Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-14
THREE BLACK CROWS.
THE OLD sToRYs APPEARANCE uN-
DER A NEW oUISE.
The Tall White Haired Man with Earnest
Upturned Face-The Swelling Crowd
and the liberalization Of
Terrible Calamity.

Terrible Calamity.
IPuck.l
A tall man. with long white hair. which
half hid his ooat-collsr, stood in front OF one
the large buildings on lower Broadway at
noon the ether day. HIS face was upturned,
! and be appeared TO be gazing earnestly at
| the roof Of the structure. In a few min
utes he was joined by another man, and in
few minutes more another. and then an
| other, until score Of men were gathered to-
| gether On the pavement. looking at the
upper stories of the tall structure. As the
crowd began 10 swell, busy brokers stopped
too look, messenger boys fock,i to the spot
| from all directions merchants, clerks. ed
dlers and iilers stopped in their journey
and gazei at the building as if they ex-
! pectel some frightful catastrophe to occur.
| The throng soon grew too large fer the
pavement, and the gutter and part OF the
street were speedily occupied by several
hundred elbowins, jostling, inpatient and
curious sight-seers.
Il wonder if the walls a-gcing TO fail.'
observed n speculative spectator on the out
skirts of the throng
"They say the wall is going to fall, re-
| peated the man next to him
Look cut, the building is going to tum-
| ble!7 shouted the next.
Don't crowd so.' yellel man in the
center, the wall is going to fall"
Look Quit Look OUT shrieked dozen
Others. and the men pressed backward on
| each others toes until there was space
enough on the pavement to let regiment
march through.
Il wonder whether it's on fire. observed
another spectator.
"It's on fire,' shouted another.
See the smoked, yelled a third
Fire, fire. howled score of other
voices, AMI the crowd surged back to the
pavement as flies gather On a lump Of sugar
In summertime
Il hope there are no women or chil1ren
in tho building, remarked a charitably in
clined citizen.
There are women and children in the
building getting burned up.' shouted an
other.
Three women getting burned up!7 yellel
another
Open the window and rescue them."
piped little man who wa, Observing the
building from under a tall mans coat-tails.
Bring ladder.' yelled sensible man.
Ladder, ladder. fetch a ladder" howled
q dozen Others and a number of boys were
dispatched i'll various directions fer these
useful articles.
"Why doesn't some one turn Gu the fire.
alarm suggested another man.
Turn on the alarm took up the crowd.
"Call the fire Department. and several men
started simultaneously for this fire-alarm
boxes
Fifty dollars TO the man who saves their
livesp yelled tall man with western air
and wide-brimmei hat
Break open the doors and go up-stairs.'
howlei an enthusiastic man, as he edged
away from the crowd in the opposite direc-
ton from the building.
Save their livesI' yelled another, as hs
made break through the crowd for the
stone steps, followed by IA half-hunired
other men.
Call the policei" said another man.
police, police! police!" shouted tho
crowd.
''Some one will go through the building
and rob the offices!' said another on the out
skirts.
Robbers, Robbers. Police. Policei
Fire. Firei Save the women, Bring
laiieri Bust in the front door, howled the
crowd
What's der rowi' gr0wled a policeman.
on the opposite corner. he Observed tho
crowd.
Some ones getting killed." rep.iei an
imaginative but inaccrrlie long range spec
tator.
I'll rap for help said the guar iian Of the
peace, graciously.
whats der racketP cried another patrol-
man, as lie came painting around the corner.
Terrible fight over there" replied the
first; two men being murdered"
More raps More policemen.
Fire-engines Leari coming in the dis
tance.
Lets clear the crowd" said policeman.
"Firei Murder, Pulicei' shouted the
crowd
'Clear the way" howled the officers.
"Wnack. thump bang.' remarked the
policemen's clubs as the sturdy officers
reached the edge of the crowd
Here comes the police, Clear the way,
Quit hitting mel Oach, Stop crowJing
mel shouted the Spectators, as they made
way for the policemen and doiged the fast
gathering engines.
What's the mat.er;' criel an officer, as
he rushed into the building.
Nothing replied tho janitor. What
Is the row in the Street.'
WHATS the row out heref" inquired
another officer of one of the spectators IL
the crowd.
Nothing l. the matter here" replied that
that Individual Its in the building
Where, tie fref' shouted the fro
marshal
No fire here said the policeman
"Wha;'S the fight about'' inquire tie
police sergeant, who appeared on ths scene
at the head of the reserve force.
No fight, replied the officer.
"Wnere'S the dead man. asked the ambu-
lancc-driver. as he stopped his pantn.
horses in front of the building
No dead man here" said the officer
Well calculated the sergeant
well" cchcei the policeman, fire mar
shall, janitor. and spectators.
In the thick Il the crowd stood the man
with the white hair, his eyes still fixed i'm
movably ON the building.
Say. cd mani" said the sergeant, as lie
grasped his arm. what in thunder are you
looking at''
TIE old man slowly turned around, his
hat outstretchei in his hand, displayin. on
his brea large placard which read:
Please Help the Blind
Three hours later the old man faced the
bar o: justice in the tombS
"ChargeT observed the court
Begging on the street, blockadiny the
pavement, creating disturbance" replied
tn police sergeant
six months repliel the rourt sTau tina