Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-07-23
BELLEV|LLE BOY
GOES TO RESCUE
Of DROWNING LAD
Youngster PIunges Into Morris
Canal and Drags Imperiled
One to Shore.
LITTLE EMMETT BYRNES
A PLUCKY REScUER
Mother Thought Son Was Fib-
bing When He Referred to
the Incident.

When Emmett Byrnes, the sturdy,
thirteen-year-o son of Martin
Byrnes. of so Dow street, Belleville,
entered his parents home shortly
after o'clock yesterday afternoon
with his clothing soaking wet and
clingng to his well-knit frame, his
mother formed the usual conclusion:
Emmett had been in the water again,
but this time had neglected to dis
robe before taking his customary
daily bath in either the Morris canal
or Second river.
For there wasn't a dry stitch on
Emmett, his hat being as thorough
ly saturated as the other portions of
his wearing apparel.
For mercy's sake, Emmett
Byrnes," exclaimed the lads mother
in a reproving. but not unlSindly
way, as Emmett is a good boy, and
not general object for scoldinE.
Here. you've been i'm swimming
again. after your father and myself
have repeat tedly warned you to keep
out of that water, and you went in
with your clothes on, too. Dear me,
whatever will become of you?"
Hadn't Time to Disrobel
- hadn't time TO take off my
clothes, mamma" Emmett started to
explain, the little boy was drowning
i'm the canal and ] jumped in to pull
him out before he could die. He's
all right now" The youngster spoke
i'm a matter of fact way, as If he had
done nothing out of the ordinary out
side of getting his clothes wet.
Little boy drowning in the canal
You jumped in to save him" said
in ig1f Cf n
way, You little ibber Trying to
make hero of yourself. Come now
take off those wet duds and put some
dry clothes on. You'll catch your
death of cold. I'll tell your father"
Emmett obeyed his mother so far
as the change OF costume was con-
Cerned and then went out in the yard
TO attend To some chores. He made
no further reference to the canal In
cident. His mother let il drop also,
satisfied i'm her own mind that EN-
NETT was romancing.
As a matter of fact, Emmett was
not fibbing. but on the contrary was
n little hero, if ever there was hero.
lie had saved a boys life and the
feat was marked by rare pluck and
judgment The story as told by re-
liable eye witnesses to the perfor-
nance is a neat description of little
Emmett's heroic deed.
Emmett occupies the distinguished
role OF "caddie' for Thomas J. Lin
tott, former Judge of the Second Dis
trict Court this city. and John Fl.
O'Connor. present clerk of that court
on their regular expeditions to the
Forest Hill golf links in quest of eX-
ercise and recreation. He is a prime
caddie, too, these gentlemen aver
They always liked the little chap they
say but now they idollze him.
Signals of Distress.
Messrs. O'Connor and Lintott we're
following the balls along the course
paying no attention to anyone or any
thing except the worlds golfng rec
ord, and had about reached the ninth
hole on the course when the actions
of young Emmett attracted their at
tention. They were I'm territory bor-
dering on Belleville at the time. Little
Emmetts gaze was focused on a
youth and a girl on the canal bank
about fifty yards distant. The couple
were gesticulating wildly as If ap-
pealing for help, alternating a beckon-
ing call to a mounted policeman in
the distance, with motions toward the
canal.
Suddenly, and without a word of
explanation, Emmett dropped the
golf bag that he had been toting
along, and was off like shot, in
response to the all-apparent distress
signals
Lintott and O'Connor also started
on a run to the scene. They were
puzzled at the actions of the pair on
the canal bank, for. with all their
frantic efforts with their arms and
hands, they made no outrcy.
Up the bank went Emmett. There
in the waters of the canal was boy
of about his own age struggling help
lessly in the water.
Dove to the Rescue.
Without the slightest hesitation
Emmett plunged into the canal, and
was soon at the side of the imperilled
youngster The latter had sank be"
meath the surface. but the agile res
cuer. who seemed to be perfectly at
home In the water, grasped him and
brought hlm TO the top. His weight
proved so heavy that he sank again.
but was once more brought to the
surface. The youth and the girl on
the bank were perfectly helpless.
They made no attempt whatever to
aid the boy in the water. who, it was
Mr. O'Connor and Judge Lintott
got busy, however. and soon an old
oar and several pieces of board were
showed toward little Emmett. who
used them to such advantage that he
soon had his charge ashore, where
Messrs. Bintott and O'Connor took
good care of him. He soon recovered
from the effects of his experience in
the water. Mounted Officer William
Duffy arrived about this time
All that could be learned from the
couple on the bank and the boy who
had been dragged from the canal
was that the latter had attempted to
take ride on raft and fell over
board.
In speaking of the affair today
Mr. OConnor said that young
Byrnes's performance was one of the
pluckiest and quickest he had ever
seen, He could not say too much in