Year: 1871

An Affecting Incident OF Chicago.


While Madison street west of Dear


born, aud the west side of Dearborn
we're all ablaze, the spectators saw the
lurid light appear in the rear windows of
Speeds Block. Presently man, who
bad apparently taken time to dress him
self leisurely appeared ON the extension
built up to the second story of two of the
stores. He coolly looked down the thir-
ty feet between him and the ground,
while the excited crowd FIRST cried jump,
aud then someof them more considerate-
y looked for ladder. a long plank
was soon found and answered the same
as ladder, and vas placed at once
against the window down which the man
soon after slid. But while these prepa-
rations we're going on there suddenly APP
peared another man at fourth story
window OF the building below which had
no projection, but flush from the top 10
the ground-four stories and basement.
His escape by thestairway was evidently
cut off, and he looked despairingly down
thefifty feet between him and the ground.
The crowd grew almost frantic at the
sight, for it was only a choice of death
before him, by fire or being crushed to
death by the fall. Senseless cries of
jump, Jump, went up from the crowd
senseless but full OF sympathy, for the
sight was absolutely agonizing. Then
for minute or two he disappeared, per-
haps even less, but it seemed so long q
time the supposition was that he had fall
en- sutiocated by the smoke and heat
But no, he appears again. First he
throws a bed, then some bed clothes, ap-
parently; why, probably even he does
not know. Again he looks down the
dead, sheer wall of fifty feet below him.
He hesitated--and we'll he may-as he
turns again and looks behind him. Then
he mounts to the window sill. His whole
form appears, naked to the shirt, and
his limbs gleam against the dark wall
in the bright light as he swings himself
below the window. Somehow how,
none can iell-he drops and catches up
on the top of the window below him of
the third story. He stoops and drops
again, and seizes the frame with his
hands, and his cleaning body straighr-
ems and hangs prone downward, and
then droops instantly and accurately up
on the window sill of the third story
A shout, more of JOY than applause,
goes up from the breathless crowd, and
those who had turned their heads, not
daring to look upon him as he seemed
about to drop to sudden and certain
death, glanced up at him once more,
with ray of hope, at this daring and
skillful feat. Into this window he crept
to look, possibly, for stairway, but APP
peared again presently, for here was the
only escape, desperate as it was. Once
more he dropped his body, hanging by
his hand. The crowd screamed, and
waved to him to swing himself over the
projection from which the other man had
Just been rescued. He tried 10 do this,
and vibrated like pendulum from d de
to side, but could not reach far enough
to throw himself upon its roof. Then he
swung by one hand and looked down:
raising the other hand he took fresh
hold, and swung from side to side
again to reach the roof. In vain:
again he hung motionless by one hand,
aud slowly turned his head over his
shoulder, and gazed into the abyss below
him. Then, gathering himself up, he
let go his hold, and for second a CLEAN
of white shot down full forty feet to the
basement. Of course, it killed him.
He was taken to drugstore near by,
and died in ten minutes.