Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-10-30
DIZZY DUEL ON A ROOF.

Fearful Fight Fifty Feet Above the
Earth-oficer Barry's Life and
that Of His Desperate Prisoner
Saved by Rusty Nail-A
Death Grip.
Michael Cronin owns stable IN
Jersey City at No. 1888 Sixth street.
When he went from there to the
house last night he forgot TO ex'
tinguish a lighted lamp. His daugh'
ter about 10 o'clock told him of 1t.
He feared an accident from fire
and went to the barn. AS he drew
near he saw three men acting suspl-
ciously. He called the attention
of Policeman Barry to the men.
The officer asked them where
they had got the bag of oats that
they carried. The men were una
BILE to give a good explanation, and
Cronin identified the property as
his, and Barry arrested them. Be-
fore he could secure one of the
men, Dennis Mcclure, alias
Dutchy,' he ran away.
Barry took the remaining TWO to
the station house and they were
booked as Joseph Bergen, No. 164
Seventh street, and John Harrigan,
No. 444 Henderson street. He
then went in search of McGuire.
At about 12 o'clock he saw HIM en-
ter the hall of the House Of Bla-
zes' on Tenth street. This build
ing is three stories in height and is
inhabited by a very hard crowd.
Barry followed McGuire as rapid.
ly as possible to the hall. Then
he lost trace Of him, because Of the
darkness. a light was procured
and a search in the yard made
The fugitive was not there. The
policeman continued his search till
he reached the peaked roof. There
he saw Mcclure. He was cling
ing to a chimney. The roof was
shingled, and it was at an angle of
thirty degrees. 1t was dry and
slippery.
The policeman ordered Dutchy'
to come to the skylight and sur
render. That individual objected.
He said that Barry could come and
take him if he desired to. Both
men are powerfully built and are
very strong. Feeling assured that
Dutchy' meant business Barry
walked on the slanting roof toward
him. When he reached the chin
ney he raised his club and again
ordered Mcclure to leave his place.
With a spring like panther
McGuire clutched the officer by
the throat. He tried to strike him,
but was prevented.
There on the slanting roof, fifty
feet above ground terrible con-
test took place. Each was COM
PEELED to clutch the peak of the
roof with one hand while he fought
with the other. Barry had dropped
his club when Mcclure sprang on
him and could only use his left
hand.
McGnire clutched him by the
throat and was slrangling him
slowly. He dared not release the
grasp Of his right hand on the
peak of the roof or both would roll
to the ground. With all the des.
peratiOn of a man fighting for life,
Barry Struggled to tear himself
away from Mcclure. He could not
stand the pressure Oh his throat
longer. His eyes were bursting
from their sockets aud his tongue
from his mouth. He was growing
dizzy. AS a last resort he let go
his grasp on the roof to put his
right hand in his pocket for his
pistol. At the same moment Nc
Guire had also let 60 his hold to
use both hands on the officers
throat. Down the roof they rolled,
each clinging with a death grip to
the other. IL was q fearful mo-
ment. Both believed they would
be killed by the fall, and each was
determined the other should go.
When they had rolled to the edge
of the small tin gutter, scarcely
strong enough to bear its own
weight, the policeman's coat caught
in a nail. The heavy cloth stopped
the fall. The fragile gutter aided,
This respite was instantly taken
advantage of by the plucky police
man, who seized his revolver and
with one fearful blow with the
butt knocked Mcclure senseless
The officer then held him till the
tenants that had been disturbed
by the noise brought rope and
hauled both men to the skylight
Nothing bnt a rusty nail saved thu
lives of both. Barry took his pris
oner 10 the station house afterwar(
without trouble.-New York Jour
nal.
In Pittsburg the Philadelphia
Westinghouse Natural Gas Compa