Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-03-03
3. DROWNED,
ONE TRYING TO
SAVE 2 OTHERS
John Sullivan, Driver of Truck,
Dies in Fall Creek, Seeking
to Aid Boys.
DEATH sTUNs MOTHER

John Sullivan. 434 Kaufman place,
driver for the Patton Transfer Com
pany, sacrificed his life yesterday in a
vain effort to save TWO small colored
boys from drowning.
Charley King, years old, and
John Herbert King, 8 years old,
brothers, are the boys who were
drown. Their companion, Verna, 10
years old, escaped
The three boys had started across the
ice on Fall creek, one block east Oh
Northwestern avenue, at point where
the water is twelveN to twenty i've rect
deep. The two brothers fell in the water,
and the Purcell boy ran to the shore
screaming.
Sullivan who was passing in motor
truck. heard the cries for help. lie
rushed to the creek bank. carrying long
rope from the truck. He started out on
the ice, with the rope In his hands. When
/ he was about sixty feet out on the ice
the ice gave way and he sank out OF
sight.
/ All three bodies were recovered after
searchers had worked for an hour with
] boats and hooks.
DEAD HERO HAD
! CHILD OF HIS OWN.
! Sullivan. who is about 50 years old, had
! been employed by the Patton company
/ for just a week according TO II. NJ. Pat
| ton, his employer.
He was a fine bow" said Mr. Patton,
land it is not surprising to me that he
made the heroic effort TO save the little
/ boys
He has a small child himself. His
wife is dead and he lives with his mother
\ and father. He had lived in Indianapo-
lis most of his life and always has
| been straight forward, hard working
/ boy"
/ Employees of the Harris Transfer Com
1 pany. where he worked before going to
! the Patton company, also declared that
/ he was "a fine fellow"
/ Verna Purcell was panic stricken when
/ his two companions were plunged Into
/ the water with them he had left school
/ No. %, and they were playing about the
/ creek before they started across. The Ice
/ in the middle Of the creek Is but an Inch
/ thick Dredging for sand and the dam
/ near this point made the place one OF
/ the deepest holes I'm FAN creek.
DOG SwIMS NEAR
DROWNING BOYS.
/ When Yerna ran from the scene, how
I ever, n big black dog, which was the
boon companion Of the little Colored boys.
+ plunged into the water and swan about
/ the two little fellows, who were cling
ing to the Zee. splashing and barking.
+ J. NARROW. 1880 West Thirtieth street,
was the first to see the boys In the water.
He set up n cry. which attracted Sui
( Ivan and his companion on the truck,
/ Ebert DeSha. 12i North New Jersey. EN-
ployed by the Norman Furniture Com
I no frurE owned nv HWtFpQ. haul
ing furniture for this store
When Sullivcn sank out OF sight he
dropped so quickly that the others on
shore could not rescue him. An immr-
date effort was begun TO rescue the
bodies 6. c. Wcis went 10 nearby
place and obtained long rod with
hook on It. Frank Mix, 1908 Elm street,
and Joe Drake, 1916 North Alabama
street. procured a hatboat from the op-
rosite side of the creek. They pushed
the boat out into the river breaking
through the thin ice, and began drag
cling the hook In the creek.
! The hook first caught In the clothes OF
the younger colored boy, Herbert, and
his body was pulled out. A few minutes
later the hook caught on the rope, which
sullivan had carried IN his hand. His
body. too. was dragged mp. The body
Of the third victim, Ransal Purcell, was
z not found until Motor Iolice Omcers
Drinkut and Dean dragged the creek
bottom with a graphing hook.
DEAD MANS HAND
GRIPS ROPE.
Sullivans right hand was cienched
tightly about the rope with which he
hoped TO rescue the two boys. 1t was
with difficulty that his death grip on
the rope was loosencd.
Yerna, the boy who escaped drown
ing, was frantic Colored people ia the
neighborhood who took him into their
home were forced TO hold him In their
arms to quiet him.
The big black dog, which vsinly sought
TO help the boys, lay on the bank Of the
creek. exhausted from the struggle with
the icy waters, and moaned. Time and
again the dog ran out to the edge Of the
ice, sank, climbed out and jumped in
again.
The boys At first were said to he
brothers Of Verna Purcell. but later were
Identified by Mrs. J. II. King, 1925 North
Capitol avenue, rs her nephews. The
boys had lived With their aunt for about