The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-21
THE ROOF GARDEN.
Attrnpt AT Escape Frustrated.
Members of the -Four Hundred Defy
the Law.

Special officer McCloud. on duty
at the Quarautined house of James
Wilson, artist and cttfbman, on Ninety
NTH street, reported this morning
daring attempt at escape. made al
: A NJ 1t Is In this house that some
eight or nine mem bers OF the smart
set were imprisoned during the course
Of a dinner party. when the japanese
butler developed smallpox. The party
shut in the house includes Miss kath-
crime McNair, the daughter of Theo-
dore McNAir of the Inter Ocean sys-
tenn, Mr. and Mrs, Dallas Brown, the
Misses Mercer, Maxwell Reed, the
well known clubman and whip, and
Mr.. Thomas HARRISON. guest Of the
Dallas Browns and South American.
" Officer McClouds story told to
Chronicle reporter thls~mcnring, is as
follows. The occupants OF the house
had been uneasy all day. From the
air Of subdued hustle. and from a cafe
ful inspection OF the roof, made 10y
the entire party during the afternoon,
his suspicion had been aroused. Moth
ing unusual. however. occurred during
the early part OF the night. From eight
O'Clock to twelve MCCloud was relieN-
ed from duty. his place being taken
hy Michael Shane. Of the Eighty sixth
street station.
When McCloud came on duty at
midnight shane reported that about
eleven O'Clock the searchlfght of
steamer on the river flashing over the
house. had shown a man CrouChtng
on the paTapet, evidently surveying the
roof across, which at this point is
only twelve feet distant, with view
OF making his escape. on seeing
Shane below, however. he had beat
retreat, but not before the officer had
seen him distinctly. He was dressed
In evening clothes and wore Il light
tan oYerCoat
Officer MCloud relieve Shane at
midnight. and sent for plain clothes
man from the statiOn-h house. This man
was stationed on the roof of the Rev
ington residence next door. with strict
injunctions to prevent an escapt from
the quarantined mansion Nothing
suspicious having occurred, the man
on the roof left about 5 A M, report
ing TO McCloud below that everything
/ was quiet. At that moment, CHANGING
! skyward, one OF the officers was as
founded 10 sea long narrow board
project itself from the coping OF the
Wilson, house, WAIVER uncertainty for
a moment, and then advance stealthily
toward the parapet across. When II
was within a foot or two OF a resting
place. McCloud called sharply to the
invisible refugee above, at the same
time firing his revolver in the ground.
THE result was surprising. The
board stopped, trembled, swaYed A lit
, tie, and dropped missing the Vigilant
officers by hairs hrea dth, and crash
ing to the cement with a terrific force.
An inspection II the roof from the
Bevington house. later, revealed moth
| ing unusual. 1t IL evident. however,
that the quarantine is proving irksome
to the inha bitants of the sequestered
residence, most nf whom are typical
/ society folk, without resources in
themselves Their condition without
Wallets and maids. is certainly pitiable
IT has been rumored that the ladies
are doing their own hair and that the
gentlemen have been reduced TO put
ting their own buttons in their shirts
, This deplOra bile situation. however is
unavoidable
The vigilance ~ the board OF
health mas been most con1menda bic in
this case beginning with d wager
over the telephone that they would
4 break quarantine in twenty four
hours. and ending with the attempt
to span twelve-foot gulf with a
board. over which to cross 20 freedom
these shut-in society folk have shown
characteristic disregard OF the laws OF
the State II is quite time 10 extend
to the millionaire the same strictness
that KEEPS the commuter a home for
three weeks with the measles that
makes him get the milk bottles and
groceries from the gate-post and smell
like dog-soap for a month afterwsrd
as "A result OF disnfection.'
We sat in dead silence for minute
Then
Perhaps II is true" said Not OF
you. 1im-hut some one may have
tried to get out that way. In fact.
/ think II extremely likely"
Who Flanagan? You couldn't
drive him out He's having the time
Of his iife DO Won suspect me ."
(To BE Continued