The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-08-24
FOUGHT IN MIDA|R
EXPERIENCE OF STEEPLEJACk
WITH CRAZY COMRADE.
Worker Tells of the Time When Dan
O'Brien Had an Impulse to Jump
and How Narrowly a Trag.
edy Was Averted.


did you ever have an impulse to
jump off steeple?' l questioned, re-
calling the sensation of many people in
looking down even from a housetop.
1--WE kept pretty free from that
said he; but Nlere's no doubt climbing
steeples does tell on II mans nerves.
Now, there was Dan O'Brien; he had
an impulse to jump off steeple one
day. and Il strong impulse, too. lie
went mad on one of the tallest spires
in Cincinnati; right at the trop of it,
Event mad?'
Yes, sir, raving mad, and was 10y
him when it happened. ! forgot wheth-
er the church was Baptist or presbyte-
rian but ! know it stood on Sixth
street, near Vine, and there was big
band on top of the steeple, the fore
finger pointing to heaven.
1--WE We're putting fresh gliding on
thumb side and O'Brlen on the little
finger side. both of us standing on tiny
stagingS about the size of a chair-seat
and both of us made fast to the steeple
by lifelines under our arms. That's an
absolute rule in climbing steeples-
never to do the smallest thing unless
you're secured by n lifeline.
at was coming on dark, ard | was
hurrying to get the gold leaf on, be-
cause we'd given the hand fresh coat
of sizing that would be dry before
morning. We hadn't spoken for some
time, when suddenly | heard Il laugh
from O'Briens side that sent shiver
down nay spine. Did you ever hear IA
crazy man laugh? Wen, if ever you
do, you'll remember It. | looked at
him, and saw by his face that some
thing was wrong
"What are you doingT said |.
"He answered very polite and steady
like, but his tone was queer. I'm try
ing to figure out how long It would
take n man to get down if he went the
fastest way
II thought | had better keep him in
n good humor, SO said: III tell you
what, Don, you brace up and get this
gold on, and then we'll race to the
ground in our saddles
"ThatS Il fair idea said he i'm a
shrll voice, hut I've got II better one.
Wen race down without any saddles;
yes, sir. without any lines, without a
Hamed thing.
"Don't be fool, Dan. What you
want To do is TO get that gold on
quick | tried To speak sharp.
"'No, sir; I'm going to jump, and 50
are you
ii wasn't any time 10 bother about gold
leaf. reached NJ and cased the hitch
of my line around the hand 50 | could
swing toward him. ] knew if ! once
got my grip on him he wouldn't make
any more trouble. But I'd never had
Il crazy man TO deal with and didn't
realize how tricky and quick they are.
While ! was working around Ia his
side and thinking he didn't notice il,
he was laying for me out of the cor
ner of his eye, and the first thing
knew he had me by the throat and
everything was turning black. ! let
go of the line and dropped back on my
SHddle-board helpless, and If ii hadn't
been for blind luck | guess The people
down below would have got their
moneys worth in about minute. But
my hand struck ON the tooIboX MS he
pressed me back. and | had just
strength enough left to shut my fingers
on the first tool | touched and strike at
him with 1t. The tool happened to be
monkcy-wrenCh, and when man
gets a clip on the head with Il thing
like that he's pretty apt 10 keep still
for II while. And that's what
O'Brien did, He keeed over and lay
there, and | did, too until my head got
steady. Even then | guess we'd both
have fallen If it hadn't been for the
lifelineS."