The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-08-05
CAMERA STRAP
SAVES LIFE Of
YOUNG WOMAN
Catches on Limb of a Tree
and Checks Her Fall
From Cliff
HOLDS HER IN MIDAIR
Miss Maybelle Wilson Mar
rowly Escapes Death i'll
Black Canyon
LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS
Hangs Head Downward for
Half Hour Before She
Is Resuced
LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS

A blood spattered trail IN Black
canyon. near San Rafael. led to the
rescue yesterday afternoon of Miss
Maybelle Wilson. beautiful Chicago
girl. who hung head downward from
the branches of scrub oak tree grow
ing half way down the side of the steep
cliff. She had slipped as she tried to
cross the narrow stream that leaps. at
that point. over a precipice to its rock
bottom bed below. She plunged head
downward. but the tree stayed her
fall. Her camera strap caught on a
limb and suspended her 25 feet above
the stony path. A hemorrhage of the
nose rendered her unconscious but
saved her life,~ for her friends. passing
along, were stopped by the sight OF the
crimsoned trail. She was extricated
from her perilous position and removed
to a sanitarium In this city.
Miss Wilson, who is the daughter OF
well known and wealthy business
man of Chicago. Yesterday went with
party Of Los Angeles friends for an
automobiie ride In Marin county In
the machine were Mrs. Laura Barnes,
Miss savilla Conway and Henry
Thornton. The latter drove his ma
chine.
FALLS OVER HIGH CLIFF
They reached Coppa's villa a little
before o'clock and a trip to the Do
minican convent was suggested. Miss
Wilson complained of a headache and
remained with. the machine while her
companions started of. She changed
her mind later and journeyed up the
canyon after her friends. BY mis-
chance she took the wrong trail and
found herself finally at the cliff over
which the waterfall hangs rainbows.
She thought, she said afterward in tell
Ing OF her mishap, that she would
cross the creek In order to better enjoy
the sylvan scene and snap it." Step
ping stones across the shallow river
invited her to try. She stepped gingerly
on the first stone, which looked firm
and sure, though perilously close to
the edge of the cliff. parting the water
as it leaped over the precipice. The
stone slipped and she plunged down
ward, headlong over the precipice.
Into the tree. It's thick branches
stayed her fall and her camera strap
caught on a branch. strained. slipped
and then held Fearful that struggles
would loose the strap and plunge her
down to the sharp rocks, she dared not
move She shrieked for help. but only
her voice came back in an echoed reply.
AS she grew dizzy and the blood rushed
to her head, she says she lost the power
to call any more and her voice came in
whispers. Then her nose began to
bleed: her temples throbbed until It
seemed her head must surely burst. The
flow of blood from her nose gradually
weakened her and she no longer suf-
lfered. The breeze that sweeps down
the canyon swayed her body back and
forth. She said It seemed to her. curl
ously, that she would be rocked TO a
sleep from which she would not wake
she watched with bulging. bloodshot
eyes the crimson drops OF color on the
limbs falling again and gradually
form red puddles in the path beneath.
Then she lost consciousness.
RESCUED BY HER FRIENDS
Meanwhile her friends had paid the
convent a visit and were returning by
the lower trail, chatting pleasantly and
enjoying their outing.
Thornton stopped. horrifed. at = lit
tie pool that had gathered in. the hoi-
| lows of the path. A red drop spiashed
| into 1t, and. looking UP, he and his
companions saw their friend. With
great dificulty they got her safely
from the tree and then carried her, still