The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-22
FTREMRN SUBDUE 4 HADMAN.
POLICE COULDN'T GET HIM DOWN
FROM A PRIESTS ROOF.

Insane Man Gets on Q Cupoia Of Father
NihiT's House In Bridgeport and
for Eight Hours Fights on the Police
with . Piece OF . Lightning Rod
BRpoBPoRr, Conn. April 7i.-Haf
dozen policemen were kept at bay on the
roof Of the residence OF the Rev. James
B. Mill, pastor OF St. Pairick's Catholic
Church. on North avenue, for over eight
hours last night by q mailman, who nearly
killed one OF them. After an all-night
struggle the policemen, although reen-
forced in numbers, had to call upon the
fire department for assistance, which was
given In the form Of q steamer and hose
carriage, the fugitive being literally soaked
into submission.
The crazy man 10 believed to be Joseph
Kratanus. q New York tailor. His in
sanity 10 Of the religious order. but just
why the residence OF the priest should
be made the object Of his attack Ii not
known.
According to the statement OF Father
Mill. the priest was aroused to action
about 8 o clock last evening. when his St.
Bernard dog came into his study and whined
in peculiar way. The priest followed the
dog. which led him out Of a rear door to
a place about one hundred and fifty feet from
the house, where q mans hat and shoes
were found. Later they proved to be-
long to Kratanus.
Soon the priest heard considerable noise
on the roof and. thinking 1t might be .
burglar. he telephoned to police head
quarters for assistance. Two policemen
were sent to investigate. When they
reached the roof they saw a man on top
Of the cupola. which is about fifteen feet
high and eight feet square. He refused to
come down and one policeman kept a watch
while the other got a ladder.
Then Policeman George Haux started to
ascend the ladder. With apparently super
human strength the mailman tore OF a
strip Of heavy lightning rod about five feet
long. from the side Of the cupola.
He broke the spear-shaped top OF. With
the spear In his left hand and the iron rod
in his right Kratanus fought the policemen
down the ladder. The first blow from the
iron rod struck the policeman on the helmet
and made II unit for further service
The policeman stood his ground and
warded OF the second blow with his night
stick. He then drew his revolver, but the
priest. who was on the roof, ordered him
not to shoot. Tho policeman couldn't fight
against the lightning rod and had to give
up the struggle. All this occurred before
1890 p. M.
During the fight the insane man made
the night hideous by his yells, and several
hundred people gathered. The neighbors
within a radius OF several blocks could
not sleep. and the man yelled continually
as II his life depended upon 1t. At various
times during the night. the policemen on
the roof resorted to various kinds OF STRAIT
egg to effect q capture. but failed. Police
Captain Birmingham came to the rescue at
daylight. and would have shot Kratsnns,
but for the appeal Of the priest.
The next best thing to do in the opinion
Of the police was to call upon the FIRE
department A steamer and hose wagon
were called, and the hose was turned
on Kratanus. He stood It for nearly ave
minutes, after which he folded his hands,
and uphfted them a. II In prayer and fell
on his knees. He started to descend the
ladder and when about halfway down
apparently changed bis mind, for he started
up again.
The policemen dragged him down and
although held by six Of them he fought des-
perately. They had to club him into sub
mission. and 1t was an extremely dificult
thing to get him from the roof to the
ground