The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
FIRE CURES CRIPPLE
Throws Away Clutches and
Rescues Children

LONDON, July S0-With dramatic
swiftness, the fire which broke out
early yesterday morning at st. AM
drews street, w. c.. in a bird and dog
fanciers shop, belonging to Mr.. G.
Leach, wrought a wonderful cure for a
man who had been a hopeless cripple.
The story is a most remarkable one.
At l a. m. Mr.. Pat Shay, who for four
years past has suffered from paralysis
in both legs, compelling him to walk
On clutches, was dragging himself to
the lodging house where he is staying,
near the Dials, when he saw smoke
belching forth from Mr.. Leach's shop.
The whole of the upper part Of tie
four-story building was "let OUT there
being altogether twenty-five people
sleeping on the premises.
Promptly Mr.. Shay gave the alarm.
and in quick time man, who hap
pened to be close by, answered the
call. Between them they managed to
burst in the door.
Then, in his intense excitement, the
cripple forgot his infirmity, and, throw
ing away his clutches, rushed with
his companion up the burning stairs.
Selling an infant boy. whom he found
in room, Mr.. Shay rushed downstairs
with him. his fellow-rescuer following
with little girl.
BY this time the police and firemen
LdQ dif1Feu, anu, HldhluS tISii way
into the flaming building, pluckily res
cued the remainder of the inmates.
Among them were an invalid man AMI
woman, who for a considerable time
had been bedridden.
All the occupants were taken in at
the Clock House public house in the
Dials, saving two. These, with fire.
man who fell through the escape,
were conveyed to hospital.
IND Of fo1o Gr "a W
told as he related it to a Daily Chron-
icle representative last evening was:
when the police and fremen ar
rived he said, Il was knocked over
in the struggle just after had brought
the boy down. Some one standing
by, who saw me, helped me up, saying.
There's your crutcheS.'
"I don't want the crutches,' I an
swered, and neither did I. / could walk
without them.
Il saw the finish of the fire, and
then went home, carrying the crutches
under my arm.
But 1 wouldn't go to bed for my
joy. The people in the lodging house
clustered around me and couldn't be-
lieve their own eyes. Several of them
stayed up all night cGngratulating me.
Il can hardly realize it myself. It
was four years ago since I had my
first stroke, and since then I have not
been able to do any work.
Formerly / was an actor. and I have
appeared in sketches at nearly all the
music halls in London. For some time,
too, I was engaged as a scene shifter
at Days theater.
Last August I was waiting for a
bus in Trafalgar square, when 1 fell
down in fit. I remembered nothing
until I found myself in Westminster
hospital. From that time had paraly-
sis all over my body, and could scarcely
move.
.I have been in several hospitals,
but nothing did me any good until the
fire this morning. And now look at
me. Yesterday I could hardly drag
myself along-now 1 can walk without
my crutches.
Its nothing short of a miracle"
Tears welled into Mr.. Shay'S eyes as
he recounted the suffering he had gone
through. Then he broke into hearty
laughter, and, throwing down the
clutches which he had been holding
under his arms, commenced dancing a
Jig as he hummed lively tune.
"Pll soon be thinking about work, -
he said cheerfully when he finished his
caper. "All these four years I have
lived on my professional friends. And
they have been good to me.
"Mr. r. G. Knowles allows me los
week, and he often gives me plenty
besides. 1 don't know what I should
have done without him.
An American, who has been in Eng
land seventeen years, Mr.. Shay is
fifty-five years old, and is a tall, fine
looking man.
He is naturally receiving showers of
congratulations upon the almost COM
plete recovery of his former activity.