The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-04
he TRIED THE FIRE ESCAPE.
AN Indiana Man Gets Rops Enough
and ilearly Hangs himself
Frorn the CHICAGO 1Yib,ns


From the Chicago Tribune.
Guests at the hotels from Indiana fire.
quentIy do peculiar thiugs. Sometimes
they blow out the gas; at ether times at
tempt to reach the ground floor from the
top landing by taking one step by way of
the elevator shaft, and do other tccentric
things. But the other day was the first
time since thu Leland hotel has been built
that a voter from President Harrison's stat
ever undertook to experiment with the rope
appliance winch are found in every room
on the top floor of the house.
Jasper Page of Shelbyvllle Ind, arrived
at the Leland and was assigned to room No.
81, on the upper floor. Nothing was
heard from Mr.. Page until 0 o'clock, ard
then he was heard from most vigorously.
"Help! helpIn was the loud cry heard
by all the occupants of the office at that
hour.
Closely following the call for assistance
there was the sound Of crashing glass, and
Mrs. Carson OF Brooklyn, y. Y, q guest on
the second floor, came rushing into the
Office. She was excited and badly fright
ened.
There is a man breaking into my room, :"
exclaimed Mrs. Carson. He has kicked
in the glass and is now breaking in the
frame"
Loud cries of distress were again heard,
and Clerks Kennedy aud Squirss rushed up
TO Mrs. Csrson's room.
The man from Indiana WAS the occasion
Of all the disturbance, When be was shown
to his room by the bell boy he noticed
the rope fire escape in the room, and was
informed of Its purpose there. WFittea in
structious as TO how 10 operate the fire
escape were found in the room and eagerly
perused by Mr.. Page. AT 8 o'clock he came
to the conclusion that he would sleep better
after having practlced with the fire escape,
and the end of the ep pliance was thrown
out of the window ilnto the alley. As
the other end of the rope is fastened 10 the
window-sill everything wss soon in readi-
ness.
Then the descent commenced
MIR. Pages experiment was successful
until the second story was nearly reached.
Then the swivel attachment ia whioh bhe
guests foot was held refused to work aid
the man became, excited. lie was ia, haste
to reach the gronpd, as he WAS afraid some
one might discover him dangling ia midair.
He gave the rope a vigorous jerk, and dis
aster Immediately followed. IS The swivel
slipped, and the guest went rapidly down
ward for about ak feet. During the uuex-
pected downward shoot, Mr.. Pages head
became tangled up in the rope, and be
was choking to death when Clerks
Kennedy and Squires found him kicking in
the window sash of Mrs Carsonis room.
The two clerks were unable to release the
man from his position, as be was not down
far enough to be hauled into the room
through the window. aud had it not been
for Fred, the colored head waiter, Mr.. Page
would probably have dangled on nothing
until he choked to death. Fred, instead OF
trying 10 haul Mr.. Page into a room on the
second story, ran TO the floor above and
lifted him to safe position through a third
story window.
The guest was black in the face when res
cued, and it was some time before the house
physician could bring the patient to bis
senses. An hour later, however, he was
able TO be around, and when some one told
him Of the gallant conduct of the head
waiter he said the man should be rewarded
Fred was ushered into Mr.. Pages pres,
ence aud the reward was made. A 50-oent
piece was handed out to the big colored
man