The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-04

did these board of trade men, as they
went down the broad stairs. The people
In the corn pit and in the aisle at the
south or the exchange were comparative
~ safe. for the lunatic was firing over
their heads. at the crowd beyond.
Wild Excitement.
Not knowing when he would begin
shooting downward. there was sprint
Ing match between four and five hun
dred men for the wash room. at the OPP
posite corner, and for the broad doors
leading to the south exit. The egress
from this part OF the hall was much
easier than from the northern part, and,
in less than half a minute, the corn pit
the sample tables and the aisles resem-
bled a deserted village. The visitors,
most OF them from the country, VINO
filled both galleries. were, If anything,
more frightened than were the brokers
on the floor. The galleries were so full
that 1t was impossible for but few
TO make the staircases. Those In the
front seats dropped helterskelter behind
the railing. Many of the others found
safe places behind the chairs. The
dainty hats which country milliners had
produced as works Of art for the world S
fair were ruined by the crowd as their
owners dropped TO the floor and hid
their heads behind chairs and ratings.
barrett Was the Man.
In the gallery from where the revolver
was being fired, not a move was made by
the visitors to disarm the crazy man. AS
one broker put 1t: "Our visitors might
have let that fellow keep shooting at u
for the rest Of the session before they
would have made a move to stop him. l
suppose they were so surprised and
frightened that they did not know what
TO do. 1t was lucky for US that Tom
Barrett made that daring rush upstairs
and into the gallery, or more OF us might
have been hit 1 don't think that there
Is anything from q dynamite fire-cracker
to a Krupp gun that Tom Barrett
wouldn't face, If he thought he ought to.
Tom Barrett, who became the hero or
the board by his courageous act In rush.
ing into the gallery, has long been
known as an athlete and a man who is
afraid of nothing that walks. 1T would
have made no difference to Barrett"
leading commission man said, whether
the fellows revolver was empty or not.
I don't suppose that Barrett ever thought
for a minute whether all the balls had
been fired from the revolver. He would
have rushed up to him, have no DOUBT
with loaded revolver pointed directly
at his head. This is not the first time
Barrett has distinguished himself by
courageous daring. His friends can tell
many stories wherein he has played the
part Of a hero. OF all the men on the
board. do not think there Is one that Is
quicker in action or more fearless than
Barrett and am in favor of him as our
next president for the board OF trade.
Barretts story.
Mr.. Barrett modestly disclaimed any
special bravery II was standing in the
corn pit" he said, when L heard the re-
port of a pistol. 1t was repeated before
I could locate the shooter, and he was
standing in the little gallery under the
clock, looking over the balustrade. 1
rushed outside the hall and ran up the
north stairs to the gallery. When l got
there there was nobody in the gallery
EXCEPT the man / was after. All the
others had rushed out Of the gallery
when the first shot was fired. I caught
hold of the fellow by the back Of the
coat and grabbed hold Of the empty re-
volver he held in his hand. He must
have been taken by surprise, as he did
not make any resistance for about
minute. Then I took him down the stairs
and turned him over to officer Eustis,
who is always on the floor"
AIr. Helms Account of 1t.
d. T. Helm, the well-known vessel
agent, was right to the west of the
wheat pit when the first shot was fired.
LAS quick as heard the shot," said he,
81 glanced at the gallery and saw that
the revolver was pointed directly at me.
1 started on dead run to the westward,
keeping my eye all the time on the re-
volver 1t was with great satisfaction
that L noticed that the fellow wasn't
following me with his gun, but was
pointing it, should say, twenty feet east
of the spot where l started from.
stopped still and waited for the shot
It came, and once more set my eyes
on that gun. Once more IL pointed in
my direction and I started the other
way. In about half second 1 was out
of it's range, and again stopped. You
may depend upon 1t that was ready
for a quick move if the revolver should
have been pointed in my direction again.
1t reminded me of the old game 1 used
TO play when l was boy, which was
called 'Socl-'em.' I never once thought
as If I could dodge him better in open
fire Now that it is all over it seems
a laughable matter, but it was not then
by a long shot
The Prisoner Talks.
ct want to talk to a reporter" said the
prisoner to Police Lieut.. Golden, as he
was led downstairs in the Harrison-st
police station. MY name is Cassius
Beldin. 1 am a carriage painter, and
live at 365 LaSalle-ave. I've been under
hypnotic influences for three years.
Three years ago a man named Jones
hypnotized me at POO Huron-st Hyp-
notism is slow, and it has only been a
short time since I reached the exalted
state. I was in the vulgar state for a
long time. have visited the board OF
trade freq lently. 1 knew I was in
bondage. It has been a struggle for
bread with all of us, but when they be-
gan to sell my soul in the board of
trade today, l resisted. Before they
sold my soul they sold my two children,
who are in Philadelphia I have a wife
in Philadelphia, besides two children.
We are all in bondage. 1t is a strug-
gle for bread"
Charles w. Roswell. the Western Union
employe who was shot in the mouth, is
assistant chief of the operators on the
floor. He was landing behind the st.
Louis wire giving some instructions when
the shooting commenced. This did not
deter him from continuing at work, but
the third shot. fired wildly by the man in
the gallery struck him in the mouth and
is supposed to have lodged under his
tongue.
Beldin Is a Chicago man. He lived
with his sister. Mrs A. Williams, dress
maker. and his brother, T. A. Beldin, a
speculator on the board of trade. Ac-
cording to his sister, domestic trouble
unseated his mind five years ago, when
he was divorced from his wife at Cam
den. N j. She thinks that he acted to-
day under the belief that his brother
was being robbed by other traders on
change. The man only a few months
ago was released from the asylum for
the insane at Kankakee, Ill.