Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-08

above the floor, then continued to
the 65-foot level.
Mr.. Green called the fire rescue
squad for a life net. 1t arrived 20
minutes later. If Catoe had suicide
in mind, the Jail superintendent
pointed out later, he had 20 min
utes in which to accomplish it.
Catoe did nothing. He just bal
anced on the inch-wide bar which
extends about foot from the wall.
The firemen put the safety net in
place and waited Meanwhile, Mr..
Green decided to evacuate the cells
across from Catoe's perch, just in
case the prisoner decided to jump
without benefit of net.
Bargains With JaiIer.
Mr.. Green cajoled. Catoe tri.d
to bargain. If Mr.. Green would
make the Officers" go away. Catoe
would jump into the net. He
thought the firemen were police
men.
Mr.. Green called Fire Chief Ste
phen Porter. Could he have the net
without the firemen? Chief Porter
came out to look the situation over.
Battalion Chief Benjamin w. Weaver
came out, too. So did hook and
ladder engine and a police squad
car.
Mr.. Huff left his dinner at Lorton,
Va, and started for town with his
deputy superintendent.
Chief Porter told his firemen to
depart Their places were taken
by 26 colored inmates. Catoe's fellow
prisoners started pleading with him
to jump. Catoe came down to the
45-foot level, looked the situation
over and walked up the wall to the
65-foot bar again.
Asks for His Lawyer.
The Rev. James L. Pinn, spiritual
adviser to the colored inmates. was
summoned. He called upon Catoe
to think of his family Catoe asked
for his lawyer, Walter M. Shea, who
came on the run.
Another colored prisoner volun-
teered to climb the side of the wall
for persuasion at closer range. That
was one of the six or eight times
Catoe lowered himself to the 45-foot
level The men talked for a few
minutes and then the other prisoner
was ordered TO come down.
Catoe, meanwhile, assumed an at
titude of quiet enjoyment" as Mr..
Green described it. Occasionally, he
smiled.
With Mr.. Huff now on the scene,
10 nff iolc
measures. They could turn the hose
on him or try to lasso him. but he
was locked into the mess hall. The
windows were barred and screened.
He couldn't get away.
Mr. Huff talked by phone with a
psychiatrist. Finally, exactly three
hours and 10 minutes after he start
ed his fight to the upper reaches
of the mess hall, Catoe Jumped,
landing in sitting position on the
safety net. He had made no effort
to avoid it.
After single bounce, he lay there
on the net. Jail guards carried him
to table on which a mattress had
been placed. DR.. Robert G. Stanley,
who had been called to take care
Of any eventuality, pronounced Ca
! toe tired but unhurt.
Catoe meekly allowed himself to
be placed on a stretcher. Blankets
were wrapped around him-to pre-
vent shock. the Jail superintendent
explained. Handouts were placed on
him-to keep his arms from falling
off the sides Of the stretcher, &C
cording to the superintendent.
Once in a cell, Catoe was placed
in restraining beta sturdy
leather arrangement which straps
around the waist and holds down
the arms.
Catoe never did explain what
prompted him to climb up the wall.
Jail officials, worn out by their
long vigil, decided to take no more
chances. Catoe had breakfast in his
cell this morning.