New-York tribune., 1909-06-15
PRIZE HORSE A SUICIDE
PENNY PLUNGES OFF PIER
TO HIS DEATH.
Terrified By Auto He Stampedes
Harlem Street CrOpds in Wild
Dash to Rirer.

horse attached to a delivery wagon fright
ened by automobile at Lenox avenue and
121st street and through 120th street to the
Harlem River. where he plunged into the water
Policemen from the harbor squad worked for
more than hour with block and tackle before
they succeeded in raising the horse and wagon
The animal had been dead for many minutes
when brought TO the surface
The horse was splendid animal, and last year
at the horse show in Madison Square Garden
had won the blue ribbon for the delivery horse
class. He was valued by his owners at $500, and
was known Penny.
Penny being driven by Harry Daniels, of
No. 34T West 141st street, and at 121st street
and Lenox avenue the driver brought the ami
NAL to stop while his helper Peter Donnelly,
was delivering parcels in a nearby house. Dan
els busy sorting parcels in the rear OF the
wagon and the reins were hanging loose. At
this moment automobile proceeding north
ward up the avenue blew it's siren with great
noise and the horse became terrified Before
Daniels could regain control of the reins Penny,
with eyes dilating and ears laid fiat back on his
head, took the bit in his teeth and made a mad
dash down the The jar Of the sudden
start threw Daniels back among the packages.
and by the time he rose to his feet the mad
dened horse was galloping madIy across the
roadway.
KNOCKS DOWN \ CONTRACTOR.
At 120th street the animal turned east. Half
way down the block the now thoroughly terrified
Penny knocked down Isaac Mautner. con-
tractor of No. 541 West 1881 street, injuring him
painfully. Still the horse dashed and the
attempts of Daniels climb out the shafts
of the wagon and thus catch the dragging rens
only added TO his terror. Seeing that he could
do nothing from his position, and in imminent
;,,,, l-srro
the driver decided to jump. He made the leap
and landed in the street,
Running ahead, Daniels. taking desperate
chances. threw himself the horses head in
an attempt to grab the bride. Penny only shook
his head and slipped the bride, and then the
driver tried t. get grip on his nose and choke
the trembling animal into submission. Ordi
narily the man would have been successful with
this powerful grip. which would have shut off
the horses breathing. but Penny was like a mad
creature and nothing could stop his onward rush
With a mighty heave Penny threw Daniels with
frightful force to the street and ran on with
Increased speed
When the fleeing horse and rocking wagon
reached Lexington avenue a gro1p Of school
chdcen Just coming from school were crossing
the street. The appearance OF the frightened
horse nd the wagon. swaying from side 10 side
caused them TO become panicstricken, and their
screams Of terror added TO the din. 1t was then
than Sergeant Donnelly, OF the East t26th street
station. took hand in the proceed ings. Don
nelly had been standing on the corner waiting
for a car. and as Penny got within reaching dis
tance, he made a leap from the curb md clutched
desperately at the horses neck. He is a heavy
man, and for the moment his weight stayed the
rush of Penny but the great bay tossed the
stalwart sergeant off to one side
RUNS INTO PEDESTRIANS.
Approaching Third avenue Penny ran head
long into a crowd of pedestrians and just
scraped the rear of an Amsterdam avenue trolley
car. All along the street, which is IN the centre
Of Little Italy frantic mothers picked up their
children and retreated TO places of safety, and
the whole population joined in cries Of alarm.
Rv this time the reins had become entangIed
in Pennys feet and somewhat inpeded his
progress. He lunged AT the body Of the wagon
with vicious kicks, evidently regarding it as
pursuing enemy
At 120th street and the Harlem River is the
Department of Charities pier and the Harlem
morgue Straight for the pier rushed the horse.
and amid the din of crying children and the
blowing Of police whistles Penny made his last
sprint
Sitting on the pier Mrs Rosa Marale and
her three little children. She saw the horse
and cried to the little ones to come to her. but
they could not understand. and simply stood
and laughed at their impending danger. At this
moment John Moran. empoye the pier.
heard the clatterfng and saw the onrushing
horse He quickly closed the heavy wooden
gates to the pier. Penny never faltered. but
dashed straight at the gates with undiminished
speed They fell before his onslaught like thin
reeds and on to the pier he thundered. The
sight of the water seemed to have terrors
for him. and he leaped with final plunge into
the Harlem River. Horse and wagon dsap-
peared beneath the surface and all was still.
Sergeant DonneIly. who had followed the run
away to the end, into the Harbor Squad sta
ton and informed Lieutenant McKeen, the
| desk McKeen and five men hastily leaped into
the police launch, and with block and tackle
worked for almost two hours before they could
bring Penny and the wagon to the surface.
When the body of Penny was laid out on the
department grounds the gleam OF terror was
still in his eyes and his great body was still
warm with the exertion of his last race