A Terrible Leap.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 176, 30 October 1886, Page 8 (Supplement)

A Terrible Leap.

A tall, slim man, who looked very much like an overgrown street boy, stood talking to a young woman at the New York end of the Brooklyn Bridge a little after two p'clook one afternoon recently. He bade her good bye, and .kissed her. She responded by saying, " Good-bye, Steve; take care of yourself, and may you.be successful, and scoop in dose 2000 dol., so we kin have a good time." The man, who was Stephen Brodie, the Fourth Ward newsboy and long distance pedestrian; gave a reassuring answer, and then made for a lumber-laden waggon that wag approaching the bridge entrance. Brodie has been rather unlucky lately on horse races, and to retrieve his' losses he took up a bet that he would jump off the East River Bridge. While Brodie waB climbing upon the waggon a boat, in which I eat three men, was lying in the Btream about 100 yards from New York pier, and a couple of sporting men and two porters stood on the new pier waiting for Brodie to jump. When the waggon had been drawn about 100 yards past New York pier, Brodie suddenly pulled off his coat and hat and laid them on a lumber pile. He did not have time to remove other clothing, as the people who were standing on the upper walk at the pier had seen his movements, and divining his purpose, had raised the crv " Police ! Look otft ! He's going to jump into the river." The drivers behind I the waggon had also seen him, and had hurriedly reined in their horses, and jumped off to catch him. Officer Lally was about ! seventy-five feet away, arid aaw Brodie nimbly spring irom the waggon to the railing of the bridge where he stood for a second. As the officer and driver were running toward him he laughed at them, and clambered down the outside of the railing like a cat, and thence to the lowes r part of the girders to which he could hold. There he hung suspended in the air over the river, while the drivers and policemen and other people on the walk stood spell bound. No one could reach him where he was, and everybody watched to see him drop into the water. A cry came up from the river. It" was a cry from the men who were in the row boat, "Good boy, Steve; now keep cool and steady yourself and then let go." Brodie swung to and fro in the breeze, and steadied himself as well as he could. When he hung perpendicular over the river he let go his hold, and shot down like an arrow. It was but a few seconds before he struck the water. His body inclined a little to the right, and Mb legs were parted. He, bowever, struck witb*hi8 feet, and then on his side, disappearing from view as the water splashed up around, and then closed over him. He was under -water four seconds. When he came up he began floundering about, aa though bewildered by the shock he had received, The men in the boat rowed to the spot, and Brennan caught Brodie by the shoulder. As soon as the latter recovered his breath he was hauled into the boat, which pulled to the pier, where the sporting men and the reporters stood waiting. There was another man waiting there— Bridge Officer Lally, who had hurried around, determined to arrest the jumper. Brodie was landed, but as eoon as he 8aw Officer Lally, he jumped off thedockinto the water, and began swimming around. He was again caught, and Officer Lally made him a prisoner. " On what charge do you arrest me ? asked Brodie. "For jumping off the bridge and endangering your life," replied the officer. You'd better come along." " All right, I'll go wid you, but I guess 1 11 get the 200 dole. I kin jump off de highest bridge in de world now," exclaimed Brodie. Brodie's friend, Brennan, gave him a drink of brandy, and then he was marched up, dripping wet as he was, to the Oak-street station house. Here he was led into the rear room, and stripped of his clothing, and rubbed dry. He seemed to be sinking into a collapse his ekin was perfectly jvhite, his lips blue, and his eves sunken. The doorman took pity on him, and gave him a drink of whisky, which seemed, to revive him, and he began boasting of hia feats in jumping from High Briige and from the top yard of the highest masts, and of his long walking matches. An immense throng of men, women, and children, had collected in the street and began crowding into the atation houpe, but they were put out. Then Brodie wanted more whisky and sent a good-natured reporter for some. The reporter returned with a pint bottle of the liquor; but the doorman took away the bottle, remarking that too mnch whisky was not good for Brodie in the condition that he waa in ; and. besides, he did not want to have the boy go to court drunk. He would wait until the doctor from Chamber-street Hospital, who had been sent for, came ; and, if ho did not object, he would let Brodie have more. Suddenly Brodie put his hand to his right side, exclaiming, " How it hurts." He sat down in a chair and began writhing fearfully, and his eyes rolled about as though he was in great agony. In a few seconds the contortions became less, and the pain passed away. Then Broodie called for more whisky. Then anothe'r spasm came on, and again Brodie rallied. An ambulance from Chamber-street Hospital rattled upfco the station house,andDr. White, the house surgeon, rushed into the room where Brodie was sitting, dressed in dry clothes that ft policeman ' had loaned him, while his wet shirt, trousers, stuffed trunks, socks, and a thin pair of patent leather walking match shoes lay on the floor. Dr. White proceeded to examine him all over. He found a small contusion on the right breast, just below the shoulder, and another' blow on the right nipple. He finally pronounced him in excellent condition, only suffering somewhat from the shock. He could not find anything the matter with his internal organs. They were as sound as they could be, and, in hia opinion, Brodie was only shamming a little. Then Brodie called for more whisky. ,,The distance which Brodie jumped or dropped was probably about 120 feet.