New-York tribune., 1919-09-02
Firenen Form
Human Chains:
Saves w omen
Winner of Medal, Timothy
Leary, Battalion Chief
Jones and Others Brave
Death in Daring Rescue

A shrek stopped Timothy OLeary in
his tracks last night soon after he had
left his home at 81 Montgomery Street
on his way to quarters at Engine Com
pany Is. AS he turned into Clinton
Street the fireman saw hundreds of
persons staring at top floor window
of a ive-story tenement at PAT Clinton
Street.
Nellie Callahan, nineteen. was cling
ing to the window sill. Her face was
puckered with the smoke and heat and
terror of the fire whose flames OLeary
could see crawling up the ancient win
dow casing.
Pushing way through the crowd
OIeary dashed into the hallway Of
the house, shielding his face with his
arms from the smoke that was rolling
out in great billows. An instant later
he reappeared, staggering. The smoke
had driven him back.
He knew he could not climb the
stairs at 247, but he knew that he was
going TO get the girl off the window
ledge some way. He ran to PAS Clin-
tor Street and up the stairs TO the ton
Moor. where the rooms next to the
burning house were unoccupied
O'Leary Rescues Girl
Throwing open the window nearest
to that in which Nellie Callahan
crouched, OLeary stamped one leg and
one arm inside and projected the rest
Of his body across the four-foot space
that separated him from the young
woman. He managed to grasp her arm
and swing her to safety. She was al
most unconscious from smoke and
ct,N
carry her to the street.
Before he had descended the stairs
fire engines and trucks were ceaving
clamorous path Though the crowd,
tiremen were running here and there
with lengths Of hose over their shoul-
ders and captains and chiefs were
shouting orders.
One of the latter, Walter Zones,
battalion chief, stopped midway in a
shout In the window where Nellie
Callahan had chung, her mother, Mrs.
Katherine Callahan, had found foot
hold, and the fire was closer to her than
it had got to her daughter. She was
beating at smouldering spots in her
skirt and was poised as if for leap.
"Don't jump" cried Jones and
started to the rescue through PAS Clin-
ton Street, followed by Fireman
Charles Miller, of Hook and Ladder IS
At the foot of the stairs they passed
OLeary with his burden. AS soon as
he had deposited her in safe place
he turned and followed them.
Jones Rescues Mother
With Miller clutching one leg and
OLeary anchoring the other Jones
swung from the window head down,
the two firemen heaved at his legs. At
the second swing he reached Mrs.
Callahan's level and grasped her un-
der the arms. The reverse of the
swing dragged her from her scorching
perch and the double weight suddenly
put upon the arms of the two frcmen
wellnigh dragged them to the street
below
The weight was beyond their
strength. They could not even hold it;
Inch by inch they had to give ground
and were themselves doubled over the
window sill when half dozen fire
men burst into the room, seized the
legs of OLeary and Miller. and, with
a "heave no." pulled the whole human
chain to safety.
Meantime another woman hao ap-
peared at window, this time at
window midway across the top floor
of the house, which was inaccessible
from any point human being could
reach. She was Mrs. Margaret Thorn
ton. The flames which beat about her
had driven her from the sl,l and she
was hanging by her hands over the
street.
Half a dozen fremen ran up a As
foot ladder. which failed by few feet
of reaching the woman. Before the
ladder had settled against the side of
the building fireman was climbing it.
He was William Hartman. AS he
climbed he shouted encouragement to
the woman and she held her grip until
his arms closed about her.
Then she gave way suddenl y and her
weight pulled the upper part Of Hart
mans body at right angles to the
ladder. Twice he tried to lunge back
and recover his balance. He could not
do it with that dead weight in his arms.
The woman was beginning to slip from
his grasp when John Scanlon, of Hook
and Ladder 8, ran up the ladder and
with Hartman's help swung her back
to the rupgs. Then all three descended.