The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-25

A Breakneck Race After IL Team That Ran
Away from in Front of the MorEue.
As a result OF a view lively drive across town
in pursuit Of u runaway dead wagon full Of
empty pine cofllns at midnight on Thursday.
Night Superintendent McHale OF Bellevue
Hospital has a pair OF lame arms and shoulders
to-day. Driving horses at full speed is not
part OF McHale's regular duties and the strain
was too much for his comfort; but he has the
satisfaction Of a capture to recompense him
and a tale Of several hairhreadth escapes to
tell. The dead wagon wos taken to the MorRue
late on Wednesday night. and Ed ward Quirk.
the driver, left the two horses standing while
he carried inside the body of a child brought
from "A Essex street. The horses. however.
got tired of standing and started westward
across Twenty-siNth street.
Hearing the rattle OF the wagon. Quirk ran
out and yelled to the horses to stop. They
put on an extra burst of speed. The yell
brought out McHale and a policeman. who
reached the street Just too late to intercept
the running horses. At the gateway stood a
Presbyterian Hospital ambulance.
pile in" shouted McHale. jumping to the
drivers seat. A aboardl Get along. therel"
The policeman jumped up beside McHale.
Quirk made a flying lean and reached the rear
step and the ambulance whirled Off in chase.
BY the time it got fairly started the dead
wagon was at Third avenue. For n block the
race was pretty even. but at Second avenue n
coffin fell from the dead wagon with a bang
hat startled the horses to increased swiftness.
1t was a brief squirt. however. and the pur-
suerS began to draw up until ut Third avenue
they were not more than 100 feet behind. As
the dead wagon reached the avenue n man
ran out into the roadway fapping his %overcoat
in his hands and the team swerved. missing an
elevated road pillar by u foot. The man did n
war dance and beloved at tho ambulance.
and the rlANKlnR oil "A ROnE from Town the
avenue gave warning OF the nature OF the
danger 1E noose Mn The The reins oi McE iaIis yelled ned
Quirk. realizing that something was up. added
his voice from the rear step. The horse re-
track In two leaps Just as a cable ear with a
wild-eyed gripman straininE at his brake shot
clothes.
Fifth avenues they flushed a hanson cab.
which finally drove up on the sidewalk and
sought refuge in an areawqy, while the en-
ragged and alarmed cabby Yelled:
Ring yer gong, ye t%arriers! Why DOM
That's right said McHale to the police
man; keen the bell going. ~ 60 to adyer-
''S The n til the neIiceman devoted his sole
attention to producing Chinese music on the
bell. At Broadway an unbound cable car cut
in behind the dead wagon and across the path
of the ambulance. and the gripman. becoming
rat.led. tried to stop the car.
Go on" yelled the crew OF the ambulance
In chorus. Get out the wav."
NcHale hauled the horse around to the left
and two passen gers fell Off the rear platform
Of the car Just too soon to see tho ambulance
whirl BY. about a foot to the good. The rest
was a stern chase with plain sailing. Near
Eighth avenue the turnout scared "a late rev.
eller, M a ,lamppost: where he hung and
reached the horses Of the dead wagon we're
feeling pretty dead themselves and were de-
scribing a course as 7igzag as tina, Of a learner
an elevated road pillar. breaking "a whifle-
tree. Quirk captured them and took them
whifletree and the one coffin. which was re-
covered In n somewhat shattered condition.
Quirk has been ordered 70 write a letter Of
explanation aud fears that he may lose his
place. He saws that he had no alternative but
body into the NIorgue. Quirk has been a
driver. for the Department of Charities, for
twelve years and has a record as 4 faithful and
efficient man.