Paul J. Burns attempted to save E. Ray Ashby from suffocation, New Castle, Indiana, October 23, 1931. Ray, 14, schoolboy, was overcome by gas in a dry well 35 feet deep. Realizing there was gas in the well, Paul, 15, schoolboy, with a wet towel tied over his mouth, was lowered to the bottom of the well on a windlass rope, to which he was tied. He was overcome before he could tie another rope, which he had, on Ray. He was drawn out unconscious but soon revived. After two men had attempted to rescue Ray, air was pumped into the well, and a man descended with a rope and tied it to Ray. Ray was hauled out, but he was dead.
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