The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-05
1--WE Gone In for Last
Time. !" Says Pal of Man
Trapped in Sand Cave

CAVE CITY, KY, Feb. 5.-Dirty,
muddy and shaking from exhaus-
ton, Johnny Geralds. pal Of Floyd
Collins in many cave adventures.
this morning stood on the little
slime-covered plateau under over.
hanging rocks which form the arch
way OF the entrance to Sand Cave
where Collins has been trapped for
more than 40 hours and gave his
verdict.
"I've gone In there for the last
time" he said slowly, carefully, as
IL perhaps he had rehearsed that
speech after It had haunted his
mind as he picked his way, squirn-
ing, almost PROSTATE through the,
tortuous passage from the squeeze"
to the mouth.
IT'S no use. I've had hope UP
to now, but the rock and mud IL.
falling now faster than we can
clear It out. Each time / 60 in
the walls and roof look worse.
There is more debris filling the
passage now than there was before
we cleared 1t all away yesterday
morning.
Geraids bowed his head as the
icy. breath OF the cave beIched over
the plateau. He moved over within
circle Of light cast by an electric
bulb, flickering eerily In the black
darkness OF wilderness.
Floyd is getting weaker" he
continued in the same measured
tones. He couldn't talk to me this
time. While was in there trying
to make him answer, mud and rock
were falling constantly, It's on his
body now. And I can't get there
to move 1t.
In. moments when was lying
there resting, I could hear the crack
Of the rock. breaking up above and
the incessant boom, boom. boom of
heavy rock falling 10 great depths
somewhere out beyond in the dark
ness. It was terrible.
''R-R-R.Rip, the walls and roof
and floor go. And the sound
echoes and echoes throughout the
passages. Then there comes rum
BILE. terrifying there in the dark
ness. Ny hair seemed to stand on
end and I'd close my eyes. think.
ing this is thea end And then
the final duh boom and then the
whole thing over again.
1T may not he hopeless. l
wouldn't want to say that. But
-" and he paused to look about
him. 'T don't think I'll go in there
again. Perhaps when I get rested,
I'll feel differently, but now"
he looked toward the mouth of the
cave well I-think-he's in
there-forever."
After another pause Geralds con-
tinued:
when I first went in to Floyd,
/ was sure he could be released.
And believe now that IL ] could
have cut those first days and could
have had three good men with me,
he would be out safely today.
Hes been caught In caves like
this before and we often talked and
laughed about 1t.
Laughs at Vaudeville Offer.
why even carry yesterday he
laughed when. read him tele-
booking agency which offered him
$3.50 a week to appear on the vaude-
vile stage when he is free.
"But now it's dfrTerent. If you
could get in there as l have been
you'd know what ] mean.
You can 90 along all right until
you come to the first Squeeze but
from then on only rat could make
progress. The Passage to Floyd is
like corkscrew, twisting downward
in an 81 along which you nave to
Wriggle on your stomach.
The least false move Of the rails
ing of your foot two inches sends
down a shower of rock. On my last
trip, one hit me In the head as l
neared the spot where Floyd il.
II stopped. I'll admit I was
frightened. I thought of turning
back. But when as ] lay there.
waiting, thinking. 1 could bring up
picture Of Floyd lying there just
beyond, helpless-and ] went on.
Nerve is Broken.
"I had gone less than foot,
when, with rumbIing that seemed