Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-30

Only miracle and his own presence
of mind saved the life of John Lawleas
Tuesday afternoon. He was driving
one Of Charles b. Dougherty's funeral
coaches down Orange street shortly be-
fore clock, and at Fourth street the
vehicle was struck by car No. G1 of the
West Fourth street line, which was
proceeding west.
The team came down Orange street
at lively clip, but as soon as Iawless
saw the car, he had presence of mind
to rein up Evidently the motorman of
tho car saw Lawless at about the time
the latter realized tho situation, and
bearing down hard on the break lever
he succeeded in checking the speed Of
the car, hut tho momentum Of the
coach would not allow it to stop in
suck short space, and the car struck
the body of the vehicle, throwing it to
one side.
Tho collision frightened the horses
and they dashed down Orange street
Two heavy express teams were stand
ing on Orange street Just above Third,
which allowed but little space in the
street. and in getting around the teams,
which were backed up to the west curb,
tho coach was thrown against an old
tree which stands on the east side OF
the street.
The team continued its mad flight,
and after the express teams had been
passed the frightened horses darted as
if TO 60 into the corner door at the
Office of j. f. Rhoads & Son. They
turned down the Orange street pave
ment and in front Of the Rhoads build
ing snapped of an iron awning post like
pipe stem, but Just below the corner
the coach collided with a stout tree
and stopped short.
But tho horses did not stop. They
pulled the tongue out and sped on down
the street with it between them. They
had not gone far when Morris Welde
and Daniel Dutton, the latter colored,
stepped out in front OF them, and catch
ing hold Of the horses by the bride,
succeeded in bringing them to a stand
still. But in doing SO the men inn
periled their lives, and many people,
who witnessed their bravery expected
TO SEQ both men killed. They were
dragged and ierked about rather roughly
for an instant, but came out victorious
without scratch.
Throughout the whole Of the mad
runaway Lawless, the coach driver, eX.
hibited his nerve and tho duty he owed
10 his employer by sticking on the seat
and trying to control the team. He
leaned back on the roins, and it was
almost a miracle that he was not dashed
from his scat to the pavement But
he held fast to the ribbons until the
horses ierked away from the coach,
when they pulled the lines from his
hands and sped away. Lawless was moi
thrown from his seat by the collision
with the tree, when the vehicle was
suddeny stopped, but he jumped down
as cool and collected as il nothing un-
usual had happened. He would un-
| doubtedly have run after the team, but
| by tho time he was ready to make q
start the frightened animals had beer
captured. Lawless was unhurt, and hi
was warmly congratulated for the man
ner in which he managed the team.
| The coach was badly wrecked, but thu
horses were more frightened than in
jured.
There were several people in the car,
which collided with Lawloss' team,
and il tho coach had struck it, in al
probability several people would have
been hurt. AS it was, the car wa!
only slightly damaged and nobody wal
hurt.
Many people were on the street a
that tiiAe, and there was great excite
ment for few minutes.
Tho horses attached TO the wagons
which wore backed up to the curb OIL
Orange street above Third barely escap
ed injury, and had it not been TO
Lawless pulling his team around them
the result might have been disastrous