SHE DASHED PAST THE JAILER.
Woman Escaped from Holdover and
Outran a Man.
As an ordinary thing a woman cannot outrun a man, especially when both are anywhere near evenly matched. But a woman did outstrip a man last night, and a police officer at that. She did it after escaping from the women's holdover at police headquarters, too.
The woman who was so fleet of foot bears the name of Mrs. Kate Harmon. She is 32 years old, 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 115 pounds. She was not handicapped with a broad-brimmed hat, being bareheaded when she made the race.
Philip Welch, jailer, is something over 50 years old. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. It was up to Welch to catch the fleeing Mrs. Harmon.
A messenger had called to see a woman who was in the holdover. Mrs. Harmon had been placed in for safekeeping. She was very nervous, walked the floor continually, and announced, "I want out of here."
As Welch stood in the doorway, his back toward Mrs. Harmon, she stole quietly up to him. When just even with him in the open door she made a dash for liberty. And she dashed some, too. Any one who doubts that may ask Welch.
"There she goes," screamed the woman whom the messenger had come to see.
By the time Welch turned around Mrs. Harmon had passed out of the areaway in the rear of the station, and was in the little street between the market and city hall. Welch made a dash after her. The course was along Fifth street, Mrs. Harmon leading by nine lengths and gaining at every leap.
In a short while Welch returned, panting and alone. "If any one had told me that a woman hampered with her skirts as she is, could run like that woman did, I'd call him a liar," was all he had to say.
