New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-26
DAREDEVIL" RUSH KILLED
Battalion Chief Gives Life to
Save Children from Runaway.
HORSE BOLTS AFTER CRASH
Drove Chief Croker's Auto AZ
Record Speed in Dashes to
Fires in the City.

After having driven an automobile faster
t,an any one elsc ever did In TINS CITY
ra,,alion chief John Rush lost his HE yes
tnrday in a collision between his rig an" a
,.,,ct standing at the curb In Hudson street
Ira,r CHRISTOPHER street. The crash huFLeo
! n. chief violently TO the pavement ne
u,,e ,akan to 81. V!ncent's Hospital. where
he died without regaining consciousness'
Father McGrath of the Sealnens NissIo''
administered the last rites.
Rush. who was in charge OF the oth b"l'ai-
ion. with headquarters ut Spring ana Hou9-
! t,r streets. left the tlrehOuse and was going
I., III, bo,oe. al No. 2s1 West lith street,
With him was his driver. John Harvey DU'
Rush drove the RIG himself. In attempting
10 pass A truck the rear wheel OF the lsh'
wagon caught IN the side OF the tTlch' inc
;ol, frightened the animal Rush was orl'-
inc and il started north in Hudson street,
,,itb rho chief saving at the lines. Despite
his efforts. he was unable To stop the mad
dened animal.
As they reached Christopher street RUSH
saw a number of children about to cross
the street Realizing that II would be I'M
possible for him TO cross In front OF them
he put all his weight on the reins ana sue
ceeded in forcing the animals head arouio
% the side. The wagon tipped perilousiv'
but seemed 10 right itself. while the morse
continued its mad run
! IN a last effort 10 avoid running down
he children the chief managed to force the
horses head around. The right "hee'
caught in the tracks and slid along for
few feet. II seemed ss If the chiefs efforts
had been in vain. But finally the horse
gas pulled over and the wagon followed
hut tipped. The children we're saved from
being run down. but both men we're throw n
heavily 70 the street. Harvey escaped m
jury
with the assistance Of Father McGrath,
who happened 20 be in the neighborhooo'
Chief Rush was picked Up and taken 10
nearby drugstore Or BArtner. Of S. Vim
cents Hospital, hurried him 20 that inst
tuition where the chief died two hours
later
/ Fen men we're probably better known IN
the Fire Department than Battalion CHEF
Rush For years he drove ct-Chef Gro
ker's machine, and when Chief Croker re-
signed Rush was sent 20 the 5th Battalion.
As a handler Of horses we'll az OF auto
mobiles Rush was considered one OF the
ahlost that drove through the CITY streets.
i was said thst Tracy. the frst winner
OF the Vanderbilt Cup race, refused 80 DIVE
a. tho bveakreck speed NJ rri"h Rush do
through the city
Daredevil" Rush as he vas known 70
the men IN the department. was appointed
q fireman IN 1897 by special ac' OF the Legs
lature. THIS was I'm recognition Of acts OF
herolsm performed by him ~ Are IL the
Manhattan Bank Building ~ 1895 Since
then he had rlsor - the rank Of battalion
chief. 70 which No vas promoted last "ear.
When Chief k~nlon learned NJ Rush :
death b. said
Il regarded Rush ~ ore - the ablest
battalion commanders ~ tho service. No
brave- man ever stood in two shoes. lrst
noticed Rush when a Young man doing res
cue work ~ the Blocker street bank build
Ing IRE. [ an depressed Sy his death and
regard u as a great less TO the Fire De
partment and 70 the city and a great per-
SOral loss 70 me %