The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-11
HOULD-BE SUICIDE
FROZEN WITH FEAR
AS RESCUER DIES
Sight of Policeman Being
Killed Prevents Leap
From Bridge.

NEW YORK. Jan. L.-Although the
entire harbOr squad and every tugbOat
plying the East river has searched
carefully. they have not recovered the
body OF Robert J. Fitzgerald, a police
man, who lost his own life last night
preventing Edward H Walker, Of Chi
cGgo, from committing suicide. The
policeman was first struck BY a car on
Brooklyn bridge, and his body feI into
the river
Walker is almost maniac in his cell.
and tells q graphic story Of the tragic
manner in which the policeman died.
Il was biting my lips and straining
my nerves to get up courage enough TO
jump" said Walker, when / saw this
policeman rIsh for the ladder and start
10 climb I watched his every move,
frozen with fear, as I saw the trolley
car rushing toward him He did not
see 1t, His eyes were on me and burned
me- He called TO me, Stop, Stop,
When Car Struck Him.
Il wanted TO call out to him and
warn him, but my tongue was stiff
When the car struck him 1 saw his
frstuTes twist with pain. though his
eyes we're still on me. Though il was
only a second it seemed an age before
he fell toward ne. with 0utstretched
arms. opening and closing his hands cn
air olindly reaching for something 10
cling T..
HE seemed to be falling directly at
me. and when believed he would strike
me and whirl me with him down into
the water I hugged the pillar I was on
with all my might He fell within two
feet of ne, but 1 dared not reach out
tor him. ! was frozen l had no feel
ing His face appealed TO me, and he
gasped something as he rolled from ole
beam 10 another.
1t was aWful-that appeal. and the
agony IN his eyes. His face was stih
turned mp 10 me as his body slipped be
I. tween the ties of the railroad tracks,
and he went down into the black empti-
ness below. My eyes followed him, and
his face seemd 10 hang in the air, still
looking uD at me with that look of
appeal. his arms beating the air, and
ms myers opening and closing.
In Fear of Death.
I had forgotten all about myself I
did not seem to exist, though a horrible
fear Of death gripped my heart. 1
thought tor moment that I was that
policeman grinding down into the black
ness, into the water that flashed with
dim lights that seemed like streaks Of
blood.
4 felt wet, saturated, and the chill
was in my heart and narrow When
Sergeant Farrell and the ether police
men climbed down tc me | tried to kick
them away. l fought and struggled
with them, for the feeling seized me
that they had come TO shake me loose
from my perch and hurl me down into
that black water.
81 had been thinking peacefully OF
that water. and the quick death it would
bring, when ! saw that brave man. who
did not want TO die crushed and Whirled
into il. l would have gone down there a
moment before he came toward me-
had not my coat caught on a bolt and
held me- 1 was tearing q my coat when
I looked up and saw min, Eut ] was
calm until that mOmen. ami really want
ed TO die. Now / Want to live though
l feel that my mind Is giving wa.
Knows He's Going Mad.
"The picture OF the tragedy will be
ever before me. The fdoe or that man
looking up as he went down into tnat
| inky nothingness will ever be before