The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-10-03
DUNCAN'S QUEER CRANK
Has Spells When He Thinks
He Is the Champion
Water Walker.
TRIED 10 PROVE IT LAST NIGHq
Was Stripping to waIk to
New York When Ferry.
men Stopped Him.


Charles M. Duncan, thirty-seven years
old, Of No. 20 East Mechanic street, New
ark, was arraigned before Police Jus-.
tice Potts in the First Criminal
Court, this morning, and was remanded
for further examination. Dunean was
arrested shortly before midnight l&sk
might for attempting to walk across the
North River. He was not drunk, neither
did he propose to commit suicide. He
was in dead earnest and but for the
timely interference of a number Of PENN
sylvania Railroad employees he would
have tried his foolhardy project and att
tempted to emulate ST. Peter. When
baked in his effort to walk to New York
Duncan fought his sayiors like demon
1t was all that four men could do to re-
strain him from jumping overheard. Dun-
can is a quiet appearing man, of medium
height, pock-marked, and wears glasses
When asked his occupation at the police
station he said he was a walker.
Late last night he entered the Brooke
lyn Annex ferry house in this city. There
was no boat in the slip. He passed
through the waiting room. where sew
eral persons were sitting, and walked out
to the edge OF the float. There he stood
for a minute, gazing at the lights along
the New York shore. and then he threw
his hat on the float. peeled off his coat.
and stopped to unite his shoe laces. By
this time the attention of the ferry hands
was attracted to him. Ferrymaster
Christopher Burke approached him and
asked him what he was doing.
Getting ready to walk to New York, =
replied Duncan.
Don't you think you had better wait
and take the boat?" asked Burke, see-
ing that he had to deal with crazy man
and wishing to gain time.
"A boati huhi' said Duncan: .tyou evi-
IDENTIFY do not know who I am. am the
champion water walker of the world.
can beat any living man walking on the
water
Duncan was within a few inches of the
edge of the float. Burke was afraid IL
he seized him alone both might fall over
board, SO he beekoned to Seaman Allaire
and Philip Kelly, his assistants. The
three surrounded Duncan and seized him
just as he was about to go overheard.
Ele fought them fiercely and succeeded IN
intiietings several severe blows upon them
A passenger hunted up Patrolman Timo-
thy Murphy, who went TO their assist
ance When Duncan saw him he ceased
struggling and said:
..Oficer, insist upon it that these
men let me alone. have done no wrong.
l simply want to walk to New York and
they won't let me-.
You had better come with me-, said
Murphy Selling Duncan to make sure
that he dir not escape.
What charge will you make against
me- officer?" asked Duncan. rs there
any clause in the penal code which pro-
hibits a man from walking on the waters' e
Murphy summoned a patrol wagon He
had difficulty in getting Duncan into IT.
In the excitement Duncan's coat and hat
were forgotten. They were taken to him
later. At the Gregory street station Dun-
can still protested against his arrest.
styling it an outrage, and quoting law
to prove that he could jump overheard
if he pleased without violating the law
Duncan is we'll known in Newark. Ha
has periodical hallucinations, and he att
tempts to walk on the water. He has
been saved from drowning several timess