James E. MacLachlan saved Melvin W. Herrman from drowning, Taberg, New York, June 24, 1939. While climbing a cliff that was eight feet from the bank of East Branch of Fish Creek, Melvin, 16, schoolboy, lost his footing and rolled down the cliff and thence into the water. He suffered a head injury, was unconscious, and drifted in the water 19 feet from the bank. Shallow water extended five feet from the bank. The bed, which was of rock, dropped sharply: and a depth of 2.5 feet extended three feet farther from the bank, where there was another sharp drop to a depth of six feet. From a ledge that was 20 feet above the water, James, 15, schoolboy, dived outward as far as he could and struck the water almost horizontally his feet being eight feet from the bank. Swimming under the surface, he groped, got hold of Melvin, who was lying on the bottom, and towed him to the surface and 11 feet to wadable water. Melvin was revived and recovered. 37988-3147
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37988-3147