Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-22
WITH A WHEEL.
She Causes a Commotion by Attempting
TO Climb an Electric Light Poie-Ptosea
to be u Lunatic.


to be n Lunstic.
COLUMBUS, o., February 2l.-A start
ling scene was witnessed at 10 o'clock
this morning on the east terrace OF the
State House. A woman, apparently
about thirty years Of age, and Of blonde
complexion, was seen TO approach an
an electric light pole and act in very
peculiar manner. She walked around
it several times, as though inspecting 1t,
and then, throwing her arms and lower
limbs about it,. attempted TO CLIMB
heavenward.
Notwithstanding the impediment OF
her clinging skirts and her evident In
experience In the work OF lineman,
she had ascended several feet, and was
slowly but surely going upward, when
a bystander, becoming excited, hastily
summoned Capitol Policeman Darst.
The pole where the young woman at
tempted her peculiar ascent stands
about seventy feet east OF the
east entrance to the rotunda. IL arises
from the high stone serrace, the top
OF which at that point Is dan
gerous distance from the ground. In
deed, at that point upon the terrace
forms a small preciplce, and on the very
edge of this the woman stood when she
began TO climb the pole. Had her hold
relaxed she would have been dashed TO
death on the stone tagging below, as In
ascending her body swung around and
hung over the brick. Officer Darst
quickly pulled the woman down and es-
corted her into the rotunda. IL was
evident from the first that she was
either insane or intent upon suicide and
her conduct In the rotunda soon made
suppostion certainty.
She talked incoherently and seemed
to be troubled about something that
had occurred at 1922 Harrison avenue,
Chicago, where, she said, she formerly
resided. The woman stated that her
name was Mrs. Flanders, aud that she
was the widow OF George Flanders. At
present she says she lives at the corner
OF High and Kossuth streets, this
city. Mrs. Flanders, as she. called
herself, has very largely de-
yeloped "wheel," which seems to almost
continually run toward the care Of
orphans. She said that she desired TO
establish an orphan asylum, but that
the people where she rented would not
permit her To use the premises Tor that
purpose. After waiting about the
rotunda a half hour. the woman insisted
she could find her way home without
difficulty and was allowed TO go. All
efforts to have her tell why she tried TO
climb the electric light pole were fruit
less.
The woman Is German, and al
though not bearing an especially re-
fined appearance, seemed quite well
educated. She was plainly but COM
fortably dressed In black. Although
the affair was witnessed by very few
persons, the report OF its occurrence
was rapidly circulated, and few mo-
ments after the woman was taken of
the pole there were half hundred
State officials assembled, and all kick
ing themselves because they were not
there in time.
Later in the dag Mrs. Flanders called
at the Executive Department and re-
auested audience with the Governor.
Upon being asked the nature OF her
mission, the woman said that little Ruth
Cleveland, daughter OF the ex-President,
was dead, and that she wanted to at
tend the funeral. She stated that she
supposed she could not be present at
the obsequies without an order from the
Governor, and IL was to secure one she
had called. When told that the Cover
nor was ont OF the city the poor creature
seemed much distressed.