New-York tribune., 1911-10-16
MADMAN WITH IRON BAR
FIGHTS SIX POLICEMEN
OVerpoWered After Desperate
Battle on Roof of House in
Brooklyn Park.
OFFICER SERIOUSLY HURT
Besiegers Weld Clubs Until Rus
sian Is Helpless, Then Tie
Him and Lower Him to
the Ground.

madman Of powerful physique,
armed with an iron bar. fought desper-
ately with six policemen in Fort Greene
Park, Brooklyn. yesterday afternoon.
and was not overpowered until one Of
the policemen was seriously wounded
and the insane man himself so badly
hurt that he had to be taken 10 a hos
pitaL
oscar Fishman, a Russian. living at
No. % Leonard street, had gone to the
park early in the afternoon. and for a
time wandered about with the crowd.
Finally he began to fiji his pockets and
his hat with stones. He also picked up
short iron bar and after securing a
ladder ne scaled the roof Of a comfort
station and began hurting stones at the
crowd which had collected 20 watch mis-
antics. Several persons were struck by
his missiles, and as he showed no desire
TO come down and fight it out on the
ground, as challenged by several Of he
younger element in the crowd. some one
summoned Patrolman Riedel and an
other officer who happened 10 be near ny.
The patrolmen decided TO attack the
mailman on the roof. and while one Of
them went TO the opposit, side Of the
building 20 attract Fischman's attention
Riedel started 10 climb the ladder. The
ruse worked until Riedel was about 70
step from the top rung Of the ladder TO
the roof when Ffschman heard him and,
rushing back across the roof. he pushed
the officer with his iron bar clear Of the
roof and to the ground, fifteen feet
below. one of his arms was broken and
he received many cuts and bruises.
The other policeman then called up
the Classon avenue police station and
asked that the reserves and a patrol
wagon be sent Lieutenant Miller who
was at the desk. sent five patrolmen and
advised them ~ take along several feet
Of rope as it might come I'm handy.
When the reserves arrived at the park
they found FiSchman still holding his po-
sitiOn on the roof and the patrolnan
stalking about the house with an anxious
eye on the big Russian. The patrolmen
thought that they could carry the roof
with a rush. but in this they were dis
appointed. Running from one side Of the
roof 20 another hurling stones with an
accuracy which should have made him
a pitcher IN the worlds series and -four
ishing his iron bar, Fischman came off
victorious in the first assault.
The reserves retreated 10 hold a ccun-
CL of war and 20 rub the spots where
Fischman's missiles had landed. A big
crowd which had collected danced about
I'm delight. Meanwhile their object Of at
/ tack was performing a wild war dance
on the roof and taunting them 20 Come
on ard be licked again" The officers
, came on with drawn clubs and the
coil Of rope, and in spite of the stones
which bounded off their caps and the
skill with which the man on the roof
welded his bar the officers scaled the
roof and the battle was on with more
vigor than ever
Patrolmen's nightsticks parried the
non bar, and finally a lucky blow on
Fischman's knuckles made him drop his
weapon. He hit out valiantly with his
fists. but I'm a rice he was overpow-
cred. bound with ropes and helpless.
However. he was still as stubborn in
defeat as he had been in victory, and he
refused 20 walk down the ladder. The
officers glanced at his 2OO-pound frame