A MADMAN'S FREAK.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 199, 25 August 1886, Page 4

A MADMAN'S FREAK.

Terrible Scone on the Steeple of a Philadelphia Church. Tin; corner of Chestnut and Thirtyeighth streets was tho scene of a thrilling incident at an early hour tho othor morning. For some days past workmen have been engagod in building a woodon steeple on tho oastorn towor of St. James' Catholic Church, which stands on the southeast corner. The tower, like tho church building, is of marble, and rises to a height of acvonty-five feot abovo tho sidewalk, its top being circular and liftecn feet in diameter. Abovo Ibis, four uprights have been put in position, in pyramid sliapo, reaching an additional height of thirty foot. The tops of the uprights arc joined around tho baso of a wooden cross, which oxtonda fifteen feot still higher in the air, Tho who'.o fabric is a mere skeleton yot, aud tho fearloHs workmen who arc building it climb about tho timbers with tho agility and self possossaon of squirrels. This morning thero was a scono en seted on tho skeleton spire that thrilled the watching pooplo with horror. A few minutes beforo 7 o'clock, oa the workmen wereapproachingtho church to bogin thcirday's work, thoy were amazed to soo a man climbing nimbly and rapidly up tho crosa-pieces which had been nailed on tho outside of ona of tho uprights to sorvo aa a ladder. Ho was clad only in trousers and shirt, his foot being baro and big hoad without a hat. Tho workmen know in a inomont that ho was not ouo of their number. While they gathored, silont and awe-struck in tho stroot bolow, the man in tho air abovo thotn had climbed to tho top of the upright, and now etood with his arm? about the base of the cross. The workmon, who wore in his position, now that thoy saw him there, were absolutely speechless with foar. Up to this timo tho rlimbor had not looked down, but now, as ho otood with his arms nrouiul tho cross, ho turned his head and Raw tho crowds of pooplo staling up at him. Tho sight appeared to infuriate him, for uttering a cry that almost froze tho blood of thoso who hoard it, ho sprang up tho straight stem of tho_cross, climbing with frantic linsta, .is if trying to Oicapo poril instead of acoking it. Juat as a fow mon in tho crowd regained enough self-possession to talk coherently of somo way to roncuo him tho superintendent of tho workmen nrrivod. Ho was tho very man for tho occasion, for he took in tho situation at onco, and isßued his orders with tho coolness of ono accustomed to danger. By this time tho madman had roached tho arms of tho cross, and was now astrido them, gn/.iug bolow him with every appearance of tho wildost fear. How was tho madman to bo brought down in safety? That was the quoation that ovcry anxious watcher asked himself. A dozen mou gathored about tho superintendent, somo making suggestions, others predicting tho cortain failure of any plan that might bo adopted. Ho abruptly silonceii thorn all by word and went on with hi" prepnia'ion. Tho superintendent was now ready to begin hid dosporato task. Throning over his arm a long, stout ropo, ho called two of his men and disappeared in tho door of tho church. Fivo minutoa lator ho appeared on tho top of tho towor, whero tho woodon structuro began, but his men wore not with him, and tho dangorous part of tho rescue was now to begin. When tho bravo euporintandout started up tho cross-pieces, tho people in the streot wero horror-struck, and many cried out to him, " Come back ! como back !" but ho stopped them with a quick motion ot hi 3 hand and cont nued his pori lons course They could soo that he had tied oae end of tho rope around his waist and tho rest of it trailed after him as ho wont up. Tho madman did not aeo him until ho was about half way up, and whon ho did ho showed so many ovidencos of alarm that the watchors expected every minuto to sco him loosen his hold and fall hoa-:long to tho ground. The rescuers now stopped and appeared to bo talking to tho madman. Ten minutes passed thus—ten minutes of tho moat terrible suspense —and then tho spectator? wero aimzod to fee the lunatic, with astounding agility, abandon hia position on tho arms of tho cross and slide rapidly down the stom. Ho now stood on the top of tho uprights, but thoro ho. hceitatod and looked down at the man who was thoro to Bavo him. Tho superintendent must have spokon a fow encouraging words, for tho madman at onco began to como down tho cross piece. Aa ho nppr>ached tho point whero tho superintendent awaited him, the hittor came down s-top by step ahead of him, and in a fow minutes thoy sto^d together on tho pintform on tho top of the tower. And then there wont up from tho hearts and throats of tho hundreds of pooplo bolow a groat shout of relief followod by warm words of praise for tho bravo George Simpson, tho stouthearted superintendent, who so heroically risked his own lifo to save that of another. Fifteen minutes later Simpson came out of the church door alono. In a fow words ho explained how ho had induced the madman to doscend from his perilous position and follow him into tho tower. "Of course," said ho, " 1 oxpocted to havo somo sort of struprfjlo with the man on tho spire, and I Hod tho rope around my waist in tho hope that it wo should lose our hold I should bo able to take a turn with tho rope around tho cross-piecos and thus stop my fall. But I thought I would try a ruso lirst. I spoko to him quietly when 1 s»°t near enough, and told him I was thoro to favo him from the people bolow ; that thoy intended to climb up and take him, and I would prevent it if he would follow mo into tho towor, whoro I would hide him in safety. Fortunately I hit upon tho very thing, for ho fancied himself porsuod by tho peoplo, who would do him harm and when I got him into tho tower my men, who woro thero for the purpose, seized him and securely tied him. He is now in tho church, where I shall keep him until I can send him where he belongs." It was afterwards learned that the man was Edward Ambior.of Long Lane and South-street.