The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-04-20
iii ROOF GARDEN.
Attempt at Escape Frustrated-Mem'
bers of the Four Hundred
Defy the Law.

Especial Officer McCloud, on dut,
at the q%uarantined house of James
Wilson, artist and clubman. on Nine
ty-flfth street, reported this morning
a daring attempt at escape, made at
3 a. IN. 1t is In this house hat some
eight or nine members 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-
TEN; Mr.. and Mrs. Dallas Brown, the
Misses Mercer. Maxwell Reed. the
well known clubman and whip, and a
Mr.. Thomas HARRISON, guest of the
Dallas Browns and a South American.
"'Oficer 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 a care
full 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 a 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 IL
feet distant, with a 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.
"'Oficer McCloud 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-
ington residence next door, with strict
injunctions to prevent an escape from
the quarantined mansion. Nothing
suspicious having occurred, the man
on the roof left about 3 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, WAIVER uncertainty for
a moment, and then advance stealth
lily toward the parapet across. When
1t was within a foot or two of a rest
Ing place, McCloud called sharply to
the invisible refugee above, at the
same time firing his revolver in tbs
ground.
The result was surprising. The
board stopped, trembled, swayed a lit
tie. and dropped, missing the vigilant
officer by a hairs breadth, and crash
ing to the cement with a terrific force.
An inspection of the roof from the
Bevington 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.
1.-The vigilance of the board Of
health has been most commendable 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 a 12-foot
gulf with a board, over which to cross
to freedom, these shut-in society folk
have shown characteristic disregard
of the laws of the state. 1t 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
dlC-pO5t dlo hi1 Inv i've swap ioA
a month afterward. as a result of dis
infection"
We sat in dead silence for a minute.
Then:
Perhaps II is true" I said. Not
of you, Jim-but some n may have
tried to get out that way. In fact.
think 1t 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 l feel like old Mother Hub
bard"
CTo BE CoNTINUED.)