Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-14
BILLY" CASS|xS FALL
While Attending to His Duties
 As Police Officer.

l Officer William Cassin Had an Experi- ence Last Night that He Will Never
 Forget v Plunged Into an Unused We'll on the Prichard Property-His Calls for Assistance Answered by
 Boarders at the Arlington.
 Police Officer William F. Cassin had
 a close call for his life in the rear or the Prichard building on Bank street
 about 11:3O o'clock Iast night. The building is being torn down, and the officer was trying the back doors i'll the adjoining building and started to reach Grand street through the Prich- ard lot, and fell into q well which was left uncovered and might rightfully be termed a veritahle mantrap. The well has not been used for several years, but until the past day or so it was we'll secured and very few took any
 notice of it. It is about 30 or 40 feet deep, with two or three feet of water and q few rocks at the bottom. The officer made the descent with frightful speed, and how he did it without being battered to death against the jutting rocks is something which he or no- body else can tell He made several attempts to scale the walls, but the stones are laid closely together, and after getting some distance from the bottom he slipped back every time, and finally decided to shout for assist ance. John Crowley, pressman at the Democrat office, who boards at the Ar lington hotel, happened to be on the veranda and heard the voice, and i'm med;stely concluded that it came from the we'll He answered back and the officer informed him Of his prcdica- ment. Crowley went over and spoke a few words to the officer, and then has tily summoned Wilber G. Austin and others, who came to the rescue with a ladder, but this would not work The officer was clinging to the side of the well and the ladder was forcing him to the bottom. The next move was to secure a stout rope, which the officer frightened about his body and then the men hauled him up. He was wet and
 bruised some, but not seriously injur- ed. A hack was secured and he was driven to the police station, where Dr Poore examined him, but found no serious injury. He was then removed to his home on Baldwin street. The facts were reported to Mayor Kilduff. and soon aftefward Detective Cahey called at the Prichard place and exam ined the condition of the old we'll. The officer showed considerable grit in going through the ordeal without caving in, and people who peeped into the pit this morning could not under stand how he went to the bottom with out being stunned and rendered unable to call for assistance. j. H. White more, who now owns the property, called at the scene of the accident to- day, and looked over the ground very carefully. It was an expert ence which Officer Cassin would not care to X. repeat, and it goes without. saying that it is some thing which he will remember during the remainder of his life. He was for tunate that he did not make the trip head foremost or strike heavily against the stone walls. Tn either case he would never have come out of the pit alive. In addition to being an efficient officer he is Sn extremely popular citi- zen,and on this account the incident created considerable excitement about town.
 Judge Lowe and Attorney Russell have been retained by Officer William Cassin to enter suit against John H. Whittemore for injuries he received by falling down, the we'll Counsel in- spected the well this afternoon. and arrived at the conclusion that it was left uncovered through gross negli- gence- Dr John R. Poore is attending Officer Cassin. The doctor was unable to say this morning what the extent of the injuries is. To-day he was suf- fering from various bruises, but par ticufarly from severe shock The well is about four feet in diameter and 30 deep.
 The amount of damages to be asked for will depend on the nature and ex- tent of the injuries.