Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-05-04
FOUGHT IN M|DA|R
EXPERIENCE OF STEEPt.EJACk
WITH CRAZY COMRADE.
Worker Tells Of the Time When Oar
OBrien Had an Impulse to Jump
and How Narrowly a Trag-
edy Was Averted.

ibid you ever have an impulse to
calling the sensation of many people in
looking down even from "A housetop.
I've kept pretty free from that"
said he; but there's no doubt climbing
steeples does tell on Il mans nerves
Now, there was Dan O'Brien; he hac
an impulse to jump off steeple one
day, and strong impulse, too. lie
went mad on one of the tallcst spires
in Cincinnati; right mt the trop of It,"
event mad?"
"Yes, sir, raving mad, and l was by
him when it happened. l forgot wheth-
er the church was Baptist or Presbyte.
rian. but l know it stood on Sixth
street, near Vine, and there was II big
hand on top of the steeple, the fore
finger pointing to heaven.
I'VE were putting fresh gliding on
this hand. l was working on the
thumb side and O'Brien on the little
finger side, both OF us standing on tiny
stugings about the size OF n chairseat,
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 lifeline.
ut 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 laugh
from O'Bricn's side that sent a shiver
down my spine. Did you ever hear n
crazy man laugh? Well, If ever you
do, you'll remember it. 1 looked at
him, and saw by his face that some
thing was wrong.
"'What are you DOING? said I.
''He answered very polite and steady
like, but his tone was queer. I'm try
Ing to figure out how long it would
take man to get down If he went the
fastest way.
II thought l had better keep him In
good humor, so said: I'll tell you
what, Don, you brace up and get this
gold on, and then We'll race to the
ground in our saddles
""That's a fair idea said he in a
shrill voice, but I've got better one
Wen race down without any saddles
yes, sir, without any lines, without u
blamed thing
Don't be fool, Dan. What you
want to do is to get that gold on
quick tried to speak sharp.
mo, sir; I'm going to jump, and sc
are you
II caught his eye just then and saw
1t wasn't any time to bother about gold
leaf. reached up and eased the hitch
of my line around the hand so l could
swing toward him. | knew If l once
got my grip on him he wouldn't make
any more trouble. But I'd never had
crazy man to deal with, and l didn't
realize how tricky and quick they are
While | was working around to his
side and thinking he didn't notice it
he was laying for me out of the cor
ner of his eye, and the first thing
knew he had me by the throat ant
everything was turning black. l lei
go of the line and dropped back on my
saddle-board helpless, and if it hadn'1
been for blind luck l guess the people
down below would have got theil
moneys worth in about minute. Blu
my hand struck on the toolbox as h,
pressed me back, and l had jus
strength enough left to shut my finger.
on the first tool touched and strike a
him with it. The tool happened to b,
a monkey-wrench, and when mar
gets clip on the head with thin.
like that he's pretty apt to keep still
for while. And that's wha
O'Brien did. He keeled over and la.
there, and did, too, until my head go
steady. Even then l guess we'd boil
have fallen If it hadn't been for tn
lifelines."