New-York tribune., 1910-07-31
BOY BATHER IN TOLLS
Biu Policeman Chased Him Into
Park Fountain.
CROWD CHEERS PURSUIT
Come and Get Me-" Said Boy,
and Bluecoat Had to Do
So in the End.

The heat laden breeze f1irted with the
Ieafv branches of the trees in City Hall
Park last night; the town clock on the
City Hall tower gloWed in an effulgence
of sympathetic warmth; gasping men
sat on the park benches and made tne
air resonant with evidences of more or
less sound sleep and everywhere peace
and sleepy content reigned-
A fitting and artistic part of this plct-
ure was Patrolman Cunningham, of the
Elizabeth street station, who stood at
easy attention. gazing into the dimpled
depths of the park fountain The musi-
cal splash of the sprinklng spray from
the ornamental figure in the centre of
the fountain lulled the man in blue and
brass into a pleasant reverle- Thoughts
of his coming vacation among the sylvan
beauties of mountain Businesses. with
accompaniment of babbling brook and
whispering trees, percolated, persistent
ly, pleasantly, persuaslvely, through his
receptive mind. Beauty was every
where.
But then suddenly did Patrolman Cum
ningham, of the Elizabeth street station,
hear a jarring splash in the waters OF
the translucent fountain, splash that
shattered his reverie and caused him to
rouse himself from mental relaxation.
Something had disturbed the quiet OF the
pool and outraged it's heaving breast.
That small, dark object which projected
six inches above the surface puzzled
him.
Patrolman Cunningham began to re-
connoitre, helmet pulled down over his
eyes, nightstick grasped tenaciously In
hand and nerves at tension. He knew
what it was with which he was to con-
tend. and he would make short shrlft OF
the intruder on natures quiet-the little
spalpeen!
An it's foine time for such as you
to be takin' your tub in such places.
Out of it, ye pesky rascal, out of it. say
L, and bad luck to yer
Cunningham waited at the edge of the
fountain, allowing ample time for the
dread significance of his deliberately
spoken words to sink into the pool and
the brain of the dark object on its sur
face.
yerself. and come and get me. Let's see
yer do the 'kellermann': you amt no
mermaid came the answer.
Cunningham trembled, but not with
fear. rather with pity, for this innocent
lad who thus def1ed his ire.
Sleepers in the park were soon
aroused by the sound Of hurrying feet.
I;oxt,f fhn ,-iJ11
of the fountain. Their sleep-dazed eyes
were greeted by the sight of Cunning
ham speeding perilously on the pool
narrow edge, threatening with every
step to go overheard And ever as the
figure in blue circled the pool SO did the
small object in the water navigate about
the centre of the fountain. The crowd
grew and surrounded the pool, entranced
with the strange pursuit. 1t could make
out now that the human fish was a
small boy, submerged with the excep-
tion of his head. Just when Cunning
ham seemed to be getting overheated
the water sprite dashed copious hand
fuls OF water in his face
Cunningham was painting now. He
was rapidly becoming crosseyed from
the ferceness Of the glare which he
centred on the head as he made his
goOth circuit of the pool. In silence and
with labored breathing he next stopped
and pulled his trousers leg We'll above
his knee, removed his shoes and slid. not
gracefully, but too well, into the foun-
tain. There followed thrashing of the
water. a final desperate dive and Cum
ningham held his quarry, squirming and
Wriggling as does the game trout.
A trail OF water marked Cunningham
massage To the station house Little
pools of water formed on the floor before
the desk as he ARA gned his damp pris-
oner. The record VAS brief: ''Nincenzo
Mando twelve Years old of Nc. 1S6
Hester street; juvenile delinquency:
bathing in public fountain, sent 10 the
Children'S Court.