The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-08
SWAN ACROSS
ARKANSAS RIVER
Roy McDanieIs Jumped Into
River to Avoid Arrest.
JEERED AT HIS PURSUERS
Not One Dared Follow Him
Across River.
JEERED AT HIS PURSUERS

Roy AfcDaniels swan the Arkansas rive
yesterday afternoon and thus escaped ar
rest on the charge of being bicycle
thief. The Arkansas river at the present
time is roaring. foaning stream Of very
muddy water and anyone who would &c
swimming in it at present is sure TO have
his eyes and ears filed with sand and
mud and to come out much dirtier than he
went in However, Roy McDaniels did
not stop to consider this phase of the
proposition. He was strictly up against
st. He had either TO jump into the river
and swim or give up to a crowd of men,
both black and white, who were deter
mined on his capture and the lad chose
the former and he is still at liberty, al
though the police are searching high and
low for him.
Roy Mechanics is alleged 10 have stolen
q bicycle from man named Lightner and
had it enameled again. The wheel was
purchased of Geo. Litson, and as he and
Ed Cox were walking up Main street yes
terday afternoon they found this lad on
the wheel he is alleged to have stolen.
They captured him and took him into
Hess & De Longs store to await an Of
fcer The lad walked between his cap
tors until they reached the back room
or machine shop when ne suddenly broke
away and made for the rear door. He was
outside before any but the two men no
ticed what was up and of course they
started in hot pursuit. The lad ran
through the weeds back of Stones livery
barn. over wire fences and lodged be-
hind buildings until he came to the Mis-
souri, Pacific, yards and he began game
Of hide and seek and the boy led the
chase in a highly satisfactory manner to
himself and not without a great deal of
amusement to those who witnessed the
race. He played the game of -Brer Fox"
among the cars and buildings in the yard
that would do credit TO the best leader
Of the hounds that was ever in a chase.
That boy lodged under cars ana through
them. over them and around and tried
his best to tangle his pursuers up in the
maze Of the path he made.
BY the time the participants in the race
had reached the yards ten or fifteen 9TH
ers had joined in and the lad found that
numbers would end in his capture, so he
struck across the lots toward the river
He jumped over and went through wire
and paIing fences and dashed through
peoples back yards, frightening children
and. dogs and a goodly number OF men in
hot pursuit. They We're close to the run
away but he seemed to have plenty of
steam and speed. He ran through the lots
west OF Waco avenue and finally found
himself on the banks Of the river. He ran
up the bank for a small distance, but Ed
Cox was close to him. Near the Second
street bridge the pursuer closed in on the
pursued and was about to make the final
effort for the capture when suddenly the
lad turned ard leaped down the twelve
foot emhankment TO the water He did
not even stop to take eff his hat.
Roy McDaniels had led that chase for
more than half a mile and the lodging
and running over rough ground was
enough TO tire any. but the most hardy
and yet he leaped into the river and
swan more than a hundred yards 10 an
island. His pursuers were too tired to fol-
low him.
The lad began swimming up stream
against the current but the water was
too strong for him and the spectators
were afraid he would drown as his
strength was surely almost exhausted,
He tried 10 work UP stream. but was
carried down farther and farther all the
time. He finally struck across to a little
island and landed and then sat down on
the bank and gave his pursuers the
horse laugh" He jollied the crowd for
a long time as he sat on the grass and
dried his clothes. He could not be reach
ed except by boat or swimming out to
him and was left alone after nearly an
hour ooaxing for him TO come off The
crowd soon tired Of watching him and
left. and the boy was not on the island
when men went out there and he has not
been captured.