Americus times-recorder., 1919-12-15

medals will be made for Roy Crabb, of
Americus, recently returned sailor,
ana Reese H. Horton, city council
man, for their heroic rescue late Sun
day afternoon of Miss Louise Wright,
a 16-year-old daughter of C.
G. Wright, living near Flint
river, after her 7-year-old sister, AL
enc, and their uncle, George Lindley,
had been drowned when attempting
to drive with horse and buggy across
low place in the road which was
filled with back water from the river.
Mr.. Crabb and Mr.. Horton jumped
into the chilled food and saved the
girls life, the former swimming with
her from the buggy, on top of which
she stood submerged to the should
ers, and carrying her some distance
to pine tree where he clung with
her, while Mr.. Horton, with a rope
tied about his waist, swan to the
tree, where the rope was made fast
and on which the girl, guarded by the
two men swimming, made her way
to safety.
It was thrilling rescue, numer-
Gus spectators declared today, and,
at the suggestion Of citizens, Alter
ney Hollis Fort, who was the first to
the scene of the drowning and made
the first efforts at rescue, stated that
he would take the initiative in getting
the application before the Carnegie
Hero commission for consideration.
Seeks Bodies During Night.
Following the rescue of the girl,
Sheriff Harvey was called from Amer
icus to go to the scene and take
charge Of the efforts to locate the bod
les Of Lindley and the girl. Accord
panied by several citizens, he went to
the scene, which was within a few
rods of the new Vienna-Americu
bridge, only to discover that no boats
were available. He returned to
Americus and secured several boats
with which he returned to the river,
and aided by neighbors and citizens
from Americus, dragged the water
for the bodies nearly all night, not
finishing the task until after 8 o'clock.
The bodies were brought to Americus
to the morgue of the Americus I'm
dertaking company.
The tragedy was the result of the
rise in the Flint river, which is de-
clared now to be at it's highest in 10
years. Yesterday afternoon the
| flood had risen to within a few feet
of the roadway on the new concrete
bridge. Many Americus citizens.
knowing of the high water, made the
trip over the good roads to the bridge
through curiosity, despite the cold
north wind which had been blowing
strongly since early morning.
Heard First Cries.
~ and my family had been across
the bridge and turned around to come
home," said Hollis Fort today, tell
ing of the tragedy. "Just after leav-
ing this end of the bridge, at the point
where a small road leads off to the
north, I stopped the car to put up
the curtains to keep the wind out.
While doing this / heard a mans
voice yelling "Help! MurderW 1t
came from the direction of the little
road leading into the woods, and 4
rushed down there a short distance
where | saw a man and what | took
to be two grown women, up to their
shoulders in the water, with horse
floundering about.
II saw they had driven into water
which was too deep. I called to them
to say that they were not in great
danger. They appeared to be stand
ing firmly on something solid. waded
in waist deep, then saw it would be
folly to attempt to rescue three grown
persons alone, 50 went out and call
ed to them to stabd where they were
until could get boat or help.
"In the meantime Mr.. Perkins, of
the Chamber of Commerce, came up.
! went back to my car and rushed
across the bridge to the Shirer home
and asked for boat. They had
none, as the water was up around
the heuse. But two or three men
got int the car with me and we went
back ! continued on to the Griffin
home, on this side of the bridge, and
got some plow lines and several men
and hurried back to the river. When
we got there the man and the little
girl had disappeared, but the other
girl stood there sill.
Ex-Sailor Jumps In
"About that time Roy Crabb came
up and jumped in and carried the re-