The Washington bee., 1893-12-16
vIOLEET IN THE FERRIS WHEEL.
Visitor Strangely Affected Until Blind
folded with a Woman's Skirt.

A Visitor strangely Affected Until Blind
folded with a Woman's Skirt.
A gentleman and his wife, who later
gave their names as Mr. and Mrs. A.
q. Wherritt, of Covington, KY, bought
tickets for ride around the wheel. 1t
seems that the gentleman had hesi-
tated about making the trip, as previ-
Gus experiences in ascending to great
heights had always affected him
strangely. After the first sickening,
fainting sensation, he always became
possessed of desire to throw himself
off into space. The doctors had told
him that many people under the same
circumstances were similarly disposed
in fact, that the desire sometimes be-
came uncomfortable. They classed it
as distinct brain disease.
Mrs. Wherritt had, on a previous
visit to the Fair, been up in the wheel,
and she declared to her husband that
the floors were so level and the ascen-
sion so gradual that it was hard for
her to realize that she was going up.
She also expatiated upon the lowell
ness Of the scene from the windows
and Its extent, and advised that he
try it.
So they both tried it. They obtained
seats in the car and placidly moved
along until the upper turn was reach
ed, when Mr.. Wherritt complained of
feeling i'll. He almost tainted but
there was no way of stopping the
wheel. The car was half full of peo-
pie, principally women. The man be-
came crazed with excitement, and be-
gan to pace eXcitedly up and down
the car, driving the women, whom he
had no intention of hurting, before
him like scared sheep.
He jumped up on the sides of the
car repeatedly, and was so powerful
/ in his paroXySms that he actually bent
the iron bars The attendant-one
goes round with every car-grappled
with him, and assisted by two or three
other men, attempted to hold him, but
their strength proved inadequate, for
he threw them off easily and made for
| the door, which fortunately is always
locked. He shook it violently, but only
succeeded in breaking some of the
glass.
Mr.. Wherritt continued unmanage-
able until the car had almost reached
the landing, then he became calmer,
] and breaking down completely, laugh
II
The wheel always makes two revo-
lutions before the occupants of any
car are allowed to get out The at
tendant thought that as the car went
by the landing he would open the door
quickly and shove Mr. Wherritt out
but the motion was too rapid and the
passengers prepared for another scene
and struggle Some of them said after
wards that Mr.. Wherritt's terror was
appalling when he realized that he
was going up again He implored that
the car be stopped, and then begged
that they throw him down and hol(
him. There was some hesitation il
doing this, as the men in the car ha(
had experience of his strength during
the first trip. The three men grapple(
him, however, and strained every nerve
before there was any occasion fol
force, while women huddled in cor
ner and looked at him.
The tops of the houses of Midway
had hardly been skirted before he be
gan to try to tear himself loose an(
dash against the bars The men wh(
were holding him, having exhausted
themselves when he was peaceful, die
not know now what to do. Just a
this time woman, who would not Civ,
her name, came to the rescue Fling
ing modesty to the winds for tn,
nonce, she unbuckled her skirt at tn
back, stepped out of it, and threw i
over the crazy mans head. And sh
held it there until they were permittet
to leave the car at the station. Unde
this treatment Mr.. Wherritt becam
as quiet as an ostrich under simila
handling.
| The lady was allowed to put on he
skirt in the car, and thus ended wha
might have been tragedy.