Courtney F. Lewis died saving Florence M. Merritt from drowning, Springville, New York, August 4, 1932. While Florence, 13, was wading in Cattaraugus Creek, she stepped backward into a hole, where the water was 10 feet deep, 15 feet from the bank. Lewis, 26, lineman, who could swim only a few strokes, waded several feet toward her and grasped her bathing cap, which came off. He then grabbed at her hair but did not get a firm hold. In some undetermined manner he got into the deep water behind Florence. Florence felt a push at her back which carried her to wadable water. She waded a few steps to the bank and looked around for Lewis, but he had sunk. Lewis was drowned.
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