Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-28
An Unsuccessful Struggle for Life
An Affecting Incident at Chicago.

While Madison street, west of Dearborn, and
the west side of Dearborn were all ablaze, the
spectators saw the lurid light appear in the
windows of Speeds block. Presently a man,
who had apparently taken time to dress him
self leisurely, appeared on the extension built
up to the second story of two of the stores
He coolly looked downs the thirty feet between
HIM and the ground, while the excited
crowd hrst cried jump, and then some of
mem I more CONSIDERABLY looked tor ladder.
A long plank was soon found, and answered
the same as ladder, and was placed at once
against the window, down which the man
soon after slid. But while these preparations
were going on there suddenly appeared
another man at fOurth-story window of the
building below, which had no projection, but
hush from the top to the ground-four stories
and basement. His escape by a stairway was
evidently cut off, and he looked despairingly
down the fifty feet between him and the ground
The crowd grew almost frantic at the sight, for
IL was only choice OF death before him-by fire
or by being crushed to death by the fall. Sense
less cries OF jump jump! went up from the
crowd-senseless, but full of sympathy, for the
sight was absolutely agonizing. Then for a
minute or two he disappeared, perhaps even less
but IT seemed so long time the supposition was
that he had fallen, stffocated by smoke and heat.
But no; he appears again. First he throws
a bed, then some bed-cloathes apparently
why, probably even he does not know Again
he looks down the dead, sheer wall of fifty
feet below him. He hesitates, and well he
may, as he turns again and looks behind him
Then he mounts TO the window-sill His
whole form appears, naked TO the shirt and
his white limbs gleam against the dark wall in
the bright light as he swings himself below
the window. Somehow-hOW none can tell
he drops and catches upon the top of the win
dow below him on the third story He. stoops
and drops again, and seizes the frame with his
hands, and his cleaning body once more
straightens and hangs prone downward, and
then drops instantly and accurately upon the
window sill of the third story. A shout more of
JOY than applause, goes up from the breathless
crowd, and those who had turned away their
heads, not bearing to look upon him as he seemed
about TO drop TO sudden and certain death
glanced up at him once more with raw of hone
at this daring and skillful feat. Into this win
dow he crept, To look, possibly, for a stairway,
but appeared again presently, for here was
the only avenue OF escape, desperate and
hopeless as IL was. Once more he drOpped
his body, hanging by his hand. The crowd
screamed, and waived to him to swing himself
over the projection from which the other
man had just been rescued. He tried TO
do this, and vlbrated like a pendulum from side
to side, but could not reach far enough to throw
himself upon its roof. Then he hung by one
hand and looked down; raising the other hand
he took fresh hold and swung from side to side
again to reach the roof. In vain. Again he
swung motionless by one hand, and slowly
turned his head over his shoulder and eazed II,
the abyss below him. Then, gathering himself
mp, he let go his hold, and for a second a CLEAN
OF white shot down full forty feet to the FONDA
ton of the basement. OF course il killed him
He was taken to drug store near by and died
in ten minutes.