Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-07

"A man Is climbing the Washington
Monyment."G- - ,
This message was. mashed all over the
downtown section Of the city shortly be-
fore noon. today, and rarely has there
been an equal to the size OF the crowd
which flocked to the Monument lot to see
the finish of the startling exploit.
Sure, I was there when he started" !"
declared one seemingly excited individual,
as he stood with arm extended, aointing
to the figure which could be sem appar-
emily about 400 feet from the ground, with
100 feet. yet to go to reach the open win
dows and safety at the top of xie shaft.
And when he was about thirty feet in
the air policeman trid to stop. him, but
he gave the cop the merry ha-ha and
be reached and the policeman could not
arrest him.
Roofs Of Buildings Crowded.
The excited individual was standing al
the corner Of 14th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue and he drew an audience in
an instant. All eyes turned to the great
marble shaft, and those of keen vision
declared they saw the figure move,
The news spread into office buildings,
into government derartments-every-
where NEVER Hdu the equal or the dar-
ing exploit been witnessed, and. division
chiefs. clerks. messengers and janitors
dropped work. Roofs all over the busi-
ness section were crowded; every con-
venient window which commanded q
view of the east side Of the monument
had its quota of the curious: even digni-
fled senators and representatives for
got for the moment the importance of
keeping busy looking like members of
Congress, and climbed the long, weary
stairs leading to the dome OF the Capitol,
whence an unobstructed view Of the
monument could be obtained
All this time telephone messages were
flying over the wires, and .automobilists
fractured speed regulations regardless
like as they came from every part of the
city, 80 that the avenues and drives lead
Ing into Potomac Park bore continuous
professions of cars. Taxicab drivers did
q land-ofi1ce business and even the
open-face and sea-going hacks were
requisitioned from the cab stands as
would-be spectators turned their faces
toward the Monument.
Suspense Hangs Over Crowd.
And as the crowds drew near the figure
far up on the side of the shaft seemed
to hang suspended, as though too ex-
hausted either to finish the perilous
climb or to make the equally dangerous
descent.
Suspense hung over the crowd like a
pail. Voices were hushed. Some even
turned their faces half away, fearing to
see the reckless climber hurtling down
the side of the shaft to death on the
stone pavement at its base
The late comers In the crowd making
It's way into the Monument lot met an
equally large crowd outward bound. and
II seemed that men and women alike
were hLrrying away so that they might
not witness the almost certain fatality.
Stray passengers boarding street cars
carried the news. and at every corner
from which even partial glimpse might
be had of the towering shaft necks were
craned, and some trolley travellers aban.
doned business altogether to join the gan.
ing throngs which blocked the sidewalk,
at convenient corners down town
Every one remembered the hair-rafsino
exploit of last week when a human AZ
climbed the outside wall of the RaIeirf
Hotel to the level of the ninth story. AM
among the crowds circulated men. wise,
| than the rest. who asserted that the mon.
ument climber was an amateur inventor
who was demonstrating the life-sayin,
value Of suctions caps. by which Ar.
| escapes would be relegated to the scra,
He almost lost his grip when h.
stopped at the 3OO-foot level to wave hi
| handkerchief to the crowd" declared IN,
excited individual at 14th and the Ave
| nue.. And the crowd gasped.
| But the thousands who hurried to tn
Monument lot and came back agai,
| finally succeeded in convincing every
/ body that the ''man who was climbin,
i the monument after all was only ,
/ damp spot far up on the wall, which wa
i left by some freak Of the stone in dryin,
after last nights heavy rain.