The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-08-20
NO. 48.

and there were many of these
wIung their hands and uttered low
cries of distress. 1t was moment to
try the heart of the bravest. But the
superintendent was now ready to begin
his desperate task-the rescue of
madman who clung to the top of
steeple, a hundred feet in the air.
Throwing over his arm a long, stout
rope, he called two of his men and dis
appeared in the door of the church.
Five minutes later he appeared on
the top of the tower, where the wooden
structure began. but his men were not
with him. The madman was still
forty-five feet above him, and the dan
gerous part of the rescue was now &c
begin. When the brave superintend.
ent started up the cross-pieces the peO.
pie in the street below were horror
struck, and many cried out to him:
''Come back! come back!' But he
stopped them with a quick motion OF
his hand and continued his perilous
course. They could see that he had
tied one end of the rope around his
waist, and the rest of it trailed after
him as he went up. Still his men did
not appear, and many persons in the
crowd cursed their stupidity that they
allowed their companion to attempt
such a foolhardy task. The madman
did not see him until he was about
| halfway up, but when he did he
| showed so many evidences of alarm
that the watchers expected every
minute to see him loosen his hold and
fall headlong to the ground. The res
cuer now stopped and appeared to be
talking to the madman, but nothing
could be heard by those below. Ten
| fhVvg fov Of
| the most terrible suspense-and then
the spectators were amazed to see the
lunatic, with astonishing agility, aban-
don his position on the arms of the
cross and slide rapidly down the stem.
He now stood on the top of the up
rights, but there he hesitated and
looked down at the man who was there
| to save him.
The superintendent must have
spoken a few encouraging words, for
the madman at once began to come
down the cross pieces. AS he ap-
preached the point where the super
| intendent awaited him, the latter came
down step by step ahead of him, and
in few minutes they stood together
on the platform ON top Of the tower.
And then there went up from the hearts
of hundreds of people below a great
shout of relief, followed by warm
words of praise for the brave George
Simpson, the stout-hearted superin-
| tendent, who had so herOically risked
his own life to save that of another.
Fifteen minutes later Simpson came out
of the church door alone. In a few
words he explained how he had in
duced the madman to descend from his
perilous position and follow him into
the tower. 'Of COURSE" said he, Il
expected to have some sort of struggle
with the man on the spire and / tied the
rope around my waist in the hope that
if we should lose our hold l should be
able to take a turn with tha rope
around the cross-picce and thus stop
my fall
But I thought l would try a ruse
first. / spoke to him quietly when
got near enough, and told him l was
there to save him from the people below;
that they intended to climb up and take
him, and l would prevent il il he would
follow me into the tower, where /
would hide him in safety. Fortunately
| hit upon the very thing, for he fanced
himself pursued by the people. who
would do him harm, and when / got
him into the tower my men, who were
left there for the purpose, seized him
and securely tied him. He is now in
the church, where l shall keep him
until / can send him where he be-
longs"
1t was afterward learned that the
man had a terrible attack of mania
potu, and escaped from his home. BY
the time his friends arrived he was
quiet and tractable, and made no re-
sistance when they took him away
Philadelphia Cor. Cincinnati Enquirer.