The Slaithwaite Guardian and Colne Valley News. — 1902-02-21 (Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, England)

PLUCKY POLICEMAN'S ADVENTURE.  DIVED INTO LIQUID POISON.  TO RESCUE A SUICIDE.  A story true in every detail, and as exciting and sensational as any ever written in novel form, has just been told to a representative of the London " Sun " by an ex police officer of the Metropolitan force. His name is Alexander Robert Heffernan, of 53, Archel Rd., Fulham, who, at the early age of 3G, finds himself a police pensioner, and the holder of a certificate for bravery from the Royal Humane Society. .He is a most extraordinary man, as the following details of his career will show. Said he to an interviewer:—  "We—the Heffernans are quite a soldier's family. I married a soldier's daughter, and each of my sisters is the wife of a soldier. I was in the North Staffs Infantry Regiment better known as " the 64th " for twelve years, and went through the second Zulu campaign, during which on one occasion Cotewayo's son, with an enormous army of gigantic blsck  warriors, made us  rm. It was a goo l job we did too, for we v..ire fearfully outnumbered, and had we not retres; zd, there would not have been one of us left aliv.. However, in the end we came out all right ; and in 189 i I came home from Africa, and joined the Metropolitan police force. "I was always a good athlete. They made me one of the T Division Metropolitan Police Cricket Team the very year I joined. I bowled in every match, usually taking the largest number of wickets, and I made the record number of top scores. The District Railway Cricket Team also used to get me to play for them. At Stamford Bridge Athlete Grounds I won a number of prizes as an all-round athlete in various clubs that hold their meeting there, and won so many events at the police sports that! was eventually handicapped out of existence so to speak, in order to give others a chance. I was made to give 24 yards in the 100 yards sprint, and 3GO in the mile. .  swimmer I won many competitions, beating all comers in the City Police swimming events. In consequence of my successes I was asked to compete against the two crack swimmers of the Police of all England—Drake and Bryisrs, of the Manchester Force. I did so, and I beat  Bryars. Drake, however, was a little too good for me. He was a masterpiece; and I believe is still the crack swimmer of the English police By beating Bryars I gained the position of second best."  'And how did you come to have to be pensioned oil? " queried the reporter. " Ah," replied the ex-constable. "It was all through that &flair in the Regent's Canal. It was on the afternoon of February 26th, 1897. I was on duty, when I was told that a man had jumped into the Regent's Canal. Pushing to the place I threw off my overcoat, and dived in to rescue him. The water at that point is made very poisonous by the refuse from the chemical 'works and the gasworks in the district draining into it, and the chemicals were fizzing and spluttering in the water all around Us as we struggled. I was struggling in the poisonous water for twenty minutes. The man cursed me terribly, and continued to try and free himself in order to jump back into the water, even when I got him on the bank. It was some time before I could get my wet clothes changed, and I caught a ' terrible chill. But that was not the worst of it. The poison had got into my system, and the stuff which killed the man I had rescued—for he died a few weeks after from poisoning—nearly killed me too ! I began by being unable to digest my food, or even to keep it on my stomach. As soon as I had taken a meal I vomited it all back again. Of course I was placed on the sick list, and the police doctor told me that the poison in the water, which I had swallowed had completely destroyed the coating of my stomach. The police were very kind to 121 E, and sent me down to the Convalescent Home at Brighton twice. After the second visit I had to go back to my own home very bad indeed. I was so weak that when I attempted to walk I went blind, and had to cling to anything near me to prevent me from falling I had fearful night. sweats, and woold often be seized with a kind of cramp, whieh seemed to be in my very bones. I could not retain food or nourishment, except in minute quantities—just enough to keep me alive. "I next went into Brompten Hospital, and there they declared it impossible to satisfactorily diagnose my ailments. For two years I remained in the police force, suffering in this way, and during the two years I was only able to put in three months' duty. Seeing that I was practically done for, in January, 1899, I was given a special pension, and retired from the force. (The following is a Copy of Pension certificate.)  5 TUTS Is to certify that Alexander Robert Reflernau. IC or Row Division, joined the Metro- j pnlitan Police. as Constable. on the '2sth day of January, 1692. and resigned his situation on the iJ :Atli day of January. 180. having being granted j Rpecial Pension of £*..4 19s. :14. per annum. The ' above Pension is granted on account of injuries received hr the Constable in ti e exemtion of P 4 his duty. conduct was generally god. The Pension will be paid to the Pensioner / (by the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police Die: triet) it{ acrorrlnnee with the reetutettions of the Fecretary of State. and it cannot be assign. I as ;; security for a loan of money. 5 Given undo my 114,4, ond Sralt