The Hastings Gazette, Friday October 17, 1924

That a real old-fashioned runaway, with a high spirited horse furnishing the motive power, is a bit unusual in these days of gas-propelled conveyances was evidenced on Second Street last Monday afternoon when the rapid clatter of a horse’s hoofs on the pavement and a voice excitedly shouting “Whoa!” nearly stopped all industry in one block of the main business thoroughfare and filled the doors of most of the establishments with eager and somewhat startled faces.

The runaway animal, belonging to Henry Brummel, a young farmer of the vicinity, had fortunately chosen to get out of the business district as quickly as possible an thereby avoid all traffic troubles. Becoming frightened, it is thought, at a passing motor truck, the horse, which was attached from the control of young Brummel and dashed across the pavement, jumping the sidewalk on the south side of the street and plunging into the Karpen Bros. monument yard where a large tombstone momentarily blocked the buggy and enabled spectators to seize the frightened animal before it could resume its dash for freedom.

The driver, who had remained in the buggy during the brief but exciting  dash but had been unable to check the animal’s flight, was uninjured and assisted the men who had come to his rescue in freeing the horse form its tangled harness. The tombstone that had terminated the runaway so luckily was pulled from its base but fortunately but fortunately did not break in the fall.