The Mena weekly star., 1921-07-28
SPOON|NC COUPLE
 SAVED MANS LIFE
Negroes Lovemaking in Kansas City Was Means of Rescuing Young Store Clerk Imprisoned in Aban-
 doned Cistern.

Kansas City, July 22.-For four days the police and parents of Roy McMillen, 29 years old, 1910 East Thirteenth street, had searched for him. He was seen last by employees of the Jones store, where he is em- ployed, Saturday night. He had start ed for his home. He did not reach there.
 He was found in a dazed, starved, delirious condition in an abandoned cistern on the southeast corner of Eff teenth street and Baltimore avenue. He had been imprisoned since 8 o'clock Saturday night, more than a hundred hours.
 If V. H. Clay, young negro, and a young negro woman had not been spooning near the cistern Thursday night, McMillen might be in the cis- tern yet Clay's foot sank, and a stone went echoing down into some dismal region. From the abyss came a cry. | In less than minute he was at the foot of the hill. Lovemaking was at i an end for that night. He took his companion home and then went to his own home, 311 East Sixth street, ar irving there at 9:30 o'clock. He sat down on the eurbing to think things over Raymond Scott, a friend, found him there. Clay told Scott. ] They started on rescue expedition iat II o'clock. Arriving at the hill. they cautiously approached the spot. A groan was heard. They fled down the hill. Not long afterward they were sitting on the Sixth street curb l again.
 For more than an hour they sat there and thought the matter over. It was after 1 o'clock in the morning when police patrol passed. They hailed it and told their story of the man in the cistern to the patrolmen.
 The hook and ladder company from Central fire station was called. A lad der was placed in the cistern. The man made a feeble attempt to reach the first rung of the ladder. He fell back unconscious.
 A fireman climbed down the ladder and carried the man to the surface He was taken to St. Luke's hospital
 The cistern in which McMilIan was imprisoned is at the top of strip of ground about twenty-two feet hioh II mas circular opening about three feet m diameter extending downward m a Jug-like fashion. The bottom is covered with stones and is about ten feet in diameter.
 Evidence that McMillan made 2 light for his life is shown bv an inn proYsed ladder constructed of two poles and small pieces of board wired together, made from material he round m the cistern The ladder fell short of the top by about five feet The sides of the cistern were scratched as tho by eager finger nails.
 A pool of stagnant water in the cisten enabled McMillan to retain con- seiousness. The walls of the cistern are of cement, slick and moss covarad The hill which rises abruptly from tne street Is covered with dense un. dergfowth of weeds and is difficult of ascent. There are no paths thru the lundergrowth to indicate @short cn, '
 was on my way home" McMillan said m telling of his experience
 when thought ] would climb tho mn. l fell into the cistern and spent most of the night shouting and af- tempting to construct a ladder from tne poles and cable which I fonrd ir The cistern. All day Sunday I shout. ca at intervals. l could hear nssoy car horns from cars passing on the