Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-02-01

Cy-h1In street, reported this morning
daring attempt at escape, made at
a. m It is in this house that some
eight or nine members of the smart
set were imprisoned during the course
OF 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-
TEN; Mr.. and Mrs. Dallas Brown, the
Misses Mercer, Maxwell Reed, the
wellknown clubman and whip, and
Mr.. Thomas HARRISON, guest of the
Dallas Browns and South American.
Officer McCloud's story, told to a
Chronicle reporter this morning, is as
follows: The occupants of the house
had been uneasy all day. From the
air of subdued hustle, and from care
ful inspection of the roof, made by the
entire party during the afternoon, his
suspicion had been aroused. Nothing
unusual, however, occurred during the
early part of the night. From eight
o'clock to twelve McCloud was re-
lieved from duty, his place being
taken by Michael Shane of the Eighty
sixth street station.
When McCloud came on duty at
midnight, Shane reported that about
II o'clock the searchlight Of steamer
on the river, flashing over the house,
had shown a man crouching on the
parapet, evidently surveying the roof
across, which at this point is only 12
feet distant, with view of making
his escape. On seeing Shane below,
however, he had beat a retreat, but
not before the officer had seen him
distinctly. He was dressed in evening
clothes and wore a light tan over
coat
Officer McC1ou6 relieved Shane at
midnight, and sent for a plain-clothes
man from the station house. This man
was stationed on the roof of the Bev-
lngton residence next door, with strict
lnJunctions to prevent an escape from
the quarantined mansion. Nothing
suspicious having occurred, the man
on the roof left about a. M, report
ing to McCloud below that everything
was quiet. At that moment, glancing
skyward, one of the officers was as
founded to see a long narrow board
project itself from the coping Of the
Wilson house, waver uncertainty for
moment, and then advance stealth
lily toward the parapet across. When
it was within foot or two of rest
ing 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 lit
tie. and dropped, missing the vigilant
officer by a hairs breadth, and crash
ing to the cement with terrific force.
An inspection of the roof from the
Bennington house, later, revealed moth
ing unusual. 1t is evident, however,
that the quarantine is proving irksome
to the inhabitants of the sequestered
residence, most of whom are typical
society folk, without resources in
themselves. Their condition, without
Wallets and maids, is certainly pitiable.
1t 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 deplorable situation, however, is
unavoidable.
"'The vigilance of the board Of
health has been most co2mendable in
this case Beginning with a wager
over the telephone that they would
break quarantine in "a hours, and end
ing with the attempt to span 12-foot
gulf with board, over which to cross
to freedom, these shut-in society folk
have shown characteristic disregard
of the laws of the state. It is quite
time to extend to the millionaire the
same strictness that keeps the COM
muter at 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
month afterward, as result Of dis
Infection"
We sat in dead silence for minute.
Then:
perhaps it is true" 1 said. mot
Of you, Jim-but some one may have
tried to get out that way. In fact, l
think it extremely likely"
who? Flanagan? You couldn't
drive him out. He's having the time
of his life Do you suspect me?'
Come away and don't fight" Anne
broke in practically. ''You will have
to have luncheon sent in, Jimmy; no
body has ordered anything from the
shops, and feel like old Mother Hub
bard
II wish you would all go out" said
YEARLY eff every man in the house
says he didn't try to get over to the
next roof last night, well and good.
But you might look and see if the
board is still lying where it fell"
There was an instantaneous rush
for the window, and a seconds pause.
Then Jimmys voice, incredulous,
awed:
well. I'll be-b1essed! There's the
board!"