The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-05
A TERRIBLE SITUATION
j. MANIAC DAUGHTERS FREAK.
Hanging or.r the Edge OrtAs Roof aad only Held
By her Mothers FrAil era.p-A Scene that
Made Strong Hearts sleksn-rhriIl.
Ing Details of the Rescue.

following: Mrs. Staver and her two daugnt-
ers, both grown and one an invalid, occupy
an upper suit Of apartments in the six
story flat house No. 12l West Eleventh
street. Early yesterday morning the
mother and daughters were in their rooms
awaiting the arrival of. some friends who
were to take the invalid girl to hospital
for treatment. Suddenly the girl got up
from her chair, and, saying, "Mamma,
dear, cannot stay in this room; it is so
close-let me go for little air, !" ran lightly
up the stairs and. disappeared through the
attic door. The younger sister followed
some time after, apparently not fearing any
danger. As she reached the roof she was
Mortified to see the girl sitting on the cop.
ing. She called her mother, and, as the
latter reached the roof, the girl, bending
down and catching hold Of the cornice
with her two bands, swung herself Cover.
The paved yard was six stories below.
the mother, with shrek, rushed forward
and caught the girl by the arm Just as she
was relaxing her grasp on the cornioe.
I The daughter struggled violently "Let
me go!" she cried again and again. ~ want
to die! want to die!"
The mother, with strength that seemed
supernatural, still held the girl, although
her whole weight depended upon the
mothers grasp. But the sister came to her
assistance, and both cried hystericaIly for
aid. Their -"saye her! Help! help!"
rang through all the neighborhood. Some
children in the yard below shrieked., Men
came to the windows, and, after brief
look, rushed for the stairs and to the street.
Every ybody shouted for help.
a BRAVE woNAN's EFFORTS.
A lady in the apartments below, with a
gentleman beside her, leaned far out from
window directly under the struggling
girl. But she could barely reach her. She
could secure slight hold upon one OF Miss
stayer's ankles, and this hold she kept AZ
great personal danger, somewhat checking
the hapless girls efforts to get free from
her mothers frantic grasp. 1t was ovi.
dent to the shuddering spectators that
in moment more the strength Of
the woman above must give out and
that the crazsd girl must plunge down to
death, carrying with her, by her weight,
the brave lady below her, and perhaps the
mother and sister. In this supreme mo-
ment OF suspense, above the cries 0t
mother and daughter and on.lookers, the
girl shrieked loudly: "Let me drop It
will be better for me! want to gow Then
q young girl rushed on the roof and gave
her feeble aid to the two ladies, and then
head and shoulders appeared through the
trap door and the tirst OF the rescuers
swung himself on to the roof. There was
la glad shout and then profound silence,
except for the cries OF the maniac. In an
instant he was at the edge Of the roof, and,
leaning far over, had his arms about the
girls shoulders. A second stalwart man
came to his assistance. The mother and
sister fell back fainting, the two men
slowly drawing the still struggling girl over
the parapet and to safety.
THE TERROR OF THE SCENE.
Areporter was among the helpless spec
tators in a building across the gard. Ithed
been terrible sight; the scene now was a
thrilling one. On that dizzy height, sill
houetted against the blue sky, the group OF
three stood motionless for moment. Then
the mother and sister arose and were Elm.
bracing the rescued girl, who, dazed and
now silent, seemed to have recovered her
senses. The two men wiped the perspira-
ton from their faces. In hundreds OF win
dows up and down the block men and wo.
men were weeping and laughing at once.
In an almost incredibly briei time the roof
was crowded, the mother and daughters
were helped to their rooms, congratulations
1 nkS tl,n t,Ea
it seemed Us II their shoulders would be
shaken out OF their sockets. Every one
wanted to take them by the hand. Then
the crowd slowly dispersed.
TIE MOTHERS STORY.
Mrs. Staver.was seen later in the day.
She deplored the inevitable publicity that
must be given to her daughters condition,
but told the story clearly, if broken with
sobs. Her frame still trembled from the
effects Gf that terrible struggle in the morn
ing and the strain oil overwrought feelings.
1t appeared from other inquiry that the
family had been formerly in very comfort
able circumstances, and that the loss OF
some property and the fear OF coming deg
titution had had much to do with unhing.
ing the daughters mind.
~ had hardly an idea Of her desperate
purpose" said Mrs. Staver, "when my
daughter frat ran from the room. We fol.
lowed her, not thinking she meant any.
thing other than to get the fresh air on the
roof, but she ran away 80 quietly that we
could lot have detained her. You say my
first scream brought you to your window,
and you saw all the rest. God alone can
know what felt. As caught her BY the
arm could just sec the eyes OF my darl-
ing girl over the edge Of the coping, wild
and glaring. Her shrek cut me TO the
heart, and God was good to give me
strength to hold her up. Then we screamed
again and struggled-she go down and
we to save her. II seemed al age before
that strong and brave man came"
HEROIC MRS. AWARD.
In the eastern fiat, on the floor above the
Stayers, lives Louis Aymard, a Frenchman.
He and especially his wife took an active
part in saving the girl.
"Ah, mon Dieu, said she, at certainly
was terrible. l thought we never should
have saved her. We were all here-my
father, my mother and myself. We heard
the screams-screams that go to the heart
then We see some ones feet and dress
hang down over the top OF our window.
What to do, who can tell2 stand still
and clasp my hands. Father, he rush 10
the window. He pull up the table and he
stand on 1t. Then he hold the feet and try
to hold the person up. My mother she run
to his aid. But l, mon Dieul run so fast,
two step at once, TO the roof. There was
poor Mrs. starver, she almost faint. She
Try to hold her daughter, but she Is 80 weak
she cannot take her arm-her that hang
over, you know. Her sister have the other
arm. Then Susie, she throw her head
back aud look in my eyes. oh, l must
die, she says, in such a voice-mon Dieu,
it almost make me cry-so sad. Then the
two gentlemen, they come and they take
Susie and they lit her UP. That Ii all