Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-04
FISHED FROM A ROOF.
How Chicago Clothing Went Up When a
Tramp Caught Sight f 1t.

Tramp Caught Sight fit.
CHICAGO, May flames Conley, who,
Judging from his face, might be of any age
from twenty-five to almost seventy, was
arraigned to-day in the Third District Po-
lice Court on a charge of petty larceny,
and held for further examination.
Conlev arrived in Chicago from the Far
West the day before yesterday. He is,
perhaps, the most dilapitated speclman OF
the genus tramp ever seen even in this
CITY. although Chicago at this season of the
wear attracts tramps from far and near, as
Mecca attracts Mohammedan pilg rims.
Conley's shoes were held together by bits
of wire, and part of his shirt found its way
through a great hole in the back of his
trousers. He got into the meshes of the
law in rather singular fashion.
On Tuesday, when the shades of evening
began to hover, Patrolman Martin Ma
guire, while prOmenading his beat on
Water street, was startled at seeing the
figure of man jerked off the sidewalk
right over the way, and moment after ris-
ing in the air and floating gently upward.
Knowing that the suicidal epidemic is rag
ing, he jumped at once to the conclusion
that he was almost in the presence of an
unfortunate who, growing weary OF life,
had taken this strange way of ending 1t.
He crossed brlskly over, and as he came
nearer, he observed with aStonishment,
that there was a gap in the rank OF we'll
dressed dummies in front of James Gold
blooms clothing store BY the time he
reached the curbstone he had taken IN the
situation, the more especially as by the aid
of light from window he could make out
the figure SIS on the breast OF the rapidly
ascending mummy. Straining his official
into in no iptp Of
Justice, and shocked beyond all measure at
this latest development in the art of get
ting what one does not earn, ne stepped a
few PAGES backward aud saw the silhouette
of man on the projecting roof of Gold
blooms store pulling away at the dummy,
as a skilful angler draws fish from the
water beneath.
"Well,n exclaimed the officer, "that bates
Banagher, and they say Banagher bates
the ould boy. I'm hanged If he hasn't got
it over"
Seeing no time was to be lost if he would
capture the thief red handed, Officer Ma
CURE entered the store, and telling MS
story in one graphic sentence, made his
way to the attic Here he found the sky
light closed, and some time was lost in
opening it. When he gained the roof the
establishment of the worthy officer was in
creased.
With the dexterity long practice had
given him, the man who fished Bloom
COLDS SlS cheviot suit up had donned the
vest and trousers, while the coat lay folded
neatly at his feet. But that was not all.
On Goldbloom's skeleton had been placed
the cast off rags of the thief, and more
picturesque figure than it presented could
not possibly be conceived as they fiuttered
in the breeze.
''I'm sorry" soliloquized the thief, as he
lifted the coat and took last glance at the
picture his genius had created, that /
couldn't get on to the twenty-ive-dollar
rig. My uncle"
Here he heard footstep behind him, and
made dash over the caves and cutters to
the place from which he had assembled,
bullets from Officer Maguire's revolver
whistling past his ears as he ran. He was
captured.
''Your Honor" he said to the Justice,
when asked to plead "This thing is
pretty hard upon a poor cove like me-
Every one says to me. why don't you be
Industrious and go to work. Why don't
you dress yourself respectfully And the
very minute try to do something this OIL
Ger comes along and interfereS.'