J. Warren Hershey rescued Mary F. Bard from a homicidal attack, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1936. While Mrs. Bard, 46, was walking on the south side of a street, a man, who had been drinking and had a grudge against her, started toward her with a revolver in his right hand and then ran after her as she ran toward the other side of the street. The assailant was 15 to 20 feet behind her, and, as he left the curb, he fired a shot at her but missed. He fired a second shot, again missing her as she ran toward Hershey, 22, student, who was sweeping the sidewalk on the north side of the street. Mrs. Bard passed close to Hershey and continued running. After the second shot, Hershey dropped his broom and stepped behind a tree, which was 15 inches in diameter. When the assailant reached a point two feet from the tree, Hershey stepped to his left side and with both hands grabbed his right forearm. The assailant stopped, staggered a step, and then fell on his back, being forced down by Hershey. As Hershey fell on top of the assailant, the muzzle of the revolver pointed toward his face. Hershey held the assailant’s right wrist with his right hand, grabbed the barrel of the revolver with his left hand, pulled it from the assailant’s hand, and tossed it from them. A little later an officer arrived and arrested the assailant. Later he was committed to the insane department of a hospital. The revolver contained two loaded cartridges when examined after the act.
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