The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-12
SOME ONE HAD CUT THE ROPE
THREE ToRKMEN FAIL THIRTY-FITH
FEET TO The GROUND.
For Weeks They Had been Repairing the
sieeple of DIR. John Halls Church and
the surplus Rope OF Their PLATFORM
IInd neen CoIled on the Sidewalk.

For weeks They Had Been Repairing the
sieepie of DIR. John Halls Church and
the surplus Rope OF Their Fiatforna
Had neen Coiied on the sidewalk.
Whom the Rev. DIR. John Halls church. Fity-
fifth street and Fifth avenue. closed for the
summon. Builders Muir & Lander were en-
gagged to repair tho ediilce. and to point or
clean tho towering stone steeple. Work was
begun eight weeks ago. A scairold was built
around the church. and the workmen exams
ined every stone. Tho old crumbling ones
were removed and new ones put In their
places, while all the others were secured clean.
When this part Of tho Job was finished the
workmen began work on tho stoeple. which Is
go feet high. They ran scaffold up to the
top OF the steeple and worked from the top
down. John Campbell. Alexander Wells. and
John Dirk were detailed to repair the steorle.
Campbell and Wells were the pointers. and
Dirk was the stone mason.
The three men worked on swinging platA
form which hung from the top of the scafYold.
1t was supported by two ropcs. each ono az
inches in diameter. Tho ropes were brand
new. having been bought by Contractor Muir
for this job. When tho platform hung near
the top Of the steeple tho surplus rope res
quired to lower 1t lay in two coils upon the
ground. AS the men progressed In their work
and lowered tho platform the surplus rope on
the ground was used up. On last Monday the
platform with its three diminutive-lookin0
workmen swung midway between tho ground
and the top OF tho steepe. Wednesday found
the platform only about eighty feet from the
| sidewalk. and when tho men climbed UP, to "
yesterday morning it was tfty-nve feet above
the staging which covers the cast side OF Fifth
worked rapidly during the morning. and b!
O'clock had lowered their platform twentA'
Shortly before 2!s Contractor Muir. who had
been up on the sidewalk staging giving tho
men "a above s him some directions, came IAN doT9
crossed tho street when he heard cry Of
alarm followed by q, crash, He looked up at
Wells had bsen thrown Gle ar OF the woodwork
had clntched at tho, scafioldins when he, felt
himself going. and had MANAGED to save him
hands badly, skinned; Campbell! struck the
staging which covered the sidewalk with such
S sr'fE e 1na dSR
for dead and hurried into st, Luke's Hospital.
o fs
injuries. however. were moro serious. He
was unconsciops and bleeding from a dozen
The rope was examined and was found td
strands. each strand consisting OF three
small ones; , Two Of the great strands shes had
severed. The rope had evidently not been cu6
yesterday; 1t might have been cut on Wednes1
sary to measure the rope before tho time can
be Appropriated. Tho suppositon is that thu
form was near the top Of the steeple. and the
surplus rope lay coiled on the street below,
rope until the platform was lowered sufficient.
iy to have the weak spot pass oyer the pHlley
Contractor Muir.'s attention was called to thi9
discovery no locked at the rope carefully and
cut 1t wilfully,. He will measure the rope to.
day to lean. II possible. when the deed vas
miscreant could be. He was seen at his home.
| S07 Amsterdam avenue. last night and said
that he had had no labor troubles OF any kind.
| He Is much disturbed by what he terms de4
liberate attempt to murder his mon. ana says
| that he will do all he can to ferret out the
| mystery.
| Campbell Is % years old and lives with hid
| mothor at 2S5 West Twenty eighth street.
| Wells is 38 years old and lives at 1902 West
Thirty second street.