The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-18
OFF WITH A COFFIN.
Undertaker's Assistant Left the Wagon
Unguarded for a Moment.

neig h bors decided to give her good wake
as bettted, since she was "nelghpor-
lyp woman and well liked in the Cherry
street tenement, New York. 1t was de-
termined by the committee IN charge OF
the function, self-appointed on the spot
that she should be walked In casket, as
fine casket as Murphy the undertaken
could put up on short notice, 80 Tim
O'Hara, representing the committee, sent
around to Murphy's place at 63 adlson
street on Sunday morning and said TO
Murphy's assistant:
"Bridget wants the best casket IN the
place"
"who forG" asked James Amrhein, the
assistant.
"For herself" replied Tim. "she's
dead. Get it up quick, for were going
to wake her tonight"
"All right said Amrhein. "pll bring
the casket myself this afternoon.
"Have il shiny one with plenty OF
trimmings" +" said o. Hara as he went away.
All preparations were made Tor the
wake, and the friends of the dead woman
sat around in the room late in the after
noon waiting for the arrival OF the cas-
ket About o'clock there was subdued
rumble, and Mrs. Degan, putting her
head out OF the window said:
"It's come. The wagons standin' In
the strate. Go down you, Tim O'Hara,
and escort the undertaken upstairs, pro
per and ceremonious.
Obedient Tim went down, met the
undertaker's man. told him which room
to go to, and kept right on to the corner
saloon with tin pail which he surreptlll-
ously snatched up as he passed into the
hall. Hospitality was strong In his
soul, and he proposed to tip the duck to
the undertsker's man. On the way ne
met Jack Meehan, who hangs about the
den
man whom be didn't know.
"Chasin' 1t, Tint" asked Meehan.
"Want any h-help?' d,
"Not from you, Jack" returned
O'Hara. "You've got the load OF hod-
carrier now. Go r, und to the Oak street
lodgings where on belong"
my frien' here, he's drunk's ! am, -
said Meehan; "but we're both willjn' t.
get hic- drunker. Then Well all go
ridin' in my privit coopy."
He waved an inviting hand toward the
undertaker's wagon, which was standing
unguarded. the horse searching earnestly
in refuse barrel for something worthy
of his attention, but without success, be-
cause dozen human searchers had been
was unaware.
Meehan's gesture was lost upon
O'Hara, who presently disappeared within
the swinging doors of the corner estab-
lishment. When he came out the under
takers wagon was bounding up the
street, while Mrs. Degan, hanging half
way out of the window, was shrieking
at the top of her voice:
"Helpi Murder! Tievesl Stop thin
divils They do be runnin away wit the
carpse's casket Po-leecel"
Tim was SO bewildered that he set the
foaming growler down upon the sidewalk
and. stared. (He HASN'T seen the growl-
er since, but that isn't a vital point. }
Up trotted the Widow Fogarty's Youngest
"Dem blokes has flew de coop wit de
band wagon" he announced:
"Wot's that?" yelled O'Hara, seizing
the urchin by the ear.
"Owl Ooool Leggo me ear! Leg
go-o-ol One OF 'em says to the other,
'Ha'e a ride, an the other says sure, ,
an, they jumped on an belted the horse
one, an there they go Owl Leggo,
an'che?"
With final tweak OF the ear for luck,
O'Hara left the Widow Fogarty's young
est, and flew down Cherry street In pur-
gaining on him at every jump, when the
drivers determined. with unfortunate
suddenness, that the proper thing for
them TO do was to turn down James slip.
The horse didn't think SO. AS result,
there WA a wild lurch of the wagon, fol-
lowed ~ crash of glass as IL turned
over, spilling out the two occupants. The
horse, after futile attempt to drag the
wrecKage, gave it up as bad job aud
stopped. trembling. Meehan arose, took a
comprehensive glance at his work, and
retired hastily around corner. Not SO
his companion. He stood contemplating
the wagon with a rueful conntenance.
"We was h-ic havin' n fine funeral ov
our own maxim " he remarked patheti
a n,I a.
you-hic horse that did the Job
"You'n be havin' a funeral OF my
making, you bloody, murderin' thief, q
yelled Tim O'Hara, coming up on the
run. "Who ere you that be running of
with a decent lsdy's casket, an she's not
able to chase you by reason of bein'
dead"
"Is that your cahfhnRn demanded the
other. "G'wan away wit yez."
This was too much. Righteous wrath
was in the blow that Tim O'iara struck
for the honor OF the dead. The recipient
OF II fell into the gutter, rose, clutched
his hat, which had fallen off, and took
| TO his heels. For all anyone knows he /,
running yet. The police haven't stopped
him, certainly, although they would lik,
| to- O'Hara sent word around to Murphy
| that his wagon was I'm trouble. Murph,
came, saw, ard estimated the damage Il
| the wagon at $50. The casket was un
harmed, which, as o'hara said, was TIT
| principal point.
Murphy went around TO the Center
street court 10 make complaint, aDc
court officer Mccormick went down {,
| Cherry street As darkness was falling
| Meehan came back drunker than ever {,
| attend the wake. Mccormick captu rec
| him ana locked him up.
But they had the wake just the same
| and Meehan was the only guest con
| spicuously absent, for the casket cam
back in another wagon. Murphy wante,
10 make a complaint OF grano larcen!
against Meehan I'm court on tho grouD,
that he had tried to steal wagon an.
casket, but reconsidered and charged tn,
prison with malicious mischief. A
was held in 800 bait for trial. Attempt
to get his conipanion's name from hin
were unavailing. While he was being en-
amined Bridget was buried In the csske
he bad run away with.