The times., 1898-01-16
IS AN ACCIDENT RUNNER
Queer Business of a Young New
York Woman.
SHE WORKS UP EVIDENCE
Might Be Called a Promoter of
Suits for Personal Injuries -
Saws 1t Makes Her a Good Iiv-
ing and Is in Every Way Com
genial.

New York, Jan. 1o.-Ine unique oc
cupati5n followed 10y a young woman
was disclosed the ot her day when there
was an accident Oh the Broadway ca Die
line. The accident in itself was not es
pecialy noteworthy; a car that was rap
IDLY rounding the Fourteenth street loop
known as Dead Mans Curve struck a
newsioy wh0 was rushing across the street,
and knocked him 10 the pavement, where
he lay unconscious, his head bleeding from
a cash cut by rough stone. The car
stopped, and the usual crowd of curious
and sympathetic onlookers gathered ahout
the hoy.
Soon a Young woman with a business
like air and a tailor ma de gown pushed
her way through the crowd about the
PROSTATE youngster. She promptly took
charge of the boy; directed that he be
removed 10 a nearby drug store. and
sent a man TO ring in an ambulance can.
While this was being done she moved
quickly through the crowd pencil and
notebook in hand; secured the names OF
half dozen persons who had witnessed
the accident; jotted down the numbers
OF the conductor and gripman, and made
rough little diagram of the spot where
the accident had happened-an before the
car moved on in its uptown journey.
Then She hurried back TO the boy and re-
NAMED by him until his wound had been
dressed ana he had been carried away
home.
Probably most of those who observed
the young woman's actions set her down
as woman reporter, but if 50, they were
mistaken. Her name is Harriet Emerson,
and she herself describes her occupation in
this wise:
My interest in people who are knocked
down by street cars is caused chiefly by
business reasons, / assure YOU she said
brightly. I'm what you call runner
1 suppose, at least that's what we used to
can the boys who did this work before /
began it." Then, in answer to her listeners
bewildered look, she explains further:
II you'll take the trouble TO count them
up in your newspaper some morning, youU
see that there are great many accidentsof
one kind or another in a big city like New
York every day. There area good many too,
that are never mentionedinth the papers, You
probably know that IL a workman who
is injured by falling ScaffoIding or a man
who has his foot cut off by a trolley car
can prove that il was the fault OF his EN-
ployer or the railway company, as the case
Iuay bs the law permits him t. collect dam
ages for the injury done. But perhaps YOU
don't know that this branch of the legal
business has become so extensive that it
occupies the whole attention of several
firms. II is a lucrative business. too, for
juries are apt to give the injured person
the benefit Of doubt.
This IL what gave me my opportunity
/ made up my mind that woman who
knew just what was wanted would have
less difficulty in getting the proper evil
dence than a street boy who knew not hing
about it. I've been al this work about a
yesr now, and find that it paws me
better than my former office employ
ment as a StenOgra pher. I do OF her things
besides taking notes OF accidents. such
as serving papers and collecting evidence
Tor my firm. but most OF my income is de-
rived ffom such affairs as you have just
seen.
OF course, don't see all the accidents
that happen. though good many more
than you would think come under my eyes.
bUu have a good many ways of finding out |
about them quickly. For instance at most |
OF the dangerous street crossings there |
are men who know me, and will send a tin |
10 the office when there's a case on. |
Similarly, I've made the acquaintance of |
workbench in the railroad yards, and on /
some OF the big buildings. / get a per- |
centage on the fee frotn each case, and /
a soue OF them net me as high as S50,I |
don't have to pick up many of them to /
make fairly good living. / dare say you |
think it's an odd occupation, but / ike it,
ana it's good work, too, for if it wasn't for
me many of these poor creatures who are
manned or injured by the carelessness Of |
others would never get their rights"