Sailor Risks His Life to Save Drowning Cat

New Hampshire, 1920
----------
Sailor Risks His Life to Save Drowning Cat

Hero Is Hurt, but Doctors Fail to Revive Pussy.

PORTSMOUTH, N. H., May 20. -- Urban Bernard Wright, a quartermaster attached to the U. S. S. Rappahannock, had a narrow escape from death when he jumped overboard from the gunboat Paducah in an effort to save the ship's cat "Minnie," which had fallen into the river.

Wright saw the cat struggling in the water and plunged overboard a distance of fifteen feet. he struck a ledge below and injured his arm and leg so severely that they became useless and for a short time it looked as though he would go down before aid could reach him. However, he grabbed the cat with his one good arm and hung onto a line until other members of the crew rescued him.

"Minnie" and Wright were rushed to the sick bay where they were given first aid treatment. The ship's doctor worked on the cat for some time, but failed to revive her.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, May 22, 1920, page 1.