Winnetkan Is Seeking Medal From Congress

James Sherlock, 85 Years Old, Desirous of Receiving Hero Medal for Work at Lady Elgin Wreck (subtitle)

Chicago Woman, Whom He Rescued From Ill-fated Ship, Is Making Plea to Congress for a Reward for Him. (subtitle)

As the culmination of a friendship formed at the time she was taken from the deck of the sinking Lady Elgin on the night of Sept. 19, 1861, off the shore of Winneka, Mrs. Margaret Craine of 2243 Seminary avenue, Chicago, is making an appeal to congress for the man who rescued her, James Sherlock, 85 years old, of Winnetka. Mrs. Craine claims Sherlock is one of the few unhonored heroes of that terrible catastrophe. After he swam to shore with Mrs. Craine, it is said, he returned to the stranded ship at least thirty times, each time returning with some man in his strong arms.

Now An Invalid.

Sherlock was crippled as a result of his strenuous endeavors in the ice-cold waters and since that time has been an invalid. Throughout the intervening years Mrs. Craine has watched over him and at several times has nursed him back to health.

Although he was one of the heroes of the wreck, through some error he was never rewarded for his heroic work. As he is getting well along on life's road, it is the hope of the woman he saved from a watery grave to have [illegible] bestowed upon him in this [illegible] life.

The wreck of the Lady Elgin still is vivid in the minds of many old residents of Evanston and the North Shore. On the night of Sept. 19, 1861, the Lady Elgin departed from Chicago for Milwaukee with a number of passengers. A great storm was raging, and when off the shore of Winnetka, in the dark, the ship was rammed and sunk by the steamer Augusta.

Heroic Action

The scenes that followed immediately after the wreck were dramatic and marked with heroism. A number of students of Garrett Biblical institute, hearing of the distress of the wrecked ship, rushed to the scene and carried off many persons from the wrecked vessel.

In commemeration of their brave work that night, the government erected the life-saving station at Evanston and made a ruling that only students of the university should serve as members of the crew.

Sherlock is said to have worked side by side with the students of the institute, but in some way he was never rewarded for his services. Mrs. Craine believes she will be successful in her attempt to have congress bestow a medal upon this old hero,