by Laurel | February 24th, 2014
24 February 1914
Cutter
Type of sleigh being pulled by the
horse John S. Lucey was driving
Dragged Over Street for Block, Finally Stops Runaway Horse
Holyoke, February 24 — Dragged a whole city block over the snow and onto the sidewalk, John S. Lucey, employed by William F. Whiting, exhibited remarkable coolness and grit when he stopped a runaway horse at the corner of Dwight and Pine Streets about 3 o’clock yesterday and prevented what might have developed into a serious accident to himself as well as many children playing in the vicinity at the time. Lucey had just rounded Walnut Street onto Dwight Street when the light cutter in which he was riding overturned and the horse continued to run down Dwight Street.
Lucey clung to the reigns with a grip of steel and then it was a battle between man and horse for the next few minutes, As many as 50 children were playing in the vicinity at the time and many of the youngsters in an effort to get out of harm’s way were getting in the path of the fleeing horse. Inspector Peter E. Cullen happened along at the time and succeeded in getting many of the children out of the way. Lucey never lost control of the animal and swung him around into Pine Street, horse and driver going up onto the sidewalk. In being dragged from the street Lucey’s body was lifted high and clear of a small iron fence along the sidewalk and he brought the horse to a standstill without a scratch to the horse or cutter or to himself.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican.
