Evening journal., 1904-05-16
TERRIBLE RIDE
OF RUNAWAY BOYS
Boy Clung to Dying Comrade
on Car Top.
BOTH HIT BY A LOW BRIDGE

Experience Of Runaway Lads Who Stole
Homeward Ride on New York Gen.
tra Train Told by Survivor In the
Hospital.
New York May 16.-Two boys thirteen
and fourteen years old who had tried
to get free ride on New York Cen
tral train coming into this city late at
night were found on top Of a refrigera-
tor car early in the morning, both seri-
ously hurt and one dying. They had
struck low bridge while seated on top
Of the car The less seriously injured
had held his dying comrade in his
arms during the long trip down.
The train is known as Albany local
No. so, which is due at the Grand Cen
/ tral station at 1890 o'clock in the
morning
The train had reached the yards at
l the Grand Central station, and the
trainmen were preparing to switch out
the cars when one of them discovered
the two boys on top Of the tallest car
Of the lot. One of them was holding
the limp body Of the other in his arms.
The trainmen climbed up and carried
both boys to the train shed and had
Policeman Miller of the Grand Central
station send for an ambulance.
One of the boys was conscious and
was able in dazed way to tell that he
was Arthur Stretch fourteen years
old of 204 West Thirteenth street and
that the other boy was his cousin, Ed
ward Gilday, thirteen years old, Of $40
West Twelfth street. They had climbed
on the cars at Poughkeepsle to tramp"
their way to New York. They chose
the refrigerator car because il was
wide and high. They We're enjoying
their ride seated on top OF the car
when somewhere along the line as the
train was rushing along they struck a
low bridge. They had been knocked
down. but did not roll of the car.
The boys were taken to the Flower
hospital, where Gilday died at 2:50
o'clock in the morning.
Boy Tells Of Wild Ride.
Coroner Scholer visited the Flower
hospital and obtained a statement from
Arthur The boy said that he and his
cousin were playing in the New York
Central yards at Thirtieth street and
Eleventh avenue on Saturday morn
ing. They climbed on freight car and
rode north in Eleventh avenue as far
as Fifty-ninth street. There they were
seen by a policeman, who ordered them
from the car. They complied, and he
warned them against riding on the
freight cars and ordered them 20 60
home
Instead they played about the yard
until about noon, when they saw p
train moving out and climbed aboard.
It was an express freight and didn't
stop until 1t got to Poughkeepsie
Stretch said they were afraid to leave
the train while it was moving for fear
of being killed.
When the train stopped at Pough-
keepsie, they were seen by a special
policeman and were forced to leave the
train. The man told them to 90 home,
Stretch says, and when they said they
lived in New York he told them to
walk home
I'VE had ridden up" the boy said,
so we thought it would be as easy to
ride home again. We walked long
way until we came to a station. we
must have walked ten miles. We saw
train moving out and climbed on it.
It was then dark, so we got on the big
car because the sides didn't slope. 1t
was so dark at times that we could
hardly see. However, we lay fat most
Of the time and passed under several
bridges and through several tunnels.
1--WE were down near New York
somewhere, OF / thought we were.
when the accident happened. Eddie
was near the center of the car and to
one side in a kneeling position, and I
was standing up just in back Of him
and had my face to the rear Of the
train. He said something TO me, and
just then something struck my cousin
and knocked him against me. ! was
thrown hard on top Of the car and roll
ed over and over until fell down be-
tween the cars. I thought it was all
over with me. but I reached out my
near the bottom. was so far down /
could almost see under the car. My
foot caught in something at the same
time Then ] pulled myself up and
climbed on top Of the car.
Eddie was lying there still. and !
thought he was dead. There was a hole
in his head, and / took out my hand
kerchief to stop the blood / shook
him, but be didn't move Then 7 felt
for his heart and found it was beating,
and | knew he was alive. While | was
bending over to feel his heart a drop of
blood fell on my hand from my head.
That was the first knew had been
hurt myself. I then held on to Eddie
till we pulled into the station"
~