Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-10
TUNNEL HERO MURPHY OUT.
Leaves Hspital, Leg Gone; Ovation
 In New Rochelle.

In New Rochelle.
 New York, March 1O.-Peter Murphy, the hero of the Park avenue tunnel disaster. in which he lost his right leg and suffered the paralysis of his left arm and side, was able to leave Belle yue hospital and go to New Rochelle yesterday, where he was escorted to his home on Sickles avenue by 2OOO people.
 For weeks New Rochelle has been watching Peter Murphy's progress back to health to give him this tri- umph. Nothing in years thrilled folks here so much as did the story of his heroism in the tunnel disaster. When the trains crashed together Murphy's head and shoulders were pushed through window and his feet and legs were caught beneath the en- zine which had telescoped the car He worked one leg free and was about to pull the other loose when the roof of the car fell on both legs
 As he hung there in fearful agony Battalion Chief Farrell came along. Murphyasked him to lift the timbers off his legs so that he could free him self.
 If do that" said Farrell, s.the roof will fall on the others inside. There are women there"
 Il didn't think of that" said Mur- phy. Let it stay. I'll stand the pain" He did for more than half an hour, never losing consciousness. Then they got him out. At the hospital they said they didn't think they could possibly save his life, but they tried. He was the most cheerful patient there. They amputated his right leg. but he never uttered q word of complaint And New Rochelle had daily bulletins of his progress telegraphed there and posted at the newspaper offices. Crowds gath cred to read them and hundreds prayed for the recovery of Peter Murphy. ''hero of the wreck
 The crowd that welcomed him back home yesterday was the largest ever seen at the station. 1t was larger than when Bryan spoke in New Ro- chelle. Mir Murphy was taken from Bellevue hospital to Willis avenue in a patent ambulance coach in charge of four members of the New Rochelle Knights of Columbus, Grand Knight w. H. Synett, Deputy Grand Knight D. M. Noonan. John +. Condon and Thomas r. O'Connor.
 At Willis avenue, 100 members of the Knights of Columbus took charge of Mir Murphy and placed him on special train on the Harlem river branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad. He had a horror of riding through the tunnel where he saw so much suffering and on this account he was taken by the way of the Harlem river branch. He says he will never ride through the tunnel again, as the vision of the tun- nel horror is constantly before him.
 When Murphy left the hospital the nurses wept. Ever since he arrived there he has been one of the most jo- vial of patients despite the excruciat- ing pain he suffered. When New Ro- chelle was reached pretty girls crowd ed about his car and showered him with bouquets. During the trip to New Rochelle Murphy constantly joked with his friends and declared that he felt excellent When he saw his wife he said in q joking way: .sI am sorry to have kept you wait ing so long, but I had q game of pi- nochle on in the hospital and the nurses wouldn't let me out alone with my one leg.''
 MT Murphy, who is 2S years old, is q member of Relief Engine company and the Catholic Benevolent Legion of New Rochelle. He was for several years the champion baseball pitcher of the town. When he is stronger in health the different organizations in tend to give him a big reception. He was the most seriously injured of the surviving wreck victims.