People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-10-13
J. c. Davis's Perilous Experience.


the Hstel Carey October Sd:
J. G. Davis. Of Wellington, had
miraculous escape from death at the
Hotel Carey at 2 o'clock yesterday
morning. He got up and in desabille
took seat in the window. How long
he sat there is not known. Mr.. Davis
does not know himself. He dozed of,
and the next thing he was grabbing
aud clutching at the window jam and
Inside shutters. His hands slipped
and within fraction OF a section he
was suspended In midair, swaying to
and fro. He had failed TO get hold of
anything with his hands to save him.
self, but fortunately his left foot
caught on the further side OF the
shutter, while his heel stuck under
the window sill. The rapidity with
which he went out the window quick
ly brought the shutter to, forcing his
fsot into wise, which saved his life.
As he went out the window he
g"lbhe1 the right-hand shutter and
tore out several Stats, but failed to
get hold. This made considerable
noise, which attracted Night Clerk
Lee Steele and Night Porter George
Sestrunk. They had been sitting cut
in front Of the main entrance. As
soon as they heard the crash they
ran TO the corner Of Fourth avenue.
There, three stories high, they saw
Mr.. Davis. He was crying out with
all the vehemence Of a man about to
be dashed to death. Mr.. Steele ran
into the Office and up the stairs to the
third story. Mr.. Sestrunk took the
elevator, both bent on getting to him
before he would fall to the pavement,
sixty feet below.
On reaching the door of his room
they found it locked. However, the
key On the inside was half turned,
which made it possible to insert the
pass key and unlock the door. Then
began the hard work. MIR. Davis is a
short man, weighing fully 23O pounds.
Both Mr.. Steele and Mr.. Sestrunk
are medium.built men and the task
of pulling him in was very difficult,
besides having the mental strain up.
on their minds that they might let
him get away from them. Having
scarcely any garments on, it was
doubly hard to get any purchase.
After working for a few minutes,
which seemed like hours to the sus-
pended man and those who were aid
ing him, he was safely pulled into the
room. All three were exhausted.
Mr.. Davis gave one sigh of relief
and nearly tainted. Mr.. Steele, after
the task Of saving the mans life was
accomplished, nearly became uncon-
scious from the great physical and
mental ordeal.
Before Messrs. Steele and Sestrunk
reached Mr.. Davis's room his cries for
help had awakened every guest In the
house. There was general STAN
pede. Women went into Mysteries
and ran to and fro, trying to find out
If someone had been murdered or II
there was fire. Pendemonium reign.
ed and it was with the utmost diff
Guilty that the guests were Quieted.
DR.. McClees was called, but when
ne reached Mr.. Davis's room it was
found that he had sustained no in.
iuries other than having his lettankle
slightly skinned.
How he escaped is still a mystery,
as the shutter is rather fragile and
does not seem capable Of holding him
in the position which he was in, as
the weight was even greater than his
weight, from the amount of leverage
that was being brought to bear.
Mr.. Davis made a special plea that
the accident not be given to the news
papers. 1t leaked cut, however.
He had come here to locate bicy-
Gle thief, who had stolen his daugh.
tiers wheel. He had consulted with
the police during the early part ofthe
evening and later had sat around the
lobby Of the hotel conversing with a
number Of his Masonic friends. He
belongs to the Knights Templar at
Wellington. Mr.. Davis returned to
his home on the early morning Rock
Island train, still nervous and unset
tied, but without injuries. Not once
In a thousand times would a man OF
his weight escape from such perilou:
position. He tsld Mr.. Steele before
leaving for his home that 1t was the
last time he would ever take a rom
that was not located on the ground
| floor.
Mr.. Davis is proprietor of hotel IL
Wellington located near the Southern
Kansas depot.
Indians on the Warpath.
A special TO the Minneanolis Jonr