The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-14
From the Detroit Free Press.
FIGHTING FOR LIFE ON A ROOF.
Tho Terrible Adventure Suggested by tn
Words Of Sleeping Wife.

Tho Terrible Adventure Suggested by the
Words Of Sleeping Wife.
One of the most fearful struggles ever
engaged in by two men occurred within
three blocks of the Free Press office ON
Friday night about midnight. One of tho
actors is an old citizen, much respected,
and is at present under the doctors care.
His wife has been dangerously i'll for sev-
eral days, and the name is suppressed at
the earnest request of the physician, who
has closed the house against callers. The
citizen is proprietor of store, and though
the doors are always closed early in the
evening, 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 assembled to the second
story. Here, while the smoke of burn
ing cigar was strongly apparent, he failed
to trace it in any particular direction, and
at length doubted whether he really scent
cd smoke at all. After careful search he
descended to the office, waited a few min
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 dressing
gown. She was feeling much better that
day, and was sleeping as he entered the
apartment. AS he sat down, the doctor,
who had been called to a 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 cried out:
"He ought to have searched the third
story, tool"
Did the words refer to her husbands
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 husband
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 the
store, nervous and fearful. He reached it
in half an hour, and finding everything all
right on the outside, he hestated about 60
ing in. After moment he saw police
man block and half away, and he I'M
locked the door, passed in and struck light.
The odor of the cigar smoke was strong
enough now.
The merchant had no firearms, and as he
looked up the dark stairway, he picked up
the coal-shaker for a 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, and sometimes it is not visited
for two days at time. Everything seemed
to be all right, but as the merchant cast hie
eyes aloft he saw that the scuttle-hole in
the roof was open. A ladder led to the roof
as fire escape, and one could traverse a
whole block on the roofs. The man placed
his light on the floor and assembled the lad
der, thinking perhaps some careless 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, 80 that
he must needs go clear up. AS he stepped
out on the roof and rose up, he staggered
or slipped, and this fact saved his life. A
powerful blow from club just missed his
heBd, and 30 great had been the force ex-
erted by the striker that the club flew from
his hands and rolled along the graveled roof
to the water trough. The slip, the blow,
aud the discovery that there was stranger
on the roof were made at the same instant,
and before the merchant had fairly straight
tened up, the assassin had clutched his
throat and bent him over on the roof.
The merchant threw up his hands and
caught the fellow by the hair, and his sud
den jerk was followed by an exclamation of
pain. The robber broke his hold and start
ed to escape, but the other had only reach
ed his feet when the fellow returned to the
attack. They clinched each other without
q word. The assassin was the stronger,
but the merchant the more agile. They
were below the scuttle, and naturally work
cd toward the caves. Indeed, the stranger
soon betrayed the fact that it was his plan
TO throw the merchant into the alley. He
could pick him up, but as he attempted to
move along, the merchant would strip his
legs. They struck each other with their
fists, they seized new holds-they strained
every nerve for an advantage, and twice
they rolled over and over on the roof. All
this without a word. One did not dare
raise a cry, and the other knew that his
life depended on his own desperate eff
forts.
At one time the two men stood on the
very edge of the roof, straining and tug
ging. If one went the other must go, and
after glimpse into the dark alley below
both instinctively drew back back. The
assassin now began to breathe heavily, as
If losing his wind, and the merchant forced
the fight. Had he been a little stronger he
might have captured the fellow, as he trip
ped him twice in succession, but could not
hold him down. AS they were struggling
up from the last fall the merchant received
blow in the throat, and that for mo-
ment made him weak and almost helpless.
This opportunity was seized by the assassin
to escape. He ran or over the roof, but
which way cannot be told, as the merchant
was almost in faint. 1t was full half hour
before he was able TO leave the store, and
then private Waterman called carriage
for him. II was found that the scutiie
cover had been forced up with an iron bar,
and IT was plain enough that the robber
was coolly smoking his cigar in the third
story when the second floor was first
searched. He was very likely in the office
In the ground story when the merchant first
ratified the door.