The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-01
HER LIVELY DRIVE.
An Erate Woman WieIds
a Dainty Weapon.
Officer Graham Attempts to Stop a
Runaway and Is Badly Worsted
by the Fair Driver.

Golden Gate avenue was the scene OF a
lively encounter between an irate woman
and police officer, last night, during which
the latter got decidedly the worst of the
fray.
The contestants were Mrs Linda Irwin,
who resides at All EDDY street. and Police
man G. II. Graham. whose beat is on the
fashionable thoroughfare over which
stylish turnouts speed on their way TO
Golden Gate Park and the Cliff House.
As result of the encounter the lady is
in durance vile al the new City Hall notice
station and the officer had his injuries
dressed at the Receiving Hos pital.
The strange deadly weapons employed By
his assaiant were long STEEL hatpin and
whalebone whip. both of which she used
with viGor.
To Graham's regret, Mrs. Irwin yeSter-
day concluded she would take an airing,
and, with this object in view. she hired a
horse and cart from livery Stable and iu-
yited lady friend to accom- pany her on her
excursion. The ladies' were both in good
spirits when they started ont on their
drive, which increased as they progressed.
The couple drove up Golden Gate avenue
at a rapid gait, and their reckless driving
was the cause OF considerable comment Oh
the part Of more careful hOrsemeD.
On the way out the air was so eXhilerat-
ing that the spirits OF the ladies rose CORE
spondingly, so that by the me the end of
as she EXPRESSED il at the CITY Prison.
II was on the return trip that Mrs. Irwin
experienced the difficulty with the guardian
of the peace.
Mrs. irwin gracefully handled the rib
bnns behind the spirited trotter but was
dissatisfied with the conventional gait. She
recklessiy piled the whip on the spirited
animal, despite the remonstranCes of her
companion, and her horse broke into a run.
"Ihey had several narrow escapes from
colliding with other vehicles on the thorough
fare, but ali went we'll until Polk street
was cached. The horse was by this time
frenZied with pain from the whip-lashing
it had received, and although the fair driver
tugged desperately at the reins il continued
on its mad career, anu she was unable to
check it.
At this iuncture Policeman Graham hap
pened TO come upon the scene, 10 his sOr-
row. At a glance he took in the situation
and the apparent danger of the two young
women, aud he longed to distinguish him
self
He boldly ran into the roadway, and as
the animal dashed by grasped the reins near
the head. be was dragged several feet
before the animal could be brought to
standstill, but thoughts of ELUSIVE thanks
perhaps a gratuity, caused him to hold on
like grim dea b.
But life is full of disappointments.
Graham's motives were not appreciated
by Mrs. Irwin. As he grasped the reins at
the risk of his own life, the fair driver
thinking he intended to arrest her for fast
driving, dashed the animal viciOusly and
attempted to make her escape. Grahaln'S
Dredieament was more amusing TO the by
ISLANDERS than TO himself
lat he. he. 4,
thoroughly frightened horse pranced wildly
over the pavement.
he finally gained control Of the reins and
placed Mrs. Irwin under arrest. but that
lady refused TO submit to such an indig-
nifty. She turned her attention from the
horse to the wOuld-be hero, and piled the
whip upon his defenseiess body unmerci-
fully. At each successive stroke the whip
cuEled affectionately about Graham's neck
and face. leaving large wells as a reminder.
Graham finally tore the weapon from the
irate woman's grasp and pulled her out of
the buggy, while some bystanGerS took
charge of the horse.
Mrs Irwin was in n beiligerent mood, how
ever, and struggled desperately with the
guardian of the peace. She applied innu-
merable vile epthets 10 him and refused to
be sileneed
Graham demonstrated with her, when she
suddenly drew long steel hatpin from
among pr0iusion of artificial flowers 10 her
DDUDet anu hIIdCkPu MIN. before Gra1am
could avoid the blow she plunged the keen
weapon into his breast.
Fortunately it first struck button on the
officers coat. which altered its course
enough to prevent fatal injury.
Graham then subdned the woman byforce
and took her 10 the New City Hall police
station. where she was booked on three
charges, drunkenness. fast driving and yul-
gar language
While in the prison the woman became so
violent that it was necessary to lock her up
in one Of the dark cells until she could re-
cover from her condition.
Policeman Graham presented a sorry
sight when he showed himself at the Re-
ceiving Hosnital after the encounter for
treatment. He does not deny that Mrs
Irwin is muscular young woman as the
marks OF the whip fully Indicated
The physicians found that the steel hat
pin which Mrs. Irwin used as n weapon
during tie struggle had entered the chest
near the heart and penetrated the flesh to a
depth of nearly half an inch. The fact that
the weapon had been DETECTED by button
or the officers coat probably saved him
from more serious injury.
Graham declared sadly as no left the hos
pitai after being treated that hatpins and
stopping runawayS were not in his line.