The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-06-29
HERO STRICKEN AS
HEADS COMPANION
KnOp Leaps Into Water To Save
Child and Is ParalyZed,
Too, and Sinks.
BODIES ARE RECOVERED
Fathers OF Victims and Neigh
bOrs Drag Channel Hours For
Swimmers-TOwn Shocked.

William Knop, IS years old, and
Harry Roberts, II, both of limo, were
drowned in the Diversion channel
shortly before 5 o'clock yesterday aft
ernoon. Knop lost his life in an at
tempt to rescue his little comrade.
The two boys, both suffering from
cramps, struggled in the water for
several minutes before they sank for
the last time. Although helpless,
young Knop died attempting to save
the life of Harry Roberts. They dis
appeared under the water locked in
embrace.
The news of the tragedy came as a
shock to the people of Illmo, where
both boys were we'll known and en-
joyed a host of friends A crowd of
men hurried to the scene as soon as it
was learned that the lads were dead,
and a search was made for the bodies.
The body of Knop was recovered ear
ly in the evening, but it was late last
night before the corpse of little Harry
Roberts was dragged from the water.
The two boys, with Lloyd Norman
and several others, went to the Diver
sion channel, which is about two miles
from limo, to fish and swim. All of
the boys were considered good swim
mers. They fshed for a while and
then decided to go in swimming.
For more than an hour they re-
mained in the water, diving, SWIM
ming and sliding down the bank.
Knop was the first to suggest that it
was time to prepare to return home,
and they emerged from the water.
The boys had finished dressing and
were just about to depart for limo,
when Harry Roberts fell in.
1t was while he was attempting to
wash the mud from his feet that the
accident occurred. He was standing
on one foot and splashing the other in
the water when the wet ground under
him gave away and sent him into the
water.
As he was a good swimmer, his
playmates were not alarmed, but on
the other hand were amused at the
incident. But he had hardly reached
the water when he shouted for help.
al have cramps; come and get me, y
he cried, and the laughter on the bank
subsidized.
"Pll get you," promptly responded
William Knop, the son of Charles H.
Knou, an limo saloonkeeper, and he
plunged into the water. He seized the
Roberts boy under the arms and start
ed for the bank when he was suddenly
doubled up with pain.
"Help! Help! l have cramped,'
shouted Knop to his comrades on the
bank. The boys were locked together
Young Roberts clinging to his rescuel
with death-like tenacity. They went
under together, but a moment later
came to the surface.
LLOYD Norman rushed to their as
sistance, but just as he plunged int
the stream the two boys went dow
again. The water where they disap
peared is probably twelve feet deep
and they never came up again.
The boys on the bank were pani
stricken when they realized that thei
two companions had lost their lives
Several jumped into the water in tn
hope of locating the lads before lif
was extinct, but their hopes wer
futile.
The boys who had not re-entered tn
water. hastened to Illmo to sound tn
alarm. The father of the two boy
and a crowd of other men hurried bac
to the drainage ditch. The chann'
was dragged for more than an hou
before young Knop's body was recoN
cred. Several hours later Harry Rot
erts was taken from the channe
While they sank locked in each other
arms, their bodies were found sever;