Hapless Happy's Unhappy Mishap

While Killing a Dog Wednesday the Czar of Central Park Shoots Himself in the Foot.

The sharp crack of a revolver followed by an agonized yell of pain startled the people around the police station Wednesday.

The next instant fearless "Happy" Dow, the Central park cop, who has won an enviable reputation for the bravery which he has displayed in shooting any small dogs which happen to invade the sacred precincts of the park, dashed into the police station and with a shaking voice which percolated through the aperture in his pale face, he exclaimed, "I've shot myself! I've shot myself!"

As the faithful keeper of the flower beds and overseer of the Central park zoo did not appear to be in any imminent danger of kicking the bucket, the officers who were about the station did not consider it necessary to call an ambulance and after a time "Happy" recovered sufficiently to tell that while he was indulging in his favorite pastime of shooting a dog in the yard adjacent to the police station, he had shot himself in the foot. He had held the dog in one hand while he shot with the other and he aimed the revolver in such a way that after passing through the little dog it struck the rubber boot which he was wearing, just over the great toe of his left foot, resulting in a slight abrasion of the flesh.

The great danger, say those who were near when the accident occurred, was that "Happy" would die of fright, but after being soothed and reassured he was able to return to his Central park domain.

The suggestion is made at the police station that "Happy's" real revolver be replaced with a large and imposing looking paper cap pistol, which could scarcely be told from a real one when seen sticking out of the officer's hip pocket and would be much less dangerous, at the same time answering all ordinary requirements of "Happy" in the performance of such duties as mowing the grass in Central park and feeding the fishes and the squirrels.

--The Mansfield News, Mansfield, Ohio, April 22, 1909, page 5.