The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-03-01
A Desperate Fight on the Roof.

ousstIuRSics ever tuSdBcu III W WV nou
occurred in this city recently about mid
night. One of the actors is an old citi-
zen, much respected, and is at present
under the doctors care. His wife has
been dangerously i'll for several days, and
the name is suppressed at the earnest re.
quest of the physician, who has closed
the house against callers. The citizen
is proprietor of a store, and though the
doors are always closed early in the even
ing he has for the past few evenings been
busily closing up the years business,
and has sometimes remained till nine or
ten o'clock. Friday he remained at his
desk until ten o'clock. AS he was ready
to 60 out he thought he smelled smoke,
and he took candle and ascended to- the
tecond story. Here, while the smoke of
a burning cigar was strongly apparent, he
failed to trace it in any particular direc-
ti0n. And at length doubted whether
he had really scented smoke at all. After
careful search he descended to the office,
waited few minutes longer and then
started for home:
The merchant lives in the northern
part of the city, and at eleven o'clock he
was in his wife's sick room, slippers and
|
better that day, and was sleeping as he
entered the room. AS he sat down, the
doctor, who had been called to house
near by, stepped in to see if the change
was still for the better. The two men
were whispering together when the sick
lady:moved uneasily and called out:
"He ought to have searched the third
story too"
Did the words refer to her husbands s
search of the second story of the store,
or were they the speech of some curious
dream? No one knows yet, as she is too
ill to talk. The nurse, doctor and hus.
band heard the words plainly, and all
heard alike. They made no impression
on the first two, but the physician had
no sooner departed than the husband at
once set out for tho store, nervous and
fearful. He reached it in half an hour,
and finding everything all right on the
outside hesitated about going in. After a
moment he saw a policeman block and
a half away, and he unlocked the door,
passed in and struck light. The odor
of cigar smoke was strong enough now,
90 there could be no doubt.
The merchant had no firearms, and as
he locked up the dark stairway he picked
up the coal-shaker for weapon. He
heard no noise on the second floor. His
wife's words forced him to ascend the
next flight of stairs. There are but few
goods on the third floor, aud sometimes
it is not visited for two days at time.
Everything seemed to be all right, but
as the merchant cast his eyes alctt he saw
that the scuttle-hole in the root was
open. A ladder led to the roof as a
fire-escape, and one could traverse a
whole block on the roofs. The man
placed his light on the floor and ascended
the ladder, thinking perhaps some care
lees hand had left the scuttle open. He
had not the least fear now, and went
boldly ahead. The door was thrown back
on the roof, so that the merchant must
needs 90 clear up. Ashe stepped out on
the roof and rose up, he staggered OF
slipped, and this fact saved his life. A
powerful blow from club just missed
his head, and 80 great had been the force
exerted by the striker that the club flew
from his hands and rolled along the
graveled roof to the water-trOugh. The
Slip, the blow, and the discovery tba,
there was q stranger on the roof were
made at the same instant, and before the
merchant had fairly Strengthened up the
assassin had clutched his throat and bent
him over on the roof.
The wonder is that the sudden surprise
did not entirely unman the citizen, who
is over fifty years old, and has had little
or no exercise for years. But he seemed
to realize everything in an instant, ano
as he was bent backwards upon the roo
he began to fight for life. Neither he mol
the assassin will ever fully realize the
peril of the next fifteen minutes. The
merchant threw up bis hands and caught
the fellow by the hair, and his sudder
Jerk was followed by an exclamation OF
pain. The robber broke his hold anc
started as if he would escape, but the
other had only reached his feet when thu
fellow returned to the attack. They
, clinche d each other without word. Tht
J assassin was the stronger, but the mer
/ chant the more agile. They were below
+ the scuttle, and naturally worked towarc
the caves. Indeed, the stranger soon be
. trayed the fact that it was his plan Il
, throw the merchant into the alley. HI
could pick him up, but as he attempted
; to move along the merchant would tril
his legs. They struck each other with
, their fists-they seized new holds-the.
strained every nerve for an advantage
r and twice they rolled over and over OF
D the roof. All without word
J. One did not dare raise acry, and tn
other knew that his life depended upol
9 his own desperate efforts.
8 At one time the two men stood on tn
D very edge of the roof, straining and tug
!. ging. If one went the other must &c
and after a glimpse into the dark ale.
below both instinctively drew back. TIL
assassin now began to breathe heavily, a
if losing his wind, and the merchan
. forced the fight. Had he been littl
> > stronger he might have captured the fe
. low, as he tripped him twice in succe'
: sion, but could not hold him down. A
. . they were struggling up from the last fa
!. the merchant received blow in TN
throat, and that for moment made hir
J, weak and almost helpless. This oppol
. . tunity was seized by the assassin to escape
= He ran off ever the roof, but which wa
y cannot be told, as the merchant was a
most in faint. 1t was full half hou
, before he was able to leave the store, an
. then a private watchman called a ca
!. !. riage for him. Itwas found that the scu
u u tle-cover had been forced up with an iro
y bar, and it was plain enough that the rol
Der was coolly smoking his cigar on th
!, third floor when the second was fir'
searched. He was very likely in th
: Office on the ground floor when the me
. . chant first ratified the door
. As there was but one man the publ
!. may wonder. The merchant does no
= 1t is said that he Is certain of the idel
4 tity of the robber, who is, others say,
y y relative, and emp.oyed in the stol
: until few days ago. That he did M
# murder the merchant is no word in b
o favor. He meant to do it, but pluck an
e strength deserted him at the same tim
. His victim Is badly bruised and battere,
y and will not be out of bed for a wee
"a His clothing was 30 torn in the confii'
i that the entire suit was rendered usele
= for further wear, while valuable waite
10 LII ,.C 4 l.