The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-11-01
IS RESCUED IN NICK OF TINE
MINNEAPOLIS THUGS LEAVE
HELPLESS VICTIM NEAR
OPEN GAS JET.

Minneapolis, Oct. 25.-Bound, gag
ged and left to die, his head a few feet
below a gas fixture, the valve wide
open, Beriman Ridges, librarian at the
North side library, was rescued by tho
police at 1920 last night just as the
death stupor a becoming manifest.
Ridges is now in the city hospital
in a critical condition from the gas
fumes and the beating he received at
the hands of two masked men who are
still at large.
In his delirium Ridges repeated con
stantly:
Let me alone, you ruffians; there's
nothing here"
Alone in Library.
Shortly after 6 o'clock last night,
Ridges, who was alone in the library,
started to close up and was about to
leave when two masked men darted
through a side door, seized him by the
throat and hurled him to the floor.
Ridges was then bound and gagged
and left lying on the floor while the
thugs searched the building. They
took SIS in cash from the till.
Then, disappointed at the small
amount of plurder. the fiends ap-
preached Ridges, who was lying help
less on the floor, and beat him into in
sensibility.
Not satisfied with this, the thugs
closed the doors and windows, and
dragging Ridges unconscious form
beneath one of the gas fixtures turned
on the gas and left him to die.
Struggle for Life.
Shortly after 10 o'clock Ridges re
gained consciousness to find himself
lying on his back, his hands tied be-
hind him and a gag across his mouth.
Slowly settling over the darkened
room, the heavy gas fumes forced
their way to the floor, while the help
less man, his head throbbing wildly
and his mind a maze, gazed blankly
into the darkness.
Then knowledge of the fate before
him flashed into Ridges mind, and in
the darkness there began a terrible
struggle.
Breaking upon the heavy stiffness
came the shuttle of a heavy body be-
ing dragged over the floor, and then
close against the wall a human form
slowly reared itself, staggering uncer-
tainly Slowly it made it's way along
the wall to the telephone and once
there tottered and almost fell.
Works Gag Loose.
For ten minutes Ridges tried to free
his hands, but he failed and was about
to give up wEen a sudden thought
flashed through his mind.
Standing close to the transmitter he
rubbed els mouth slowly up and down
against the metal until at last the gag
worked loose and dropped below his
chin. The receiver was still to be re-
moved from the hook, and with a des,
perate lunge RiCges butted his head
against the hook and the receiver
dropped.
The central at the North side ex-
change, attracted by the switchboard
light, answered the summons. She
heard a husky voice, which shouted de-
spairingly: Call the police to the
North side library. | am dying"
Rush to the Rescue.
Then the voice broke. A few min
utes later a squad of b%luecoats rushed
pell-mell through the rain, and in five
minutes the front door of the librarH
swung oper. A half dozen lights fash
ed through the room and disclosed, ly-
ing in a crumpled heap on the floor be
meath the telephone the body of
Ridges.
The gas fumes had almost accom-.
plished their work, and the dying man
was hurried into the open air just in
time to give him a fighting chance for
life.
Owing to Ridges condition the DO
lice were unable to get a description
of the men, but detectives and patrol
men secured the city all night in
search of the murderous ~highwaymeu.