmer after the Lady Elgin went
down. The woman who was that 'merc
slip of girl still is living and trying
i'm one way or another 10 settle her
debt of gratitude to Mr.. Sherlock.
The Wreck Of the Lady Elgin.
Mr.. Sherlock will be eighty four years
old this month and his trim little
white cottage at Elm street and Sheri-
dan road is the oldest home in Winnet
lia. He was married there, Il son and
Il daughter were born there and he liv-
ed there when on September Is, 1861,
at two o'clock i'll the morning the
Lady Elgin of Milwaukee crashed into
a freight boat off the shore, filled
Of its 600 passengers to the bottom OF
the lake.
BY clinging to spars, doors, tubs and
wreckagc of the boat sixty nine persons
contrivcd to keep ailoat through the
night. 4 strong northeast wind car
ricd the halfdrowned survivors toward
Wnnetka.
about five o'clock that morning"
said Mr.. Sherlock today, as he recoun-
ted the part he had played in the work
of rescue, Il arose to go out and do
the chores. On the back porch were
three forlorn sailors, cold and numb.
Thought None Had Survived.
"The Lady Elgin went down. said
one, eve got off in the small boat and
were Just driven ashore. Can you give
lls something hot to eat and drink"
II fed them and they told their story
as they ate. They didn't think any
passengers had been saved-the boat
went down ten minutes after the crash
and Lake Michigan was at that mo-
ment one of the nastiest seas l ever
saw.
You know that truth is stranger
than fiction. 1t came home to me
about noon that day when / happened
to look out over the lake and saw
some black specks tossing up and
down.
They're from the Lady Elgin!"
shouted.
With the three sailors I made my
way to the bluffs along the shore. 9th
crs followed. Waves mountain high
were rolling in, and it seemed impossi-
lie for any one TO make safe land
ing. However, l was q strong swim
mer. and when | made out two human
forms on door about 300 feet from
shore, with the waves breaking over
them resolved to attempt their rescue.
81 had brought a clothesline with me.
This ! tied TO about my waist, gave
enc end to the sailors and then plunged
into the water. My wife and my
children stood on the shore and watch
ed we struggle toward the door and
its half unconscious occupants.
"Thc line was 200 feet long. and
when | had gone as far as | could ]
waited for the door to come to me. i
could see young man on it, and little
slip of a girl. He struggled to hold
her, but a huge wave caught him and
swept him from the frail craft. We
found his body on the shore that after.
noon. caught the girl by the hair
and they pulled us back to shore. If
the clothesline had broken, we would
have drowned. 1t was in this very
room that we resusctated her.
''That girl was later Mrs. Craine and
she has sons and daughters and grand
children in this town now. Every year
she Games to visit me and we talk
of tho day of that wreck"
Life Savers Rescue Sixty-Nine.
Mr.. Sherlock said the students life
boat of the Northwestern University
arrived at the scene in the afternoon
but was unable to leave the shore. All
of the siXty-nine were rescued.
"And," added Mr.. Sherlock, "the very
last man recovered was on a bass drum
for two days before the wind finally
took him to shore way up near Mil
waukee and landed him safely"
According to advices from Washing
ton Mr.. Craine has submitted the case
to his representative in congress and
bill will be introduced to that body
within few days providing for "a
medal for heroism" for Mr.. Sherlock.
Stocking Up With Coal.