Forcing off his hold, they thrust him forward and got him partially over the edge, where he clung calling frantically for aid.

One of the villains, to make him loose his hold, struck on his fingers with the handle of a hatchet found on the roof; not succeeding in breaking his hold by these means, with, an oath he struck with the blade, severing two of the fingers from one hand and deeply mangling the other.
With a yell of agony, Mr.Ellis let go his hold, and fell upon a pile of rubbish below, whilst a cry of triumphant malignity went up from the crowd on the roof.
A gentleman and some of his friends kindly carried the insensible man into his house.

"Poor fellow!" said he, "he is killed, I believe.

What a gang of wretches.

These things are dreadful; that such a thing can be permitted in a Christian city is perfectly appalling." The half-dressed family gathered around the mangled form of Mr.Ellis, and gave vent to loud expressions of sympathy.