A MAN HUNT

Evening Star, Issue 18022, 17 July 1922, Page 7

A MAN HUNT

OVER ROOFS IN MAIN STREET. No fewer than 100 policemen and firemen, with a big (ire engine and ladders, were engaged for six hours in a man hunt which gave the people _ of Leeds a bigger thrill than anything ever seen on the kinema. The limit, which took place in the basements and over the roofs of a seven-story block of buildings in Briggato, resulted in the arrest of a ship’s fireman, who was later charged with burglary and remanded for a week. Displaying agility rivalling that of the desperado of kinoma drama, the man, with the police in hot pursuit, raced along the roofs, dodged behind chimneys, climbed down water-spouts, through skylights, and, with the aid of a rope tied round his waist, jumped from windows a distance of 15ft to 20ft, clearing a big bunch of telephone wires. Thousands of onlookers saw him wriggling along a coping stone 40ft from the ground, the next moment dangling from tho roof, and then disappearing through a window. On another occasion ho was seen climbing hand over hand_ with his ropo, snatching it away just as his pursuers reached out to grasp it. Police and detectives climbed to tho roof by means of a firo brigade ladder, but could not get hold of tho man, who on ouo occasion hurled an axe at the head of one of his pursuers, happily missing his arm.

Further thrills wero provided when a detachment of the fire brigade with hoso pipes and fire escapes appeared on tho scone, followed by tho assistant chief constable, several inspectors, and a large body of the police and plainclothes officers.

As tho cordon of police drew_ closer, tho man concealed himself in the sunken roof of tho pay box of the Empire Music Hall. Miss E. Cheshire, the booking clerk, was attending to patrons when she hoard a scraping noise about tho ceiling. “I walked out of the box into tho entrance hall,” she said, “ and from tho steps leading to the dress circle saw a man crouching in a comer of the roof. I shouted an alarm to tho policemen guarding the street entrance, but in a flash the man leaped 10ft from tho roof, bounded over the brass rails of the entrance hall, and dashed into King Edward Street by a side exit.” Mrs Howard, a colleague, made a grab at tho man’s coat, hut with a dexterous twist of his body ho broke her hold and banged the swing doors in her faco. . Shouting “Stop him I Stop him I Mrs Howard rushed into tho street and there saw tho man running towards Vicar’s lane. King Edward street was crowded with people, who immediately gave chase. Mr W. Cayley, newspaper clerk, threw himself against the fugitive, and, clutching him by the shoulders, threw him to the ground. A man named Fields worth gripped the man, and held him until tho police arrived. , , , Handcuffed and convoyed by four policemen tho man was taken to the police station, where ho gave his name as William Andrew Coruan, twentyfour, a. ship’s fireman. He was charged with robbing a safe on tho promises of a musical instrument maker. .. , Superintendent Dalton said that when searched over £IOO in money was found on Cornan. Goman, during his desperate flight, had some marvellous escapes, but beyond scratches on his hands and faco and torn clothing, appeared to ho nothing the worso for his adventure.