Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-19
BEN FERREL IS THE HERO
Identity of Boy Who Saved Lives Of
Three Lads is Disclosed.
NOW SICK AT HOME OF PARENTS
stih Insists that Act In RescuInE
Boys from Kount1c Park Lake
Was Nothing that Calls
FOR Publicity.

AZ last the identity OF the boy who
saved Henry and Leroy Lucas, aged
ana years, ana Robert Overmeyer. aged
. years, from wRtery graves In KountEo
PARK lake Tuesday afternoon. exclusive
mention OF which appeared in Tho Bee
wednesday morning. Is disclosed.
The boy who risked his life BY wading
through the ice choked water and pulling
the three boys TO shore, was ben Ferrel,
employed as night messenger with the
Associated Press. living with his parents,
Mr. and Mrs Louis Ferrel, 2lOs Lake
street. The boy Is now sick at his home,
suffering from what ~ akin to a nervous
breakdown. brought on by tho excitement
following the stirring events OF last Tues
day afternoon.
ben Ferrel is lG years OF age. goes TO
school during the day and works from
q o'clock at night until 2.SO in the morning.
his earnings in n measure aiding In the
support OF the family. He IL a modest
young fellow aud his heroic act might
never have been known had Il not been
for the fact that yesterday afternoon a
story appeared in one of the evening
papers stating that Julian Allwine was
the boy who saved the lives OF the Lucas
and overmeyer boys.
The Way it Occurred.
With another messenger boy. young
Ferrel was discussing the story. To his
companion, the latter, In a most modest
manner remarked:
Julian Allwine was with me. but he
did not 90 into the water. nor help get
the little kids 10 the shore"
Then his companion pressed him TO tell
the story, and In doing so, Ferrel said:
"Tll tell you, but don't want you to
give IL 20 the newspapers. just did my
duty aud that was oil.
Il was up near the little park and hear
ing the cries OF some boys over toward
the lake, Julian and / ran over there. As
we reached tho little pond, l saw three
boys in the water. Pulling off my coat. /
jumped in and waded out to where they
were standing. The water was filled with
Ice and was about UP to their chins.
They seemed TO be about frozen and were
crying to beat the band. l grabbed two
OF them and took them TO the shore and
turned them over to Julian. Then I went
back into the water and brought out the
third They were so cold that they could
hardly stand.
Kept story to Himself.
after that, Julian and ] took the two
Lucas boys to their home at 1923 Spencer
and the 'Overmeyer boy to his home al
Twenty fourth and Lothrop streets. Their
went home and ate my supper ana that
night and every night since. l have car
rIed the messages for the Associated
Press.
II am sorry that tho story got out, but
want to say that there was no boy
scouting about Il. / Just jumped into the
water and went out TO where the boys
We're, knowing that II did not do 80
they would all drown. and that, too,
within n few minutes. as the water was
filled with ice and the little fellows were
slowly freezing"
Shortly after s o'clock last night, Ben
Ferret was suddenly taken I'll. He was
seized with severe chills. followed by
dizziness and in an instant his nose COM
menced to bleed. Assistant Manager
Huntley OF the Associated Press took him
to the office OF DR.. Bridges, where he
was given treatment, and a couple OF
hours later he was taken home, APP
parently suffering from a nervous break
down, which was accompanied by severe
chills.