The evening world., 1892-08-12

He FELL into THE TUNNEL.
1t Was "Perner the Newsboy's "
Bad Day and He Ran Away.
In Hunting Place 10 Sleep He
Narrowly Escaped Death.

An excited crowd OF from nve hundred to
one thousand men, women and boys shortly
after midnight this morning Witnessed the
efforts OF several policemen. trcmen and citi-
zcns to cxtricate young street gamin,
known IN Harlem as "Penner the Newstoy
from his perilOus position on the New York
central and Hudson River Railroad tracks
near Ninctieth street.
The boy had fallen into the tunnel through
the ventilator, which opens into Park avenue
between tiyhty-ninth and Ninetieth streets
shortly after 11.30 O'clock last night Po-
licrman John Pearsall, Of the East Eighty.
eighth street station. who was patrolling
Park avenue not far from Ninetieth street,
heard indiS,irct calls for help. lie walked
down toward Eighty.ninth street ana the
sounds grew louder
Help! Help! I'm here. Come quick"
The screams were fun OF agony. They
sounded to the policeman as II coming from
the heavens. 1t was several minutes before
he located the cries and in the mean time a
big crowd had begun TO assemble.
Policeman Pear sail finally climbed over the
low Iron fence surrounding the ventiator
n reercd into the inky darkness OF the
-
dashing by.
The cries fer help were Mingled with the
roar OF the train, and the policeman began 10
fear that whoever WAS down In the black
hole had heen ground TO death.
moment later he was informed by the
voice that the owner had fallen into The
tunnel and had been terribly injured.
The policeman cautioned tic person, who
sad Ii" was " Pcnncr, the newsboy,' and
went in search OF aid.
Al Donohucs livery stable on East Eighty.
seventh street, he found Watchman Henry
NeynoIds. The two procured n adder, and
on the way back Driver O'Brien and several
iiremen from Hook ana Ladder Truck No. IL
Joined them.
The nearest point where a ladder could he
lowered with safety Into the tunnel was AZ
( Eighty-siXih street, where the Harlem Rail.
road local train stops.
The station was locked, and as the men
, could not " down that way, the ladder was
thrust down one OF the shafts. Lanterns lad
been procured from the house OF Truck ID
and half dozen men, Including Policeman
tunnel. Two blocks up they found the boy
lying between the tracks nearest the cas-
sidc OF the tunnel, lie was covered Will
| bruises, from which blO5d Bowed freely, anl
was In a scni.unconscious state.
! Four men carried him u the street and ar
ambulance took him to Presbyterian Hos
/ pitul. There he was recorded as John Nc
Cann, newsboy, seventeen, OF II" Eas
! Eighty-n1nth street.
| Ills nose was broken, one arm was frac.
/ turcd ana half OF his ribs were crushed in
! The doctors said that It would be miracle
! fl he survived the shock alone.
/ The boys iathcr Is a latOrer In poor health
! ana the mother has been supporting the lam
, lily with n small newsstand nj Third avenu,
and Eighty ninth street. There are sevcra
! children In the family.
| "Penncr the NewSDOy" " helped his mother
when he iel' like 1t. when he didn't he raj
away lrom home and sept ON trucks, In b Ac
or, In fact, wherever he could lind spot.
The boy was Dad yesterday and he raj
away last night. He couldn't tell mucl
about the accident. As far as can be learned
he sought the shelter around the airshaIl
over the tunnel TO escape the rain, which wa
falling ia torrents.
IL Is Thought that he was trying to find q
place IN the opening where h. cou.d crowd fl
out OF the rain, but, having climbed on th'
rail. lost his b dance and went crashing dowl
ON the railroad bed, a distance OF thirty feet.
when found i'cnner had managed Il
drag his body tweaty feet from the spo
VIII re he fell. Fortunately he crnwlcd cas-
ward and got IN the harlem track. npol
which trains We're not running frequently
Had he uncOnScioGSly dragged himself Il
the Other direction he would have been Gu
into pieces, Tor Il number oI trains passe
while he was lying In the tunnel fully three
quarters OF an hour,