The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-04-06
POxREH, TIE VALIANT.
Story of the Hero of a Hundred
Bad Runaways.

Pompeii, of the New York mounted
police squad, and one of the most in
telligent members of the force, was
retired from active service the other
day. When the stroke oftheauctioneer
hammer put the big bay out OF SER
vice, he was saved from the ragman's
cart and night hawk cab by the de-
votion Of his fifteen-year friend and
comrade, Mounted Policeman Redmond
P. Keresey, Of the West 1921 street
police station.
Pompeii had spent nearly twenty
years in the service and knew the
rules OF the department better than
many a roundsman. He was the show
horse of the force. Catching runa-
ways was his business, but mathema-
tics was his diversion. He could add,
subtract, divide and multiply, and for
years had been source OF delight to
the school children along Seventh
Avenue, where he was on duty be-
tween 10th and 153d streets.
The children would gather around
Pompeii in the afternoons and talk to
him
Good at Mental Arithmetic.
When a sum in arithmetic was given
him Pompei would listen attentively
to the figures, ponder over them for
a moment, and then announce the
answer by striking the ground with his
left forefoot. II the answer was the
half of something Pompeii indicated it
by bending his foreleg at the knee
and holding it for a moment. His
friends insist that he could tell time by
looking at a watch and announce the
hour and half hour In the same way
az he did his sums.
Playing with the children was by
no means the best part OF Pompeh's
service. The records show that he and
his master have stopped more than a
hundred runaways in the last fifteen
years. In several instances lives were
saved. Policeman Keresey and Pom
peii have been almost inseperable ever
since the latter Joined the force. Again
and again the comrades were parted for
a short time when Keresey was trans
ferred from once precinct to another,
but each time the policeman managed
to have his fayorite sent after him.
Hurt While Stopping Runaway.
A short time before the arrival of
was badly hurt while stopping a rum
away at Seventh avenue and 125th
street. Two days later, while acting
as a guide for the Prince some dirt
got in the wound and blood poisoning
set in. Keresey managed to get placed
on reserve duty and gave all his time
to nursing Pompeii back to health. The
police veterinary condemned the horse
as unfit for duty, but Keresey managed
to evade the decision for few days.
Then Pompeii made a spectacular run
along the avenue and stopped bad
runaway in such style that nothing
more was said about retirement.
The fatal day was only put off, how
ever, and last month the big bay was
sold at auction at the stables of the
West 1920 street station. Keresey was
on hand with $500. all the ready money
he could scrape together, determined
not to be separated from his old friend.
Hurt While Stopping Runaway.
Keresey himself bears some scars
gained In the fierce rushes he has
made with Pompeii. Five years agol
his right leg was broken in two places,
and two years ago his neck was
and his skull nearly smashed
In. Both injuries were received while u
with Pompeii's aid he was stopping
dangerous runaways.
Only one man had the heart to bid
against Keresey SO he ransomed his
bid friend for $50, about twice what
he was worth said the. veterinary.
Then Keresey started on vacation.
When last heard from he was spending
It on a bit of farm he has at Rye.
n. Y, and with him went Pompeii. |
happy in his last transfer.