New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-19

OCCUPANTS CHEERED FALL THAT
STOPPED AND INJURED BICYCLE
POLICEMAN.

An exciting chase after racing automobile
which speeding down Central Park West
last night ended in disaster for Bicycle Police
man ellis and landed him in Roosevelt Hos
pitaI The occupants OF the automobile. ac-
cording to the police regarded the chase as q
merry jest and greeted with hurrahs the acct-
dent 70 the policeman AS they sped away
from the injured patrolman they stood up ana
cheered, the police assert
! Policeman John j. ellis. the hrst or the
bicycle squad to be appointed. and who. since
the breaking up of the bicycle force, has been
attached to the West Observation-Disclosures station,
was standing at Seventy-ffth-st- and Central
Park West about o'clock. when he saw low.
heavy. racing machine coming down the latter
street at a rate of speed which he knew far
in excess Of that allowed by law. He shouted
to the occupants TO STOP but they paid no heed
AS the heavy machine sped by him Gillis
jumped on his wheel and gave chase,
The policeman bending low over his handle
bars began to gain on the automobile, and the
driver turned into Sixty-hfth-st- So fast was
the machine going that the policeman says IL
seemed to turn on near wheels, and he expected
to it tip over. The occupants held tight.
but this time there glancing behind
Evidently they had ali they could do to keep
their seats as the turn was made Close behind
came ellis, and he took chance in making
the turn
Round the corner they sped. pursued and
pursuer only a few feet apart. while those IN the
vicinity dashed to the corner to see the end or
the strange race. Just after they turned into
sixty-ffth-st.. and were nearing Columous-ave..
GilIis's wheel struck a piece OF wood lying on
the street and in an instant there was crash
The policeman shot over the handle bars and
landed about ten feet away. When the wheel
struck the obstruction he was going at twenty
five miles hour. he says. If not over, ana
when he struck the street on his face and right
side he slid for several feet
Policeman McMann. who was near by, picked
up ellis. He carried him to the sidewalk. and
then went back and picked up the remnants OF
the bicycle.
When the crash came the policeman had
gained on the automobile and was about ten
feet behind it, AS the noise of the breaking
wheel reached the occupants of the racer they
looked around and then, according to the police.
they gave cheer. Those in the rear seats stood
up and watch McMann carry his injured COM
rade to the sidewalk They seemed to enjoy
the plight of ellis. and by their expressions
seemed TO view the accident as an escape from
what might have been an embarrassing predica-
ment with police court ending
1t was useless for McMann to try and stop
them. and the machine continued to Columbus
ave, and then reducing speed turned and con-
tinued it's course
Policeman McMann assisted ellis to the West
Sixty-eighth-st- station The injured man was
bleeding from wounds the face and was
hardly able 10 walk His condition caused a
crowd of curious persons TO follow them to the
station house. On their arrival there an am
buIance was called from Roosevelt Hospital On
it's arrival DR.. Russell found that Gillis's nose
was badly cut. the whole side of his face was
scraped and his right eye ball had almost been
torn out and his right so badly injured
that he could not bend it. IL has been broken
twice. In addition to his other injuries, the
poIiceman's right hip is badly injured. and some
of the bones may be fractured. He was taken
to Roosevelt Hospital 1t will probably be weeks
before he will be on rost again. and in the mean
time the police on the west side of Central Park
will keep lookout for low, long built racing
automobile capable Of seating six persons