The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-30

DEADLY STRUGGLE on TIGHT RorE.-Lit-
tie did the tens Of thousands OF men. women,
and children who throngcd the public square
OF A"ram, Croatia. Oh the 18th of August,
an,iripate that they were about to witness 4
spectacle such rs has, perhaps, never been
seen beforc--a mortal struggle in mld-alr.
The occasion of the gathering was Il perform
ancc on the tisht-ropc. The acrobatS, An
dreas koller and Francis PcrgOWitch, were
to appear on the rope, which had been
stretched from window in the fifth story
of the courthouse to Il window i'll IN oppo-
site house, Il distance of two hundred and
titty feet. The acrobats were TO meet mid.
way, and then to pass each other. When
the clock struck twelve, the acrobats emerged
from their respective windows dressed in
tights. and without balance.poleS. holter
| walked rather cautiously, while Pcrgowitch
| came to meet him from the opposite direc-
ton with nervous, quick step. At last
they met, and the suspense OF the
crowd underneath changed the next mo-
ment to feeling of Undesirable horror. Per-
| gowitch suddenly uttered an angry excama-
| ton, and dealt kplter terrible blow on the
head. Hotter staggered and fell, but in so
| doing succeeded in clutching the rope with
one hand while with the other he grasped
the left leg of his assalant. Pergowitch now
fell likewise, but passed his right arm around
the rope so that he hung upon it i'll compara-
tive security. And now began life and
| death struggle Hotter, with his right hand,
tried to drag Pcrgowtch from the rope.
while Pergowitch kicked kolter with his
right foot and with his left hand endeavored
to loosen his antagonists hold. No one was
able to interfere, and the result, 1t was easy
| to toreSee, must be the death of one or both OF
| the acrobatS. Many women tainted, while
strong men wept like children. What added
| to the general despair was the appearance OF
kolter'S young wife at the open WINDOW,
| from which her husband, few moments be-
fore Ind set out upon his fatal walk. Her
uiteous screams were heard above the din
below. and her appeals to Pegowitch to
Soure her husbands life would have moved
the heart of IN Apache. The struggle IN
md-air lasted perhaps 4 minute, when holter
uttered last cry and lost bis hold. lie Tell
to the ground, striking it violently, ana eA,
pirng instantly. While the people gathered
round the corpse of poor holter, his muir
dercr on the 1ight-rope managed to get on
his feet again. With diabolical expression
on his face he uttereda yell Of triumph. The
project of police ordered Pergowitch to
surrender. In case he should not do so
within five minutes he would be shot
down like dog. Finally he raised
himself TO his feet and ran quickly to the
courthouse window, where he surrendered,
begging that he might be protected from
violence. There was great danger of his
being executed by the people, who loudly
clamored that the murderer be given up TO
them; but the military, by bayonet charge,
cleared the public square. Pergowitch, be"
ing asked what caused him to perpetrate
this crime, said that there had been grudge
between him and Kolter ever since the latter
had married young Roster Serganoif, 20,
fish girl of rare beauty. Kolter, in bit OF
jealousy, had told him he knew one or the
other of them must die on this account. An
dreas Hotter was the youngest member OF the
distinguished family ofacrobats OF that name.