Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-03-21
A Crazy Boys Freak.
swaying Sixteen Hours on Frail Limb
In Tree Top-SIOwIy E'reezing TO
Denth-Enorts at Rescue-The Success
fuI Ruse.

in n Tree TOp-SIOwIy EreeZing TO
Death-Enorts at Rescue-The Success
full Ruse.
The usually quiet neighborhood of
Decker's Run, settlement four or five
miles back from Cochranton, Penn,
proved the scene of an exciting occur
renee which created deep sensation
throughout the district. About nine
o'clock on Saturday morning young
boy of sixteen years named Hallebaugh,
who had for some time previous exhibit
ed symptoms of insanity, suddenly
conceived the idea that his friends in
tended to kill him, and rushed from
the house toward brush at q little
distance. His grandfather and. uncle
vainly pursued the poor fellow. He
reached the woods, and with the
energy of frenzied despair began
climbing large poplar tree. In few
moments he reached the topmost
branches, where lie looked down from
the dizzy height of seventy feet upon
his baffled pursuers. The weather was
bitterly cold; the fugitive had neither
coat nor mittens, his clothing being
rather scanty at best. How to extricate
him from his perilous situation quickly
became perplexing question.
At length his relatives determined to
make an effort to bring the demented
youth safely to the ground, and q
couple of men ascended the tree for
that purpose. But the frightened boy
frustrated this scheme by climbing still
higher and crawling out almost to the
end of frail- Hooking limb, that swayed
and bent under its unaccustomed bur-
den. From this dangerous elevation
he defed all further attempts at effect
ing rescue, threatening to throw him
self headlong upon the earth if not let
alone. By this time many of the
neighbors had gathered; however, none
could suggest any plan of relief that
might hope for successful issue.
Hours passed away without changing
the scene or terminating the agonizing
suspense of the assembled scores. His
coat was taken up the tree and left as
near the unfortunate boy as possible.
He finally descended far enough to
clutch the garment, put it on, and again
resumed his position on the fragile
branch. To the Mortified spectators it
seemed as if the limb must break every
instant. in which case they shuddered
to think of the fatal consequences. The
moments appeared like hours in dura-
tion, while the reckless movements of
the cause of all this anxiety continually
intensified the fear of terrible fall,
mangled corpse, and stricken house.
hould. A human life hung by a slender
twig, liable to snap without the slight
est warning.
It became painfully evident the boy
would perish from cold if not extricated
and as the last alternative it was de,
cided to fell the tree. Stout ropes were
fastened high up to let it come dowr
slowly, willing hands took firm hold, and
the saw was briskly piled. The monarch
of the forest succumbed at length, amid
the widest demonstrations of insane
delight from its dazed occupant. The
next minute was pregnant with supreme
interest as the tree gradually inclined
from the perpendicular and its tor
started toward the solid earth. In spite
of the exertions of the men holding
the ropes it struck against huge ma
pie, but ere the collision took place the
boy gave one frantic yell, sprang upor
a limb of the maple, ran to the trunk
with the speed and agility of a squirrel
and in few brief seconds had climbed
higher than before. Here was an un
looked-for circumstance, night was neal
at hand, and hope almost died out il
each bosom.
The moon rose clear and bright anc
beautiful the air was crisp, and the
night bitterly sharp. Midnight came
on apace, and still the distracted youth
remained among the highest branches
of the leafess tree. Vainly the crowd
implored him to come down and receive
food and shelter. He continued dea
to the entreaty, laughing with all the
glee of maniac at their earnest ap
peals. A happy thought eventually
loomed up, which no time was lost il
putting into practice. The throng dis
persed, with the exception of small
number of men who secreted them
selves behind trees and logs to be il
readiness for whatever emergency
might demand their assistance. Then
o young playmate Of the crazy boy, tc
whom he had always been much at
tached, stood at the foot of the tree
presented dishes of food, and begged
him to come down and get something
to eat. This measure finally succeeded
the boy yielded to the temptation, an(
in little while once more stood upol
the ground. Some of the men quietl,
stepped from their concealment
secured and carried him home. TIL
poor fellows hands and face and fee
were badly frozen as the result of hi
fearful exposure for over fifteen hour
during the rigors of the coolest da,
and night of the season. The Joy o
the friends at the denouement may b
imagined. Every attention was pai
: the poor sufferer that affection coul,
| devise, and he is progressing favorably
though his intellect is yet as cloude,
as before he underwent the dreadful
experience of that eventful Saturday
which none who participated in the ex
! citing scene will be likely for man,
, years to forget.
! CHEAP L1vINa.-A gentleman VIII
: signs himself "Winnepisiogee" write
, , to Boston newspaper that he know
I by personal experiment that an able
bodied man 80 years old and in activ
. business can live on less than 12 cent
day. In two weeks he consumes
l IL l.. Il 4,