Today in my "massive house clean-up", I came across this article about my maternal grandfather, T.J. O'Donnell. It is obviously from an old newspaper clipping and it is rapidly disintegrating, therefore, before I retire for the evening, I will type a copy of it into my Blog in an attempt to preserve the information for future generations. It does not contain a date or the name of the newspaper.
MANY ARE RESCUED IN DASH OF RUNAWAY
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Bravery of Patrolman Thomas J. O'Donnell Saves Lives of Woman and Child.
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OFFICER HIMSELF INJURED.
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Grasps Horse and Succeeds in Throwing It to Ground.
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A woman, her five-year-old son and a policeman narrowly escaped serious injury yesterday afternoon when a horse ran wild in Fulton street, between Albany and Tompkins avenues, and imperiled the safety of scores of pedestrians, who ran to safety in hallways or stores.
The woman, Mrs. Bertha O. Floyd, 25 years old, of 1490 Atlantic avenue, and her son, Frank, Jr., sustained bruises of the face and body when they were hurled from the path of the onrushing animal by Patrolman Thomas J. O'Donnell, of Atlantic avenue station, who grasped the horse about the neck.
The patrolman was dragged about a block before he managed to turn the animal into Kingston avenue, where he headed it toward a stone wall. As the animal reared at the wall, the wagon turned over and the horse fell on its side. The policeman, bruised, and his uniform badly torn, climbed on the horse and sat on its head until people came to his rescue and helped him hold it.
Mrs. Floyd and her son were attended by Dr. Marcus, of Jewish Hospital, who had been summoned by Patrolman O'Donnell. The patrolman had escaped serious injury and refused medical attention to bruises.
The horse, owned by Morris Levine, of 293 Ellery street, a painter, was attached to a wagon and had been left in Fulton street near Albany avenue by the driver, Isadore Lowenthal, of 494 East 139th street, the Bronx. It was reported the horse might have been frightened by the whistle of an elevated train overhead, which caused it to start on a mad rampage down the street.
Patrolman O'Donnell had heard the cries of woman and children as they rushed to safety. He saw the animal dashing down the street, with the wagon swaying from one side to the other of the street. Directly in the path of the animal was Mrs. Floyd and her son.
The patrolman ran across the street and bolted over the woman and boy just in time to prevent them from being run down. At the same time he reached up and clasped his arms around the neck of the animal, and by turning the horse's head directed it toward the stone wall.
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