Frank Agnew Reaches For Oar Lost While Dozing; Plunges Into Water
The cries of a man fishing at Willett Pond and the reassuring words of another saved a man from drowning Sunday morning after his rowboat had capsized.
The principals in the dramatic rescue were a Boston postal clerk, Frank Agnew of 11 Pierce Avenue, Dorchester, who tell into the water when his rowboat overturned, Eddie “Sam” Langlois, 32, of 220 Nahatan Street, an employee of Dreyfus, and White and Welch’s Newsstand who saw Agnew’s plight and shouted for help and Freddie Leh-ton of Bullard Street, Walpole, who heard the cries of Langlois and raced to the shore of the pond and directed the man to hold onto the boat and drift towards shore from where Lehton waded in and pulled him out.
Agnew, who owns a cottage on Fisher Street, Walpole, was having a peaceful time drifting around in his rowboat between “Flat Rock” and “Rock Island,” some 100 yards from shore on the Walpole side. He fell asleep for a short while and upon awakening found that one ot his oars had fallen into the water. Agnew reached tor the oar and as he did plummeted into the water, which was cold despite the recent warm spell.
Eddie “Sam” Langlois, who was enjoying his favorite sport of fishing, saw the predicament that Agnew was in. Unable to swim himself, Langlois screeched for help and attracted the attention of two persons. One was Joseph Long of Oolah Avenue who was passing by in an automobile at the time and who drove to Hentschel’s Garage on Walpole Street from where he called the Norwood police. The other was Freddie Lehton of Bullard St., whose home is near the pond. Lehton dashed out of his house and noticing the plight of Agnew, proceeded to remove all his clothing but his under-clothes.
In, the approximately 10 minutes that transpired between the time that Agnew fell out of the boat and Lehton ran to his rescue, Agnew clung precariously to the capsized boat. He admitted later that he had started to lose his nerve at this t>me and might have loosened his grasp if Lehton hadn’t come along.
Noticing that Agnew was drifting toward shore, Lehton directed him to hold on and to continue to float along. Lehton waded in some 23 yards and helped the exhausted man in.
Sgt. Thomas MàcNulty and Officer Uno Carlson arrived at this time but their services weren’t needed except to provide Agnew the benefits of the heater In the squad car and return him to his cottage on Fisher street and Lehton to his home on Bullard street.
Apparently not requiring any medical treatment, Agnew rested at his home and reflected on what would have happened but for the actions of Messrs. Langlois and Lehton.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)