Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-25
An Adventure ON Ice.

Patrolling the Battery is an airy and
picturesque occupation, more enticing.
may be, in the leafy month of June than
in a February "blizzard," but at all
times likely to be diversified by sudden
excitements, Occasionally, however,
these events are of SO lively description
that the officers would readily dispense
with them; and of such kind was the
experience of officer Coyle, of the First
precinct, at midnight on Saturday.
1t appears that Officer Coyle was stroll
ing at the witching hour named close by
Castle Garden, when suddenly, just as
Bernardo and Marcellus first saw the
ghostly Majesty of Denmark, he beheld
on the edge of the Battery sea wall a
strange apparition. This was a gentle
man who, the better to enjoy the fresh
air, had Invested himself of all clothes
except a shirt and pair of trousers and
who was standing meditatively on one
leg and gazing toward Castle
William. To this singular person
officer Coyle at once addressed
the partly superfuous direction
to stand and unfold himself. But instead
of complying, either by continuing to
stand or proceeding to unfold, the figure
dropped through trap; or, in other
words, sprang over the wall and disap-
peared behind it. With natural curiosi
ty officer Coyle went up to the wall and
looked over. The mysterious stranger
had descended on large cake of ice
which was near the shore, and now sat
there grinning at the officer with great
aft liability.
Unable, as we gather from report, to
account for these singular acts, the
officer now invited the other to come
ashore. But, quite charmed with his
coign of vantage, which was beginning
to move slowly further away from the
wall, the man on the ice tacitly declined.
Officer Coyle then peremptorily ordered
him to come ashore, whereupon the
man proceeded to behave in manner
entirely SURPRISING for eccentricity all
his former actions. He suddenly drew
a revolver and fired three shots at the
officer in quick succession. Happily I'm
hurt, the officer raped Justify for help,
and the man, much displeased, fired a
fourth shot. This time, still according
to the report, "the bullet whistled so
close to the oif1cer's head that in the af-
fright of the moment he fancied himself
shot and fell to the ground"
At this juncture officer Long bore in
sight, having heard the raps, and officer
Coyle, having regained his feet and his
presence of mipd, the two, persuaded of
tha futilitY of harsh measures, ingratia
tingly sought to coax the cratic mariner
TO land. But he, now obviously seriously
annoyed. answered their entreaties by
two more shots, each of which flew wide
of the mark. After further consultation
the officers decided to lasso their trouble
some opponent, and thus to drag him
ashore; and they procured rope FOR the
purpose But abandoning this design
as GVar stringent, they got boat and
started to row to the cake of ice. Even
then the resources of this fantastic per
son were not at an end. For no sooner
did he see that he waa about to be cap
tured than he plunged into the water
aud struck out for Governors Island.
But his adventures were now brought to
a close, for he.was soon overtaken, and
having been found to be poor sailor In
fit of temporary insanity, was lodged
in the Chambers Street Hospital.