New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-15
Risks Life to Twist Diving
Body to Fail on
It's Side.
PRISONER DROPPED
CHILDREN 5 STORIES
Trial Postponed While He Re-
covers in BelleVue-Hanley
Receives SprainS.

By the application Of ground ana
lofty tumbling METHODS combined Win
iiu-iitsu. Warden Hanley at the Tomos
Yesterday saved ono o. n!s prisoners
from dashing his brains on the stone
floor in a headIong dive from the top
tier of the cell block.
The Warden played the part Of the
husky Jap in the circus who stands on
the ground with body braced, while his
friend climbs up a bamboo pole ana
dives head first into the locked PAINS
OF his hands.
Hynan Lehman. awaiting trial for
numbering his seven-year old-girl by
throwing her out of a fifth story wlu-
dow. attempting at the time 70 Kill ms
five-year-old boy in the same way, was
the prisoner who did the aerial-leap
part Of the performance.
Lehman had been taken from his
cell with a number Of other prisoners
to 90 across TO the Criminal Courts
Building. He was to go on trial Tor
the murder charge before Judge Wad-
hams.
lie suddenly broke from the line
waiting 70 be checked off and climbed
with the agility of a monkey up the
steel bars of the cage inclosing the
cells. He did not stop until he reached
the top Of the cage, just under the CELL
ing of the dollhouse. There he hung,
forty feet in the air. The commotion
had drawn Warden Hanley 20 the scene.
lie began TO coax Lehman to come
down. But the prisoner would not
come. He hung there, and, as Keeper
Eugene Kearney described it, began 70
deliver a lecture.
q know what you people are going
20 10 TO me; I'm wise to you," he
shouted; 81 won't promise to come
down until you promise to give me
back my money and let me have my
letters"
Warden Hanley ordered Kearney and
Keeper Martin to go up to the fourth
tier inside the cage and grab Lehman
through the bars to keep him from
falling, while a painter with rope
was sent for. Then he went on trying
to reason with Lehman, standing dI-
rectly under him. The prisoners warned
the Warden of his peril if the man
should drop. Among them was Rocco
Carnivale, on trial for instigating the
murder of Michael Gaimari.
Lehman saw the two keepers APP
preaching him inside the cage. APP
parently in the same maniacal def
cheney of any feeling Of horror at a
human body falling 20 death, he threw
himself back, let go the bars with a
push and pitched headlong backward
toward the concrete floor.
The Warden had watched every move
ment carefully, and braced himself di-
- he 60
hurting head first to almost certain
death. Carnivale saw the Warden's
plan to act as a cushion.
Don't do it, Warden, you will be
killed." he cried.
but | couldn't stand there and see
him smash his brains out that way, so
! took a chance" the Warden said af-
terward in describing the incident. "As
his body came within reach | just
grabbed him by the shoulder and gave
him a whirl in the air so that he struck
on his side and leg instead of on his
head"
Instead of a smashed skull DR.. Nc
CURE, the Tombs physician, found that
Lehman had received only broken
right leg, a dislocated arm and cuts
and bruises. The Warden did not come
off unscathed, either. He got a severe
ly sprained right wrist and a wrenched
hand, which had absorbed most of the
shock of the impact.
The crimes for which Lehman is in
dcted occurred on March II at his
home. 70 East Ninety-eighth Street.
His wife the night before had served
him with a summons to court for
cruelty. The next morning she left
the house, leaving their two children,
Sadie, seven, and John, five, asleep in
their crib.
The charge is that Lehman took
them out of their crib and dropped
them while still asleep from the fifth
floor window into the courtyard sixty
feet below. Both children were taken
to Mount Sinai Hospital, where the lit
tie girl died The little boy is still
living, but is crippled.
Lehman after his plunge of yester-
day was taken to Bellevue. When word
Of what had happened was sent 10
Judge Wadhams, he held a conference
with counse! in the case, and then ex-
cused the jurors until further notice.