The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-02
STEER CORES MAN
Seven Wild Bulls Escape
From Mcpherson Yards
and Tear Through
Streets.
WATCHMAN TRIES TO LASSO ONE
He Misses the Animal and Is
Immediately Tossed and
Then Trampled.
CROWDS JOIN IN THE CHASE
One of the Beasts Rampages
in Hamilton Park, Second
in Van Worst and the
Other Five Make for
Hoboken.

Could two of seven wild Colorado steers
that broke out fthe Central Stock Yards
nave foreseen their fate their carcasses
would not today, after stubbornly fought
battles, have been lying riddled with bull
lets, one on one side of the town and
the other on the other side, and John
Curran. of No. ga Thirteenth street,
would not be lying in the City Hospital
as a result of being tossed and gored by
one of them.
AS it was, they started on a rampage
at half-past eleven o'clock last night and
for three hours created more excitement
than the down town section of the city
has had in long while. 1t was sort
of midnight orgie and thousands of people
are rubbing their eyes today and asking
if it was not dream.
The fight of the seven steers was first
discovered by Curran, who is employed
as a watchman at the stock yards. He
and several other men hastily grabbed
lassoes and started off in pursuit. The
tramping of the steers hoofs over the
long roadway between the various pens
awakened people several blocks away.
When they reached Henderson street
the steers separated. One turned down
Henderson street and made for Newark
avenue Another kept straight on up
Sixth street, and five turned north into
Henderson street. AT Pavonia avenue
two of the five turned up Payonia avenue.
One turned into Grove street and went
directly to Hoboken.
The one that turned up Sixth street
reached Hamilton Park. The steer that
turned south on Henderson street found
its way to Van Worst Park. These two
steers that chose the parks as their des-
tination caused all the excitement be-
cause they passed through tenement and
closely built up sections.
Though it was after eleven o'clock there
were still great many people on the
stoops of houses and on safe corners In
each case the cry of Mad BUR was
raised and instantly a crowd gathered ana
began hooting and yelling. This infuri-
ated the two steers and they ran pei
lowing through the streets. People in bed
were aroused from their sleep and rushed
to windows. Hundreds and hundreds OF
men and boys joined in the chase in only
their nightshirts or undershirts and trous-
ers. Before either steer reached either
mark there were nearly a thousand people
in pursuit.
The one that came down Henderson
street turned into Railroad avenue and
headed for Grove street. A big fat sa-
loon keeper who stood in front OF ms
door and heard the hooting of the crowd,
saw a believing bull rushing madly
straight in his direction. In his haste to
get back into his saloon he tumbled back
wards The steer, blinded by the cafe
light, struck telegraph pole
The bull went on to Jersey avenue ana
hnally reached Van Worst Park. Here,
despite the hooting and yelling of the
mob, it began to Craze on the rich grass.
Some man, whose name could not be as
certained, tried to strike it with pole.
The steer lowered its head and made for
him. He jumped aside and the steer
struck his pole and sent it flying through
the air. Patrolman McGurk, who had
heard the noise from distance, ran up.
tshoot him. Shoot himl" several of the
crowd yelled to NcGurk. Hes mad He's
already tossed several people,
The steer had become infuriated at the
man with the pole and was about %
charge the crowd. The crowd fell back.
McGurk fired at the steers neck. 1t
turned so suddenly that the bullet lodged
in its side 1t was now blinded With fury,
and made for MeGurk. who lodged be-
hind trees. ard kept firing. The animal
would make for the flashes. Finally Nc
Gurk was obliged to fee the park. He
made for high stoop on the north side
Of Montgomery street, with the steer in
hot nursuit. Though McGurk still kept
firing the crowd formed around the bull
and seemed to enjoy McGurk's dangerous
and. at the same time, iudicroas pre-
dicament.
The steer finally made turr, scattering
The crowd. and dashed down Jersey ave-
nue where it fell into the Morris Canal
and was drowned
Meanwhile there was more intense *
citcment over in the vicinity OF HaHiiioii
Park. Over five hundred men were -
,,,,rsuit of the steer that passed up slxtn
street and turned north into Jersey ass-
nue. and women and children in desnaphie
crowded the windows and stoops Driven
from the park the steer started Gown
Ninth street. At Erie street Wdicnmh.i
f-,,rran and a crowd tried to head It on
curran called to the crowd to stand back