| Dundy County Nebraska Genealogy Trails |
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| The heroic rescue of a Benkelman grade school boy from a tragic death in the
frigid waters of a Benkelman gravel pit will engrave the name of Merle Wilson in
the historical annals of Dundy county. For courageous action at risk of great
self sacrifice, Merle Wilson will long be remembered. The rescue of Everett Leech, 12 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Leech of Benkelman, was made almost by story book rules. Upon notice of the drowning boy's plight, Wilson rapidly stripped himself of heavy clothing and with a running leap broke thru the ice and with powerful arm strokes he broke the ice before him until he reached the victim and then after considerable struggle to maintain both his own and the Leech boys buoyancy, he swam back thru the trail of broken ice to the bank. Contact with the inch-thick ice lacerated both arms and both legs were bruised. Merle Wilson, 18, and his brother, Harry, 16, sons of Mrs. Fred Waterman, and Ike Denney were visiting the pit location in quest of gravel when they heard piercing cries for help. At first they thought perhaps it was a joke but upon investigation they discovered that two boys were splashing about frantically in two small holes in the ice of the gravel pit. The boys immediately rushed to their aid and upon instant appraisal of the scene, Merle instructed Harry to rush back to the truck for a seventy-five foot rope which he thought would reach at least one of the boys. Gary Bowker, 12, son of Mrs. Rose Bowker, was the nearest to the shore and by venturing far on the thin ice Harry was able to reach him with the rope. During this phase of the rescue of Gary Bowker, Harry Wilson was exposed to the frigid waters when the ice broke with him and he had to wade back to shore from a neck-deep depth. However with the rope in Bowker's hands, Harry and Ike Denney were able to bring him to shore. In the meantime Merle Wilson had appraised his duty and was undressed and ready for his venture into the waters before the other boys had returned Bowker to shore. By the time Merle was breaking his way thru the ice, the peril of Everett Leech had become critical. Since the boys had arrived on the scene Leech had bobbed up and down from view several times, each time attempting to secure himself to the ice crust but failing as the ice would break away. As Wilson progressed laboriously thru the ice field between them, Leech was tiring with the great demands on his strength in the struggle and the intense chill of the water had rendered him almost numb and these conditions, added to the handicap of his heavy clothing, made his plight seem utterly hopeless. As Merle Wilson approached him, Leech's cries for help were without restraint but due to his losing battle against submersion they came at greater intervals and Merle valiantly urged himself to even greater speed to reach him before he was lost beyond the waters. When t h e icy expanse had been covered Leech recognized his savior and like all persons in a near drowned state he clutched to Wilson in such a manner that a struggle ensued in which Leech recovered his powers and followed the instruction to hold on to Merle's neck and the pair proceeded back to shore thru the ice-bound trail that Merle had cut enroute to Leech. When the two reached the shore Leech was in a numbed condition and moved his limbs with much difficulty. Wilson had not escaped the rigors of the cold and found it difficult to dress himself. Bowker, Leech and Merle Wilson in company with Ike Denney and Harry Wilson returned to town in the truck and both boys were delivered to their homes and all have apparently escaped any complication from their exposure. Bowker and Leech had taken Friday afternoon off to investigate the possibilities of some remaining ice skating spots on the river, according to Everett Leech. They had walked from town and on arriving at the pits had removed their coats before venturing out on the ice. Everett said that they didn't know that anyone was around and they were very cautious in fear of thin ice when they made their first trip across the pit. Their investigations of the ice seemed to indicate that it was safe and they were preparing to leave when Bowker decided to check a huge gravel pile on the east side. Everett said that he was about to get the coats when he heard Gary cry out as he fell thru the ice. Everett's first thought was to help him and he ran out on the ice towards him when he suddenly realized that he was in the water also. They cried for help and were somewhat surprised when their rescuers arrived. Both boys were in separate holes in the ice some ten feet apart and as late as Monday the scene was very vivid in the ice. Two holes in the ice about six feet in diameter were visible with separate trails leading to them from one spot on the shore. Beside each hole was a long stick which had been in possession of each boy when they broke thru the ice. When the Wilson boys and Ike Denney arrived on the scene both of the boys were breaking the ice about them and progressing, not towards the shore but towards the middle, and it is questionable if either boy would have escaped drowning had not the Wilson boys been in quest of gravel that very minute. --Printed in The Benkelman, NE Post, February 1941 |
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