The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-26

many negroes firmly believe is only a
sort of ante-chamber to the grave.
He had no comprehension of the neces-
sity that prescribed a diet of white of
egg and beef juice. administered in
very small quantities, that prohibited
his drinking water and confined him to
crushed ice and that would not permit
him to receive the visits and the atten-
tions of his sweetheart and friends.
All of these seeming hardships foment-
ed in his mind the determination to
escape.
Miss DeWolfe, the matron of the in
Urinary. gave Mann his medicine and
nourishment at midnight Saturday
She then left the ward and went in to
the office, where she was followed by
Sam Lee, the night orderly
saw Him Go Out of the window.
AS Lee closed the door behind him
Mann jumped from his bed, ran the
whole length of the ward to the toilet
at the other end, clambered upon the
window ledge, tore out the screen and
sprang out upon the ground. He left
the hospital night shirt behind him
and emerged perfectly nuds.
AS Miss DeWolfe left the office and
started down the steps on her way to
her home, which is just across Lincoln
streets, she heard the Lincoln street
gate open and close. 1t was Mann
leaving, but she thought it was some
one entering the infirmary grounds,
and she called Lee and required him
to accompany her to her door. When
Lee returned to the ward it was re-
ported to him that Mann had escaped
and he Immediately notified Miss De-
Wolfe.
The escape of Mann was witnessed
by dozen of the negro patients, but
they were able to do nothing. One
of them, Jacob Woods. who was in the
opposite toilet when Mann broke
through the window, and saw the
whole performance, said he was too
frightened to move.
Everybody Had "A Theory.
Manns disappearance from the Geor-
gia Infirmary was the one topic in
Savannah yesterday. The simple facts
in the case had been given in the Morn
ing News, but they were in themselves
so seemingly improbable hat there
were very few, unacquainted with the
weight and extent of the evidence upon
which they were based, who found it
possible to give them ,redence. Many
never would have believed them if it
had not been for Mann's temperance.
Every street corner and club veran-
da oracle had theory. Most of these
rejected the true story as too foolish
for an instant's consideration, and
built themselves up around a general
idea that somebody had spirited Mann
| away The theories were supported,
| for the edification of the curious, by
various intricate deductions from the
known facts.
One old and respectable saying how
| ever, found aboundant Verification in
| the midst of all this conjecture. This
| is the one that declares the truth to
be consistent with itself and with
nothing else; every theory offered was
vitality opposed by some fact too well
established to be for a single instant
disbelieved.
COIOred Odd Fellows Excited.
Perhaps the widest bunch in the lot
consisted of a delegation from Mann's
lodge of Odd Fellows, that turned up
at the infirmary about o'clock in the
afternoon. They all knew, of course,
that Mann was said at least to have
disappeared from the infirmary. but
they brought with them a profound
disbelief in the story and a store of
wisdom they just had to display. When
they approached the infrmary they
did not ask for an explanation of the
occurrence, but to be allowed to see
MANI. MS llldue the dl-
taches tired in spirit and the members
of the delegation were invited to in
spect the surrounding woods.
A Morning News reporter, anxious to
oblige, conducted them around to the
side of the building and pointed out
the window through which Mann had
made his escape. They all viewed it
with an expression Of supreme disgust.
Get out of there!" said one of the
party. why, they must take us for
fools"
The delegation talked to each ether,
for the most part, in order to make
themselves impressive, at the top of
their voices. The burden of their song
was that Mann had been lIidnaj ed and
that all the patients who declared they
had seen him leave his bed and make
his escape through the window had
been bribed to tell this story. This as
sertion one of them made once too Of
ten. for it reached the ears of Rev.
George Brown, pastor of Woodstock
Church, who had vouched for the cor
rectness of the story. -he old Negroes
body fairly shook with indignation.
Don't you say that so me-" he said.
IT can't be bribed by no white man
and 1 amt going to have no cheap
trash like you tell me so. l prays and
breaches on Sunday and amt going to
fight you now, but you come around
me tomorrow with any such talk and
I'll show you I'm man."
The indignant preacher furnished a
member of the committee with minute
instructions as to where he could be
found and promised to make it ex-
tremely interesting for any of it's num-
Der who would pay him visit
A subcommittee of the lodge called
during the evening upon Superintend-
ent of Police owen Reilly and informed
him that the mystery had to be cleared
up. AS the superintendent was as
much at sea as any one else he could
only make a qualified promise to do
his best.
FUNERAL OF G. A. WILKINS.