mbed to
adjacent roofs. Soon the glass of the four upper windows was shattered
by flying lead. The fusillade sounded like a battle, and the excitement
upon the streets was indescribable.

Throughout all this hideous uproar Charles seems to have retained a
certain diabolical coolness. He kept himself mostly out of sight, but
now and then he thrust the gleaming barrel of his rifle through one of
the shattered window panes and fired at his besiegers. He worked the
weapon with incredible rapidity, discharging from three to five
cartridges each time before leaping back to a place of safety. These
replies came from all four windows indiscriminately, and showed that he
was keeping a close watch in every direction. His wonderful marksmanship
never failed him for a moment, and when he missed it was always by the
narrowest margin only.

On the Rampart Street side of the house there are several sheds,
commanding an excellent range of the upper story. Detective Littleton,
Andrew Van Kuren of the Workhouse force and several others climbed upon
one of these and opened fire on the upper windows, shooting whenever
they could catch a glimpse of the assassin. Charles responded with his
rifle, and presently Van Kuren climbed down to find a better position.
He was crossing the end of the shed when he was killed.

Another of Charles's bullets found its billet in the body of Frank
Evans, an ex-member of the police force. He was on the Rampart Street
side firing whenever he had an opportunity. Officer J.W. Bofill and A.S.
Leclerc were also wounded in the fusillade.

While the events thus briefly outlined were transpiring time was a-wing,
and the cooler headed in the crowd began to realize that some quick and
desperate expedient must be adopted to insure the capture of the fiend
and to avert what might be a still greater tragedy than any yet enacted.
For nearly two hours the desperate monster had held his besiegers at
bay, darkness would soon be at hand and no one could predict what might
occur if he made a dash for liberty in the dark.

At this critical juncture it was suggested that the house be fired. The
plan came as an inspiration, and was adopted as the only solution of the
situation. The wretched old rookery counted for nothing against the
possible continued sacrifice of human life, and steps were immediately
taken to apply the torch. The fire department had bee