Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-11
SHE KISSED THE WATERS.
May BaIlou Goes Back on Her Old Love,
the Clouds, and Tries Drowning-She
Said She Was Stranded and Was With

| MAY Ballou Goes Back on Her Old Love
the Clouds, and Tries Drowning-she
Said She Was Stranded and Was With.
out a Friend.
The 'cloud-kisser," variously known a:
May Ballou, Mile. Decca and Dessa
Gerritt, increased her notoriety in this
locality last evening by making an
alleged attempt at suicide, being rescued
and ingloriously hauled off to Central
station in the patrol wagon.
About 7:3O she was seen to walk down the
Monongahela whBrf near the Panhandle
Railroad bridge and, carefully depositing
| her sailor cap and a package containing her
/ parachute jumping outfit on the wharf, she
| waded out about GO feet into tide water where
it was just about knee deep. There she
| stopped, clasped her hands together and sat
her armpits. Realizing that she was not in
deep enough to drown, she threw herself
back in the water, holding her arms up on
high. but taking care that her face was not
submerged, she watched and waited for
someone to come and rescue her. Four little
boys in skif performed that office with
neatneSs and dispatch, and without any re-
SiStance on the part of Miss BallOu. She was
taken to shore by the boys and Officer Ed
Fortwangler being on hand, he took charge of
and sent her to Central station in the patrol
wagon.
At the Central the matron removed her
dripping garments and provided her with
dry clothing, after which she was inter
viewed, although she declared her unwil-
lingncss to submit to the ordeal. When she
got started, however, she could not be
checked, and in the course of her remarks
told a very hard luck story.
She claims that she left Cincinnati over
three weeks ago to come here and make a
balloon ascension ut Highland Park, but not
having money enough to pay her fare all the
way here, gave her trunk checks to the
train conductor who advanced her 81 CO. out
of which she paid her fare She has not
had money enough to redeem the trunk since
she arrived and has pot even had a change
of clothing in that time. She charges much
of her hard luck in money matters to her
manager, Mr.. Fulton. After celebrating on
the details of her escapade on saturday, she
said:
81 left the First Avenue Hotel, l,where had
been stopping, yesterday morning, of my
own free will, and was not turned out, as
alleged. | started out to get work and
walked all over the two cities to find en-
ployment, even Offering to work in n kitchen
for my board, but the newspapers here
gave me such roast on Sunday,
and then again yesterday, that 1
applied for work and they asked my name
on receiving my answer they would either
shut the door in my face or tell me to get
evening and was about to ask him to direct
me to the Home of the Frendless, but he
said he knew me and If L did not move on
he would run me in. His remark was so
cruel that my heart was broken and 1 de-
cided to destroy myself 1 only wish to
heaven that had gone up and jumped off
the bridge, then they could not have rescued
me-"
Her manner in delivering this speech was
was very ludicrous to one who know the
facts concerning her alleged attempt at
suicide. 1t is believed she made the attempt
to enlist sympathy enough to raise the
financial wind. Ff.-
Inspector McAleese will probably turn the
old lady over to Chief Elliot's department.