Woolworth, G. C.

32 year old miner, who resides near the Neosho River heard a scream. He arose from his bed, stripped off his clothes and leaped into the chilly river to bring George Hutchinson, age 9, who was going down for the third time, to shore. However the cold waters of the Neosho river claimed the life of nine year Miami boy, Otis M. Poe, Jr. Poe was out of sight and could not be saved by Woolworth. Young Poe had sunk from view, some 50 feet from where the two boys had jumped from a boat because they were afraid it would sink. A fireman, Jimmy Luckey, located the death victim with drag hooks. Submerged for more than 20 minutes, the Poe boy died without regaining consciousness. Life saving experts, fireman and policemen alternated in a desperate effort to force life back into the limp body. They worked more than two hours before yielding. The river tragedy occurred shortly after 3 pm. It was nearly 3:30 pm before the victim's body was recovered. Meantime, young Hutchison was removed to his home in a Cooper ambulance. He was highly nervous yet conscious. Woolworth had been just in time. Shivering under heavy blankets at his home, Woolworth told late Saturday the story of the rescue. "I was asleep in bed when my mother, Mrs. Maggie Parrish, told me two boys were in the river. I got out of bed and rushed to the shore, I tore off my clothes and jumped in. The boy I got back to shore fought me all the way. I wish I could have saved the other, but I couldn't locate him. I knew the best thing to do would be to get the one into my house and work on him. I might have gotten to the river quicker if we had known the boys were in the water. We heard them playing out there so often we didn't pay any attention to a few shouts." At the Hutchison boy's home the fortunate survivor told his story. "He jumped from the boat and I did, too," young Hutchison said. "We were afraid of the boat." Both boys could swim, but the survivor said, " just couldn't do it with all these clothes on. How's the Poe boy getting along?" the excited, pale-faced youth asked. "He's getting along all right," was the reply to ease his tense feelings. The boat, small and square shaped, went downstream in the swift current, but was later brought back by a neighbor. The body of the victim was blanketed heavily as the rescue workers stared on their efforts to restore life by artificial respiration and use of an oxygen tank. More than 150 persons pressed toward the lifeless body. Sometimes they were ordered back to give air. After a long battle to revive the youth a local physician pronounced the youth dead at 6:15 pm. The death victim, son of Otis M. Lefty' Poe, lived at 505 A Street southwest, Miami. Besides the father, the boy is survived by his stepmother, one sister, Margaret J. Poe; one stepsister, Shirley Jean; grandparents; Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Poe of Miami and James Carter of Mesa, Arizona. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 pm, Monday at the Assembly of God church. The Rev. J. M. Cockerell will officiate. Note: The rescue of George Hutchinson, 9 year old boy taken from the river in the tragedy Saturday that claimed his playmate's life, marked the third time G. C. Woolworth, 32 years old miner, has saved a life from drowning in the last 10 years. In 1927, Woolworth saved the live of a Commerce youth, that time in water below the dam. Three years later, he pulled a youth out of the same river and in virtually the same place. He could not remember the names of either one he rescued. Friends may press steps to see if the miner is eligible for the Carnegie medal for heroism in saving lives. Burial will be in G.A.R. cemetery, at Miami, under direction of the Cooper funeral home of Miami.