The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-07
A BRAVE OFFICER.
An Ice Cold Plunge
Into Coachlace's
Icy Waters.
WATCHING PROGRESS.
Delegation Of Clinton Men
Go to Boston to Defend
Town Interests.
WATCHING PROGRESS.

Clinton, April 6.-Patrolman Walter
Burke went to the edge of Coachlact
pond, this afternoon, to represent law
and order. He remained to save a boys
life.
People in the neighborhood say that
young Henry Kittredge, a fun-loving
daredevil boy of II years. would be
dead now, if officer Burke had not per-
formed feat which demonstrated I'M
usual pluck, presence of mind and
courage, if not downright heroism.
Young Kittredge fell through the ice
of Coachlace pond. He was about to
lose his hold on the edge of the brittle
ice surrounding, when Burke jumped in
and pulled him out.
Burke had on his helmet, a heavy
skirted policemans winter overcoat
and a pair of heavy shoes. He wore,
in short, the entire cumbersome raj
ment of a policeman doing duty in
winter. He was additionally weighted
with pair of handouts and a short
wooden club, which was thrust into a
hip pocket
The occasion and the opportunity for
such display of courage arose in this
wise An ice house, owned by Charles
Frazer & Co, stands midway of the
pond, on the Main street side. A run
way leads down from the tower and
the ice house and extends outward
from the edge Of the pond over the
water some 20 feet. The cables and
hauling apparatus lie above the in
Clined plane. To protect the apparatus
a roof is built over it.
While patrolling Main street. Burke
observed that the small doors in the
protective shed were open. He judged
that the neighborhood boys were tres
passing upon the property and went
down to warn them away.
He came upon a dozen little fellows
somewhat suddenly. They were scat
tered along the runway. They were
panic-stricken when they saw the Of
ficer Kittredge did something none Of
the other boys We're bold enough to do,
He went to the foot of the runway and
stepped off upon the honeycombed ice.
He was going to shake the officer by
the method popularized in Uncle
Toms Cabin. But ice in April, on
Coachlace pond, and ice on the stage
are not the same things, as the little
fellow discovered.
Twenty feet from the end Of the run
way the ice broke and he sank into the
freezing water where he managed to
support himself by clinging to the
edges
officer Burke had just then seized a
juvenile member of a neighboring fam
lily, and was reading the riot act, so
that the Kittredge boys predlcament
was not known to him until the boy S
shrill yell told that something was
very wrong. Burke made his way 10
The end of the runway and called to
the boy:
Hold on until l get a plank,
The very pitiful cry came back;
Il can't hold on no longer
Burke has a child or two of his own;
He didn't wait for planks. he jumped
in. The water as up to his head ana the
ice broke before him. People who were
there before the excitement was over
say that if the officer had known noun
ing of the art of swimming both he ana
the boy would have drowned. AS 1t was
Burke made his way to the lad Wltnln
a space of a few seconds, partly by
treading water and partly by the sup
port offered by the crumbling Ice
Weighted as Burke was he could
hardly keep his nose above water, al
though he is an expert swimmer HaV-
ing reached Kittredge, he supported
another boy showed a plank out Inc
rest was as easy as the bath was lcy'
Burke lifted the boy to the shore ana
crawled out himself.
Shall take you home" said Burke.
NO" said the boy, Il rather go nome
alone. 1 won't be so apt to get licked
Walter j. OToole hitched up team
and took Burke home. Burke llVes VI, .l
Oak street His clothes were heavy as
ne was. His teeth were chattering. lie
felt as an icicle might that was being
baked. Nevertheless he reported TO
Chief Orer B. Bates at the station. Inc
chief said, "You go home and go 10
bed"
In he'd was where Burke was when
the correspondent of the spy caIIeu on
him this evening. His great coat anu
his blue trousers were on the clothes
horse drying, his gold watch was be-
hind the kitchen stove. The water
stopped it at 2.2S fiat.
Il felt for a minute" said Burke to
the correspondent 'as though dldh
care whether taxes were 50 thousdh9
or 500. AS Burke is a taxpayer anu anu
doesn't like to pay taxes any better
than other taxpayers, this meant VOL
umes. 1t is at least all he WOULD say
about his gallant act
1t was the day of boys in the police
world today. This afternoon OilCeI
Lawson brought in soiled fearful 1T
tie fellow and introduced him to ne
chief A Lancaster woman mad EllcA-
ed her ancient horse and a falling TOD
buggy in front of the Clinton mousse anu
this boy and another thought IL Woulu
be a splendid idea to take Iree rue
The owner spoke to Lawson and Law
son collared this boy. Walter McNaI,y,
the other boy, ran away and hid. me
captured boy said his name was Ar1hu
Cross. Chief Bates asked him II ne
knew what such enterprises OF desp5I
ate viIlainy led to. The boy said he
didn't. The tears got bigger than mar