The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-04-22
Carl Wenderoth Carries
Three Little Tots from
Burning Home.
FAITHFUL DOG HELPS
Children and Father Narrowly
Escape Death when Home
Is Completely Destroyed.

Not all the heroes served on the bait
tie fields Of France. Carl Wenderoth,
35 years Of age, qualified for the hero
class just after three o'clock this
morning when risking his life he car
ried his three little children from the
ruins of their burning home. AS a
mark Of honor-his only medal Of
heroism Wenderoth today has his
neck swathed in bandage of linseed
oil, covering terrible burns he received
in the rescue of the children. Along
with Wenderoth must be considered
the heroism of faithful dog. The
dog discovered the fire which totally
destroyed the Wenderoth home and it
was his scratching on the door of the
house that awakened Wenderoth and
made possible the saving Of the lives
Of the children. Annie Wenderoth,
aged Z years, had part of her hair
burned off as she was carried through
the wall of flame on the arms of her
father but she was not severely burned.
Tells Story of the Fire.
Wenderoth told the story of the fire
this morning. His clothes had been
burned and he appeared in a suit which
had been borrowed at the home Of a
neighbor and as he told the story it.
was evident that he was suffering
deeply from the big burns on his neck
and shoulder. 81 was awakened just.
before three O'clock he said, when
I heard scratching on the door. When
| got out Of bed, the room was filled
with smoke and I could hear the fire
the door leading from the bedroom in
which ! was sleeping with the three
children the flames burst into the
room. had no time to get my clothes
and when | started to get the children
the flames came into the room so that
they lit up the room. I grabbed little
Annie on one arm and then went back
and picked up Carl, who is five years
old, and Freddie. who is just three.
started to get back out of the room
but the flames drove me back and
finally made rush for it. With the
three children in my arms, reached
the door and managed to get out. They
were clad only in their night clothes
and I ran with them to the nearest
house and returned hoping to save
some of the furniture
Entire House in Flames.
when | got back, the house was all
burning. I couldn't get near the door
and there was no chance to get even
some clothing. The only thing that
brought out was my insurance policy
Wenderoth displayed the policy and it
had been partially burned in the fire.
The fire department was called to the
house but on account Of the mud on
the street (the Wenderoths lived in
the last house on John street, it was
impossible for the fremen to reach
the house in time to save it or any
part of the furniture. The loss on the
home and the furniture is more than
$4,000 and Wenderoth had insurance
of 5000. It is not known how the fire
originated and, Chief Schwartz. was
making an investigation today.
Hard Luck Follows Family.
The little family of Wenderotn was
rendered homeless by the fire and I'M
der the, direction of the Kenosha Serv-
ice League the children were taken to
a home in another part of the city
where they were given clothing and
where they will be cared for until the
heroic father is able to find another
place for them to live. The wife Of
Wenderoth died only few weeks ago
as result of blood poisoning which
had followed an attack of influenza.
Wenderoth was trying to keep the
family together and people in the
neighborhood have often commented
on the solicitude he had shown for the
children.
"The house is gone, but | made good
and saved the children" Wenderoth
said, as he concluded the story Of the
fire. II know that she would be glad
to know that saved them
Wenderoth brushed away a tear as
he hurried away to seek a new home
for his motherless children, but still
clinging to his determination to keep
them together.