A PRISON POLE-SITTER

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 87, 9 October 1937, Page 27

A PRISON POLE-SITTER

Hunger and a cold fog recently turned back Meyer Golas, San Quentin prison jsiole-climber, in his attempt to break his own record as the world's champion pole-sitter, says the "San Francisco Chronicle." Atop an 85* foot, floodlight tower In the lower yard from 11.30 a.m., Golas was lured down at 8.20 p.m. by Warden Smith with an account of the menu from which he might choose. Golas monkeyed up a light pole m the garden beautiful one day about noon, clung to a small platform for 19 hours, refusing all efforts to get him down, and finally earthed himself at 7.30 next morning, half dead from exposure and numb from cold. He was sent to a hospital, placed under observation, and finally released when he appeared to be back to normal again. However, as a precaution against Golas's predilection for pole-climbing. Warden- Court Smith had all the lower rungs on the floodlight towers removed for a distance of .fifteen feet up the poles. The next day was bath-day at San ftuentin. Golas was in line awaiting

his turn at an official tubbing when he broke away, ran to the floodlight tower opposite the death cell, shinned up the naked portion where the steps had been removed, caught the bottom of- the ladder, and ran up to a lineman's platform on the tower-top, 85 feet above ground. There he planned to remain indefinitely. Warden Smith tried to talk him down but Golas refused to budge. However, he invited the warden to come up and join him. This offer was rejected by the warden, who had no desire to view his prison from a floodlight tower as a guest of Golas. At 5 p.m. Warden Smith engaged Golas in a long-distance conversation from below, but the best offer of the warden met with no approval from the world champion. Shortly thereafter Warden Smith said he wanted to get something to eat, and left. Three hours later Golas climbed down into the arms of waiting guards and was taken to the yard captain's office, where he ate a huge meal. Ho was then placed in solitary and will be examined by psychiatrists again. . . ,