New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-23
SWINGS UNDER CAR TO
SAVE BOY FROM WHEELS
PatroIman Was on Sidewalk
When He Saw Child Drawn
Under Fender.
ALL OVER IN TEN SECONDS
Rescuer Tosses Would Be Vic
tim Aside, Falls to Street Him
self, Changes Uniform and
Returns to Post.

! Stories Of the heroism, quick thought
and daring Of policemen are just as fire.
quent as those of the courage and sagac-
! ity Of fremen, but it is not so often that
the former have the opportunity to 60
through the gymnastic feats of their
! friends in the other branch of the Citys
army Now and then, though, some
real athlete comes to the fore in the
police force, and it was one Of these
who saved the life of a seven-year- old
boy last night by an unusually dashing
piece Of work. Patrolman John ]
Murphy swung himself half way under a
surface car and yanked a small boy from
in front of wheels that momentarily
threatened to grind him to death.
The little boy was Herman Lorenson,
Of No. sos East SD street. He had some
pennies to buy slate pencils. and was
running across Second avenue, at SD
street, when a northbound car bore down
on him. lie did not see the car, and was
almost across the track when the front
| of the car struck him and tossed him
to the other track. on the track there
vas a southbound car running rapidly
so rapidly that George Farrell. the mo-
! torman. of No. 1875 First avenue, did
not have time TO throw on his brakes
before the car was on the boy.
The child slammed against the front
! fender. If it had worked the second
| fender would have been automatically
released and the hoy picked up. But the
/ front fender failed To act and jammed
| the boy to the surface Of the street
dragging him under it, as the car slid
! along against its brakes.
| Murphy was on the sidewalk when al
! this happened. He saw the first car
I strike the boy, and was sure the second
would run over him. But as the north
/ bound car flashed by he saw the lad
/ scraped along by the fender Of the
/ southbound car.
/ The patrolman leaped to the running
board Of the car, got one foot on the
| bumper. crooked his leg around one OF
| the supporting stanchions, grabbed an
other with his left hand and swung his
head and body down almost TO the street
| With his right hand he reached under
| the car and caught the boy by the
/ clothes Just as he went under the first
fender. past the second and unreleased
/ fender and almost up TO the wheels
| The patrolman did not have strength
10 pull the child out. hut threw him out
| Of harms way The feat had left hin
| breathless. and he fell exhausted on his
face i'm the street, while his helmet
rolled one way and his nightstick an
other The whole thing did not take ter
seconds. and when the motorman stopped
the car the passengers piled out.
Never mind me. look out for the boy
! said Murphy 10 them.
! His uniform was torn and he was
weak and shaking, but he went 10 Grue
etora and called for an ambulance from
the Reception Hospital. DR. Devan
found that the child had bad bruises
and cuts on his face and nose. His con-
dition is not serious.
The patrolman walked around to the
Fast SSth street station, where he has
often amused the men with his feats OF
strength and agility, and changed his
uniform. Then he went back on post
Witnesses Of his daring say they viii
write 10 Commissioner Waldo about IT,