New Britain herald., 1925-06-16
NOVICE SAVED IN
 SUICIDE ATTEMPT
New Haven Fireman Grabs Girl
 aS She Starts Death Leap
HOLDS CROWD BREATHLESS
Josephine Brezile, 2i, Climbs to Roof of Sacred Heart Institute Many Witness Spectacular Rescue Not Crazy, Doctors Say.

Not Crazy, Doctors Say. New Haven, June 16 Rl-Suffer- ing from some form of mental trouble, apparently. Josephine Bre- zile. 24. a novice at the Sacred Heart institute for children in Greene street, attempted to jump of the roof of the building this morn- ing, but finally rescued by a fire man, James Maher.
 For nearly an hour the young woman stood poised on a narrow ledge three stories from the ground, threatening to jump while nuns from the school, firemen and police men pleaded with her not to do so.
 Missed Her Preccptress It was said that Miss Brezile had said that she intended to kill her. self when about to be separated from her preceptress for whom she is said to have had a great fond ness. The preceptress name is not made known. She had been trans ferred to Pittsburgh and had left for her new post today.
 Miss Brezile was first seen by a passerby on the street walking along the roof of the institute and then out on a cornice. She was clad in black, and was wringing her hands and making motions as if in be- l wildered state. A call was sent for a fire company and Chief Spaine re- | sponded with a truck and a squad of officers.
 | Plead With Her I On the far side of the roof, nuns 1 from convent nearby. and Rev. Leonardo Quaglia. pastor of St. Michael's Italian church, were call- ing to the woman and pleading with l her to do herself no harm. In the school yards below several hundred children were looking up at the | woman on the cornice.
 | The nuns, who teach the children, with coolness, kept the children quiet as they gradually marshalled them into groups and marched them back into the school rooms. Specta- tors were rapidly filling the street.
 The woman after a while seemed 1 to become undetermined as to her action.
 Fire Net Spread Scaling ladders were run up out of sight of Miss Brezile. and just below her was spread a fire net. When preparations were complete, Chief Spaine was about 10 give a signal to have the woman jump. She gave a cry and called out: "I don't have to jump here. l can jump somewhere else" She then stepped up to a ledse over which she had passed to reach the cornice.
 Saved by Fir'man Hoseman James Maher was close at hand and as the woman seemed 10 totter he rushed forward and caught the skirt end of her dress l just as she appeared to be about 1 to fall over the ledge. For an instant 1t appeared as If the woman was to go through space but Maher's grip was strong and the cloth held for a moment.
 Below the fircmen were maneu- vering the net 10 catch the woman. Spectators mostly women. were screaming and th"re was much ex- citement. The woman was fighting to break her hold of the fireman and seemingly tried 10 hurl herself over the roofs edge. Just when it seem l ed that the fabric Of the dress would l give away and the woman would go 1 head foremost 10 the ground, Officer 1 James Welch of headquarters reach ed Maher's side and reaching out over the edge got a hold on the struggling form, Fighting both men | 10 her utmost the woman was drawn back to safety. and In fainting state | placed in the arms of the nuns. Miss Brezile was revived and clothed and taken to headquarters. She quickly regained her Composure and an swered questions.
 Religious Devotion She told story of religious de- votion and love for a sister of the order. She had been g student at st. Mary's academy for two years, and a year ago had declared her intention Of becoming nun in spite Of pleas of foster parents who had taken her when an infant. Accord ing to her story she slipped out of the school dormitory in Greene street and went through the storm to the Italian day nursery. She climbed a fence. forced a cellar door, removed her shoes and went upstairs.
 Attacks Preceptrcss
 She obtained scissors from a workbasket, and finding the sister preceptress from whom she had been separated made a lunge al her. The woman was restrained and quieted. and then turned over 10 the police who took her to the home of | her foster mother. Shortly after six o'clock she was again seen outside the nursery and sister pleaded with her to go away. She apparent
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