The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-29
WILL ASK MEDAL
FOR YOUNG HERO
Earl Nicholas Tells Mayor
How He Saved Mr..
Cohen's Life
EXECUTIVE LAUDS
BRAVERY OF YOUTH
Will Send Detailed Description OF
Act TO Carnegie Commission
Earl's Own Story of Bat
tie With Death.

A -year-old boy. slim. barefooted
and so greatly embarrassed that
speech was difficult. stood In Mayor
Richardson's Office Wednesday morn
ing, and stammered out the story OF
how he single handedly fought with
raging current ard saved the life or
A man twice his size and weight.
The boy was Earl Hampton Nichols
hero He haved the life of Meyer
Cohen after the Eaters two children
had been swept to their death In the
muddy, sullen, snarling current OF the
James river. and tho rather was peihs
borne swiftly down the muddy snaFl-
ing current To a similar fate only the
boys wonderful presence of mind,
added TO fiawloss courage and grim
determination kept tho death list from
being three instead OF two, Coheh
was unconscious when little Earl push
ed his body on fish trap.
Wants Medal For Him.
After hearing the boys own story
of the tragedy Mayor Richardson an
neunced his intention of sending an
account OF the affair to the Carnegie
medal commission. in an EFFORT To Sc"
cure some material recognition OF
bravery that has seldom been equalled
In Richmond.
There il nothing about the appear
ance of this boy Ia suggest the hero,
lie stands only four feet ten inches In
height and weighs only seventy-two
and one-half pounds, He seems rath-
or delicate. Only with an efYort can
one picture him as battling with rag
ing torrents, cteaving true course
To the side OF drowning man. then
pushing him, lifting him. drawing him
and finally dragging him to place
OF safety.
Yet all this was done, and more
MIR Cohen Was unconscious when Earl
pulled him up on the fish trap, ana the
boy rolled him over and over. and
worked with him tirelesslf until gasp
:. from the rsaaA. Mno had been close 70
death told him that MS eHorts hao
not been In vain.
Thought of Boys.
Then he did still more, Mr.. CDhens
first words, on regalntng conscious
ness, were for his children. Kari knew
that these children were dead, Tor ne
had seen one OF them grasp teehty at
the branch Of tree. miss ana ga
down. He had seen the father swept
over the race, into the river. where
he sank for the last time
But Earl also knew that II ne told
all this to the grief-craEed fatheT the
latter probably would leap back into
the water.
For an instant the boy hesitateo
but only for an instant linen;
The boys are safe. he told the IA
Their. They are up on the bank no"
waiting for you"
This satisfied MIR, Cohen,
II hadn't think / was doing much
'twaAnt much. for I'm good swim
mer," said Earl In telling his story
to the Mayor,
Then hesitatingiy. bashfuIly. with
4sh ST IN SasArt
and flushing, he proceeded to describe
the tragedy from the beginning, lie
told how he had been forced 10 run
a distance equal to about three BLOCKS
In order 10 get near the drowning man
He told how he ran along hlgh wall,
then climbed down wire, q distance
Of about eight feet. then dropped sew
en- feet more TO the GROUND, theh reap
cd TO q small island, waded into the
water and finally hurled himself into
the swift running waters. swimming
reyerishly in an effort to reach the
man before the latter was swept over
the race into the deeper waters, where
II would have been impossible to save
him.
Saw His Brave Act.
Mr. + h. Burch, claim agent OF the
Southern Railroad. told Mayor Rich
ardson Wednesday that hc had seen
the entire thing.
~ neyer saw a drawer act than that
of this boy in my life." said he If he
had been "A moment later Mr. 1onen
certainly would have drowned.
want to tell you too. that many
strong man might have hesitated be-
fore taking the chance with his own
life. that this hoy took without an IN
stants hesitation. Indeed, mad there
been any hesitation MIR. Cohen woald
now be dead.
a.
In praise of the boy-~so much, indeeds
that the latter flushed painfully, shift
cd his weight from foot TO foot. twist
ed his cap and seemed most uncom-
Portable.
II have gone over all the ground"
said the Mayor. land l want to say
that this boy is hero. He rtsked his
life and the risk was great. If 1t pos
sibly can be done. / want him TO get
Carnegie medal. He certainly de-
serves it,
Il Intend TO send a detailed descrip-
tion OF his bravery to the Carnegie
Medal Commission"
Hopes to Get Medal.
II also expect to get affidavits and
signatures from everybody that saw
him save the man. / want to make
It sure. Such bravery as this boy has
shown should not go unrecognized, nor
shall It. II can help IT,"
After spending an hour in Mayor
Richardson office. during which time
he was patted on the back. and his
hand shaken by numerous city officials
Earl went over into police headquar-
ters where he was weighed and his
height measured. It was found that
he weighed ~ 1-2 pounds. and stood
four feet ten inches tall. Mr. Cohen
when he pushed through the water
TO safety weighs about 1876. but con-
sidering the fact that he was full OF
water, and was virtually a dead
weight. the boys task was almost g-
Eantic.
Asked N he would like medal, Earl
replied hesitatingly that he guessed
So"
Anyhow though he added snaively,
~Mr. Cohen In alive. Gee. wish I
1nusId h9ya rotten there sooner. May