The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-09-24
He GAN SPARE
USELESS LEG.
Brave Newsboy VIII Soon Know
Whether His Offer to Undergo
Amputatlon for Girl. viii
Be Accepted.
BUSINESS PICKING UP

Pugh Has Offered to Make sacrl-
flee for Another In
fortunate.
United Press Leased Wire Service.
GARY. Ind, Sept. PA hero
fund to be contributed by the resi-
dents Of this little city was planned
today for William Rugh, praise OF
whom has been spoken by everyone
here since he offered to give up his
leg to save the life of Miss Ethel
Smith, 1s, who was horribly burned
about the legs and back while riding
a motorcycle recently. Whether the
crippled newsboy will be permitted to
make this sacrifice to save a girl he
has never met, will be decided today
at a consultation of physicians.
In her, home on the far west side OF
Gary, Miss Smith today smiled
through the expression Of pain that
marked her pretty face. She has suf-
fered constantly since the accident but
she bears up gamely, believing that
she will live. The doctors have told
her that she will If skin Is obtained to
graft on her injured legs and back.
And "Bill'' Rugh, whom she has seen
at his corner selling papers and pit
j led because he had one twisted. short
leg-has made life possible for her.
They shan't do it If 1t means dan
i ger for him." she cried. II want to
i live. but that brave newsboy deserves
4 to live, too. He doesn't even know
me, but know he is a good, brave
j hoy Everything viii be left to DR.
4 Craig and when he comes back WE
! will know what is to he done.'
: DR.. j. A. Craig has been in New
York, where he was married to Miss
/ Mary Arnold, formerly nurse in this
!; city. He will return today, and with
Dr. Frank w. Smith, will decide upon
Rugh's offer.
i The brave boy" who offered to risk
his life to save the girl, is forty-one
years old. He has been in Gary little
; more than a year. He came here
broke and handicapped by useless
leg which he has carried since he was
J four months old. He has built up 6
! newspaper selling business, and his
: average earnings are S4 day. He has
! money in the bank and everyone o.
i his regular customers is his pal"
: "Oh, yes" he said, Il miss the les
here, one cent is enough for tina
5 paper-but can-hello, pal, here'i
Z your change-oh, I can get along al
/ right without-well, well, kiddo
, you're a little late this morning-G G
was we'll dressed girl who had step
ped out Of her automobile on her wa.
to school to buy paper)-I can ge
me another crutch-sure I'll trust yo,
: for a paper, pal-just wait a minute
t and I'll not be SO busy"
! And Bill Rsgh handed out paper
) as fast as his nimble hands could jerl
! them out of the rack and make thu
change. Many persons since Bill
heroic offer of his leg to save tn,
! girls life-refuse to accept thei
change, and he is already cleaning
slight reward for his heroism.
1t was learned from Rock Island
Ill, whence Bill came to this city
4 that he made similar offer there fou
years ago. A member of the Od
: Fellows lodge was burned about tn
body and skin was needed to repai
!, the burned places Bill came fol
ward and offered his stunted lee
Lodge members said he was a "goo6
: brave boy but the man was thei
brother, and they would rather tn
skin was taken from their bodies.
Early today to the home of tn
! Smiths came Miss Aileen Roberts
She is the sister of hoy Roberts
Ethel Smiths sweetheart and sh
! stays beside the bed of the sufferin
!, girl every day. Roy Roberts was dri'
q ing the motor cycle on which Mis-
Smith was hurt. She was sitting o
g the tank of the machine in front {
e him. A spark ignited her skirt. He
Q underclothing was almost all burne
70 before Roberts succeeded in e.
't tinguishing the blaze by rolling her
q the dirt cf the road.
a Today Bill Rugh showed no ner'
t BUSINESS, although today he will kno
d whether he is to 60 on the operatin
o table at the General hospital and hav
k all the skin taken from his leg, an
g then have the surgeons saw apple
e to what Is left of it. He went o
n selling his papers, cheerfully whistlip
h when he had time-and as the inte
d viewer walked away he shouted.
a. Hey, pal, you've forgot yor
Achanges"