Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-22
A HUMAN LIFE PREsERypg

Iof number OF years pound keeper.
His exploits as an officer oil the Law have
won for him the title of the sGreat Ameri-
can Detective" and his undaunted pluck
frequently amounting to sort of recs-
lessness, is fully inherited by his children.
His ELDEST boy, William Elwood, is q
'chip of the old block'-a sort of bare
footed vagrant around town, Wild and
needless IN his way, noted truant from
school, loathing hard work, but the hero
of exploits which are sufficient to cover
multitude of transgressiens.
Elwood was born ON Washiagton's
birthday in 1860. At the age OF eleven
he saved girl named Annie Hutton,
about his own age. who was gathering
coal on the railroad and was caught by
the down express on the Belvidere divi-
sion. The youngster drew her from be-
meath the ponderous drivers ju +. in the
nick of time, his own escape being 80
narrow that portion of his coat was cut
off by the wheels of the engine.
The following summer, Johnny Hut
ton, brother of the foregoing, fell off
raft and was carried under lie was
unable to swim, and young Parks, see
ing his mishap. leaped into the water
alter him. Both came UP beneath the
RAFT, when Etwood, by groaping about
with ore hand, discovered from the
direction of the logs the shortest line to
clear water and brought the little fellow
safely to land. This same Hutton bow.
couple OF years ago, fell twenty feet
from pile of lumber and was knocked
senseless. Young Parks scooped up
water in his hat and threw it in his face.
He was so badly hurt that he failed to
revive, when Parks slung him over his
shoulder and carried hir, to his home,
three blocks away, and then ran for the
doctor. The doctor declared, after learn
ing all the circumstances, that Hutton's
life was saved the second time by Parks
as clearly as in the first case
Some three or more years since, David
Geisneiceer, q German lad, was skating
on basin OF the canal when the ice broke
and let him through. Ali his companions
fled in terror. Young Parks, as might
have been expected. was lounging in the
nelghborhood, and started on run for
the drowning lad. He broke through
the ice several times before reaching him
and again after catching MS arm, but he
brought him safely to land.
When warm weather came again
German blacksmith. with heavy load
OF lager aboard, sat down on the margin
OF the Canal to battle his feet, By the
time he was fairly going be toppled over
and was in q fair way to drown. when
Eiwood, then fifteen years old, sprang.
in to his help. 1t came near being his
last exploit, for the German caught him
IN such manner that the boy could not
use his limbs. He therefore dove, carry
ing the blacksmith with him, and Kept
him beneath until the man was nearly
gone. Then the youngster caught him
by the hair and towed him ashore. The
lad was censured by some for this act, as
he was small and all the probabilities
pointed to losing his own life in the at
tempt to rescue large and powerful
man.
1t was not long after that fearful run
away took place on the main street of
Trenton. A team OF horses became
frightened at the cars and dashed off at
headlong speed. A lady and gentleman
were thrown out and badly hurt. a
second gentleman remained in the vehicle,
which was bounding and swayiDg along
the street, the horses manageable, when
young Parks threw his coat over the head
Of one, and selling the other by the bit,
brought both to a standstil and released
he frightened driver unturt
Young Parks caught the bit of another
runaway team, whose driver had fallen
astride the tongue, and would have
been crushed few moments later On
THIS occasion the boy was dragged fully
fifty feet, but he hung on like grim death
until two men came TO his assistance Last
winter another horse ran away, threw out
lady and gentleman, and was plunging
straight for the canal, when he was seized
and checked by our hero, who was assist
ed by young Geisneicher, the lad whom
he had saved from drowning.
Three years ago the father, Archie,
was driving team with a load Of oysters.
he stopped at a house and was returning
to his wagon when he caught his feet in
an obstruction and fell drectlyin front,
At the same moment his horses started
and when stopped by Elwood, who
seized them by the bit, the forward
wheels were within few inches of his
fathers head.
Ezekiel Gorden, wife and daughter, and
John Eldridge and wife some few years
ag Q were coming down Stockton street in
a carriage when tie two horses became IN
manageable and ran away Eldridge was
flung out and badly bruised, but the 9th
ers were saved by young Parks, who
seized the bit anc brought the steed to
stand-still. A year later Elwood was in
a small boat some miles from this city,
when drunken canal driver tumbled in
and was ushed out by the youngster.
One day last summer a Mrs. Riley.
who had been i'll for some time With
arrangement of the brain, jumped out of
the second story window OF her house,
and ran down to the canal with the inten-
ton OF drowning herself. bn alarm was
given and she was pursued and captured
by William X. Parks, and held until as
slstance was rendered by neighDors. Her
intention was to drown herseli This is
the second attemp pit she has made at self
destruction. About an hour later Parks
rescued from drowning a young girl who
was out boating IN company with
young man. The boat capsize1.
and the man, though intoxicated, man
aged to get to shore, but the girl was
drowning and would soon have been
drawn under canaiboat, which was
lying there, had not young Parks come
TO ner relief, and at the imminent risk
OF his own life-not waiting to throw off
any of his clothing
Two other exploits of our young hero
took place thin month a half mile
south of Trenton, opposite the State
prison, the driver of the canalboat Rails
ton became entsngled IN the tow line