The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-14
SLIDING DOWN
A FIRE ESCAPE.
Two Beings Narrowly Escape a
Fearful Death.
An Exhibition Of Patent Apparatus Results
in Slight Mishap-Thousands Thrilled
by the Sight.
A thrilling scene was witnessed by thou.

a thrilling scene was witnessed by thou
sands of spectators yesterday afternoon,
and what might havs been a horrible acct
dent was only averted by the grit and pres
ence of mind of the principal participant.
Ex-Captain John Mcleod Murphy, late
of the New York Fire Department. was
giving an exhibition of the Mutual Patent
Fire Escape, and had his apparatus sus-
pended from the top of the tower on the
Chronicle building. He had already made
two descents from the very top and on the
third trip stopped at a fourth story window,
seized twelve-year-old boy about the waist
and continued his descent.
When within about twenty-five or thirty
feet of the ground part of the gearing that
suspended him gave way and there was
nothing but his right-hand grasp of a small
rope to keep him and the little boy in his
left arm from being dashed to jelly on the
pavement below.
THE SITUATION REALIZED.
Captain Murphy realized his situation in
stantly and with all the strength at his COM
mand held on to the rope and Rugged the
little fellow still closer. Of course the grasp
of one hand could not stay the weight of
even one person, say nothing of two and so
the daring Captain and his boy companion
sped downward with almost the velocity of
dead unobstructed weight.
His grasp on the rope did tend, however.
somewhat to break the force of the fall, for
instead of both landing i'll a shapeless heap
on the sidewalk, the Captain had only his
right ankle severely sprained and the flesh
burned from the inside of his right hand.
The boy escaped with a scratch or two on
the nose and dislocated knuckle on his
right hand. AS quick as it was possible the
police patrol wagon was summoned and
both unfortunates taken to the Receiving
Hospital. where their injuries were dressed
and examinations made to learn If other
injuries had resulted.
A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
No one who witnessed the accident had
the slightest idea that either could have
escaped short of something serious, if not
fatal, but aside from terrible jar and the
injuries mentioned, both parties are all right.
A portion of the paraphernalia of this
patent is cinch-like belt, with D-shaped
rings fastened to both ends, These rings
hook into the slide or pulley on the rope,
and the swing or loop thus formed is what
the person using the escape suspends him.
self in. This cinch-like loop that Captain
Murphy used yesterday is one that he has
been using in exhibitions for five years and
was beginning to show the effects of wear.
His wife noticed this fact only on the
Hl5UL DtIOIt, duu Cdll6u ulS dblcullOu " ll
So to guard against the possibility of an ac-
cdent he tested its strength, and found that
1890 pounds had no apparent effect on it.
The belt texture resembles extra heavy
canvas, and the rings are fastened on with
leather loops sewed securely aud riveted.
1t is probable that the Captains unusual
test caused the mischief. for the band when
used in the exhibition yesterday broke at
one end, right where the leather was fast
ened on. and had not the strands of the
woven belt been previously weakened by
some unusual strain, the weight OF bull
could not have broken it.
NO DEFECT IN THE APPARATUS.
There was no defect whatever in any
other portion of the apparatus, and had it
not been for this weakened band no ordin-
airy weight could have caused the accident.
The little boy who participated in the eX-
hibiion, and whose almost miraculous es-
cape from instant death was due to Captain
Murphy's deadly grip, is James Lucas, who
is employed in the Montgomery-street Mar
ket, and lives somewhere on Jones street
His parents had moved yesterday, and he
was unable to give the number OF his res
idence. He is as plueky little fellow as
ever lived, and did not make a loud noise
while the Police Surgeon was twisting his
dislocated knuckles into position- under
most circumstances very painful operation.
After his hand had been bandaged he
arose ana walked around, apparently much
less ulStulD lndU Inc CullOuS
and taking more interest in Captain Muir
ply than in himself. Just as the attend
ants at the hospital were about ready to re-
move the Captain to his house. his wife ap-
peared at the door, determined to know the
fate of her husband.
Though she did not make the least demon
stration when interrupted by the Captains
friends, yet she was as pale as specter,
and her expression was one of in'ense sus-
pense. 1t took repeated assurances from q
dozen who surrounded her to convince her
that her husband was all right, but she
would not stir an inch toward the door until
they carried him out, and carriages took
both to their home. little Jimmy Lucas and
several friends accompanying them.
A MAN WITH A RECORD.
Captain Murphy, though only a young
man, has really wonderful record. He
was many years member of the New York
Fire Department, and when the plan was
conceived to organize life-saving corps in
that city he was one Of its first promoters.
In his service he has saved fOrty-three lives
from fire. and as a fireman has taken part
in more than 1000 fires in that city.
The captain was again thoroughly exam
ined by physician last night and the fact
assured that his injuries are only slight He
expects to be ON the street again in day or
two His well-dlsciphned instinct to save
life is of course all that saved the little fell
low in his arms.
Had he been alone in making the descent
the breaking of the loop would have
amounted to very little, for he would have
had both hands and both legs at his ser
vice, and these he could easily have twisted
around the rope, and descended with the ut
most safety.
1t was reported also that Captain Murphy
intended to have made one more descent,
from the top of the tower to the ground
carrying his wife in his arms. If the report
is true, the break. as it occurred, was GER