Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-13
IT WAS A BRAVE ACT
Mayor Pickler Stops Runaway
Horse on Main Street.
SURREY CONTAINED THREE PEOPLE
Mrs. T. D. Foster and Daughters Mel.
lie and Edith the Compatibility
Were Not Injured-Mayor Picker
Bruised, But Not Badly Injured.

| [From Tuesdays Daily.l
To the bravery of Mayor Thomas H..
Pickler, Mrs. T. D. Foster and her two
daughters, Nellie and Edith, probably
owe their lives They were driving
last evening about 6 o'clock when sud.
denly their horse began running down
Court Hill. The frightened animal
ran down Court to Main and thence as
far as the Iowa National bank, when
Mayor Picker stopped it's mad career.
In doing SO, he was thrown to the
pavement and badly bruised, but for
tunately his injuries are not serious.
His clothing was badly torn in his at
tempt to save the women and he also
lost a purse containing about SIS in
currency and check for $4.43 Mrs.
Foster and her daughters were not
| injured.
The Runaway.
The daring act of Mayor Picker
probably saved Mrs. T. D. Foster and
her two daughters, Misses Nellie and
Edith, from serious injury, and per-
haps more. The women were driving
down Court street, and when in front
of where the new city library is being
built their horse began running. 1t
ran down to Main street and turned
east. When in front of the Iowa Ma
tional bank, and running at fearful
speed, Mayor Picker, who was walk
ing down Main street, saw the run
away, and with but thought of the
terrible consequences should the sur
rey be overturned and the occupants
thrown to the pavement, he sprang at
the horse and tried to catch the bride.
He was unsuccessful in this, but grasp
ed the lines near the body of the sur
rey. AS the horse ran along Mayor
Picker slowly worked himself up I'M
til he got firm hold on the reins and
then setting himself he threw his
weight against the horse in nendeav-
or to stop the frightened animal He
was partly successful in this, but in
doing 60 he threw himself to the pave
ment. The speed of the horse was
checked, and passers-by finally stop
ped it.
Thrown to Pavement.
When the horse was brought to a
standstill, Mayor Picker was lying on
the pavement with the reins gripped in
his hands, and with his body rubbing
the rear wheels. Had it gone few
inches farther, the wheel would have
gone over him. His clothing was
badly torn as he was dragged over the
pavement, and his rear pocket in
which was purse containing about
SIS in money and check for $4.43
torn out, and the purse lost. The
mayor was quickly assisted to his feet,
when it was found he was not badly
injured although badly bruised in sew
eral places. He was able to walk and
ness on East Main street. He was
meeting later and preside at it's ses-
sion.
Discovers His Loss.
Mayor Picker did not discover the
loss of his pocket book until after he
had gohe to his store. A search was
then mace for the money, but as yet
it has not been discovered. The purse
was small black leather folding book,
and contained, as near as the mayor
remembers, about SIS in currency, be-
sides check for SAB drawn by John
Morrell and Company, in favor of him
self.
Mrs. Foster is Thankful.
Mrs. Foster and her daughters were
not injured, and when the horse was
stopped all stepped out of the surrey
and returned home. The horse and
surrey were not injured Mrs. Foster
said to Courier reporter today that
she did not know what frightened the
horse, but that she believed it did not
like the holding back of the surrey
going down Court Hill. She speaks
in very flattering terms of Mayor Pick
Ter, and says it was very brave act
on his part, as her horse was absolute
ly beyond control when he caught it.
Attempted to Catch Animal.
Thomas Miller who was at the cor
ner of Main and Market streets when
the runaway went by him, made an eff
fort to get hold of the horse but he
was sucCcssful.