Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-11-15
A HUMAN LIFE PRESRRyER,

-A4iO Ahst WIZ Is now anG mas Deen
ior number OF years pound keeper.
His exploits as IN officer Of the law have
won for him the title of the "Great
American Detective, and his undaunted
pluck, frequently amounting 10 a sort
oil recklessness, is fully inherited By his
children. His oldest boy, William Ell
wood, is I" chip of tho old block "a
sort OF barefooted yagrant around town,
wild and needless in his ways, a noted
truant from school, loathing hard work,
but the hero of exploits which are sufil-
Gent TO cover multitude of transgres.
sjops.
Elwood was born on Washington's |
birthday in 1860. At the age of eleven
be saved q girl named Annie Hutton,
about his own age, who was gathering |
coal on the railroad and was caught by |
she down express on the Relvidere diyi- |
sion. The youngster drew her from be- |
meath the ponderous drivers Just in the |
nick of time, his own escape being so
narrow that a 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. he was
unable to swim, and young Parks, see
ing his mishap, leaped into the water
after him. Both came up beneath the
raft, when Elwood, by cropping about
with one 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
boy, couple of years ago, fell twenty
feet from a pile of lumber and was
81
ed 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 him to his
home, three blocks away, and then ran
for the doctor. The doctor declared,
after learning 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 Geisneicher, a German lad, was
skating on basin of the canal when the
ice broke and let him through. All his
companions fled in terror. Young
Parks, as might have been expected, was
lounging in the neighborhood, and
started on a run for the drowning lad.
He broke through the ice several times
before reaching him and again after
catching his arm, but he brought him
safely to land.
When warm weather came again q
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 he toppled over
and was in fair way to drown, when
Elwood, then fifteen years old, sprang
in to his help. It 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.
Tt was not long after that fearfu
runaway took place on the main street O.
Trenton. A team of horses became
frightened at the cars and dashed off a
headlong speed. A lady and gentleman
were thrown out and badly hurt.
second gentleman remained in the vehi
Gle, which was bounding and swaying
along the street, the horses unmanage
able, when young Parks threw his Goa
over the head of one, and Selling tn,
other by the bit, brought both to
standstill and released the frightene,
driver unhurt.
Young Parks caught the bit of
another runaway team, whose drive
had fallen astride the tongue, and woul,
have been crushed a few moment
later. On this occasion the boy wa
dragged fully fifty feet, but he hung OF
like grim death, until two men came t.
his assistance. Last winter anothe
horse ran away, threw out q lady ant
gentleman, and was plunging straigh
for the canal, when he was seized an,
checked by our hero, who was assiste
by young Geisneicher, the lad whom h
saved from drowning.
Three years ago the father, Archie
was driving q team with load of oys
tiers. He stopped at house and wa
returning to his wagon when he caugh
his foot in an obstruction and fell di
rectly in front. At the same momen
his horses started and when stopped b
Elwood, who seized them by the bi
the forward wheels were within fe'
inches of his fathers head.
Ezekiel Gordon, wife and daughter
and John Eldridge and wife some fe
years ago we're coming down Stockto
street IN carriage, when the tW
horses became unmanageable and ra
away. Eldridge was flung out and bad
bruised, but the others were saved /
young Parks, who seized the bit an
brought the steeds to q stand-still.
year later Elwood was in small boa
some miles from this city, when
drunken canal driver tumbled in an
was fished out by the youngster.
One day last summer a Mrs. Rile
who had been i'll for some time wi
a arrangement of the brain, jumped o.
of the second story window of her hous
and ran to the canal, with the intentit
of drowning herself. An alarm was Civ,
and she was pursued and captured
William E. Parks, and held until ASST
ance was rendered by neighbors. FL
intention was to drown herselfl This
the second attempt she has made
self destruction. About an hour lat
Parks rescued from drowning you
girl who was out boating in compa
With young man. The boat capsize
md the man, though intoxicated, ms
aged to get to shore, but the girl "
drowning and would soon have be
drawn under canalboat, which "
lying there, had not Parks come to
relief, and at the imminent risk of
own life-not waiting to throw off a
of his clothing.
Two other exploits of our young ht