A FATAL LEAP.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5166, 7 August 1885, Page 2

A FATAL LEAP.

An axploit'similar in its rashness to that by which Captian Webb, the noted swimmer, lost his life, and similarly followed by a fatal result, was reported by the Nevr York correspondent of the Standard on May 21st. He said :•—" It had been announced for several days that a teacher of swimming, of the name of Odium, meditated a dire into the East Eiver from Brooklyn Bridge, The police accordingly took precautions which were deemed sufficient to prevent the rash enterprise being attempted. On Tuesday, howeror,

Odium carried out his intention by a ruse. A decoy cab, in which a gaudily dressed pei'son, who was a confederate of Odium, was riding, drove up on the bridge, and while the attention of the police wasoccu« pied by him, Odium himself alighted from a van which had passed unnoticed at the spot at which he had fixed for his daring deed. The roadway is profected by an iron lattie work, which the swimmer climbed with skill and speed. Having gained the fop, which is nine feet from the path, he poised himself for a moment, a perfect picture of manly strength and grace. The roadway of the bridge is 136 ft above the wnter. Oldum stretched out his left arm at right angles, raised his right arm above his head, as if he was balancing, and threw his head backwards. The next moment he threw himself off. !He fell for 100 ft as straight as a plummet, then the body swerved « little, possibly from the force of the wind, upon which Odium moved his right arm backwards, as if he was trying to regain his perpendicular attitude. It was a part of his plan, if the directness of his fall should be modified, to assume the shape of a ball as he neared the water; and accordingly he was noticed to draw up his legs, trying, as it were, to roll himself up. In this effort the unfortunate man failed, and when he struck the water'his body was curved backwards. Although he went scarcely a dozen feet below the surface he was submerged for about three minutes. He came to the surface face downwards, limp and helpless. Captain Boynton was close by, in a boat, and when he saw his friend's condition, he plunged in and supported him until further help came. When the rash direr was laid upon the deck of the rescuing vessel, he presented a 'fearful spectacle. He recovered consciousness sufficiently to ask whether he had made a good jump. The arterial blood then oozed from his lips; and af.er an hour of intense agony he died. A post mortem examination showed that every rib had been broken, and all the principal internal organs were rup» tared. The motives for this fatal adventure were partly to advertise himself, and partly that, having a great deal of pride in his own skill, Odium wished to show how easy and safe such feats were. Several men had been previously arrested while attempting a similar exploit; and there are men who now declare their intention of proving that they can succeed where Odium failed."