The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-08-09


The Highest Leap on Record
the LeaD-ThOrne SpTaWls In Mid
air and Strikes the Water on his
Side-HIs Critical Condition. &C.
[From the Buffalo Courier, August Al
The young daredevil who calls
himself Frank Thorne, and who has
recently become notorious throughout
the country by having been adveT-
tised to leap, on the 18th inst, from
the new suspension bridge below Nj
agara Falls, into the river, distance
of one hundred and ninety feet, has,
during the past few days, made three
leaps from high points In this vicin-
ity, by way of practice. The first was
from the railroad bridge over Buffalo
River, a distance of fifty feet; the
second from the railroad bridge over
the Erie Canal, near York Street,
distance of seventy feet.
Both these leaps were made safely
and created little excitement. But
when it was announced, two or three
days ago, that he would jump yester-
day afternoon from the roof of the
Watson Elevator. into Buffalo River.
a descent stated to be one hundred
and eighty feet, speculation became
rite both as to his really attempting
the feat and as to his performing lt
safely. Curiosity, not only to witness
so novel and startling q sight, and al
SO in many minds-to see a man killed,
for thousands thought the leap would
certainly be fatal, eonspired to draw
AN IMMENSE CROWD
to the docks on this side of the river,
from which view of the elevator
could be obtained. The hour for the
jump was announced as five O'Clock,
and long before that time the dense
population of the vicinity began to be
augmented by streams of people anx-
ious to obtain good view. The ves-
sells and canal boats lying moored at
the doc ks, and the docks themselves,
as we'll as the landings fronting them,
for a quarter of mile In length, were
soon packed with human beings.
Steamers, tugs, yaWl- boats, scoWs aud
skiffs were called into requisition by
the hundreds, and the river was
crowded with all manner of crowded
craft. Especially in front Of the
looming pile of the elevator, from
which the fearful leap was to be made,
was there congregated a vast fotilla
of small boats and tugs. The number
of persons that witnessed the jump
was varionsly estimated from fifteen
to twenty five thousand. A free show
with such thrilling features draws out
the popUlace without much advertis-
ing.
PREPARING FOR THE LEAP.
A few minutes before five o'clock
the upturned eyes Of the myriads of
spectators saw rhorue come out upon
the roof of the building. He was
accompanied by w. FL. Pope, the
actor, and other gentlemen, whose
names we did not learn. A little time
was occupied in making the simple
arrangements, which consisted of run
ming plank out some three feet from
the caves. While these were going
on, the thoughts and tongues of the
vast multitude below were busy.
Some expressed the opinion that, even
at that hour, the reckless Thorne
would show the white feather; several
bets were made on this contingency;
many turned away shuddering, their
nerves not permitting them to gaze
at the dare devil descent. All who
possessed a touch Of sentiment had
sensations akin to those which come
when looking from a terrible height,
or at u murderer just before the fatal
drop.
At two minutes past five. Thorns
threw off a coat which was over his
shoulders. and came
OUT ON THE PLANK.
His attire was simple-almost as
much so as that of the Georgia gen.
tleman, which consisted of a tooth
pick and a pair of epurs-Thorne
wearing a white handkerchief on his
head, red breech-cl about his
middle, pair of heavy boots on his
feet. and the epidermis which nature
gave him. He stood there, the cen
ter of forty thousand eyes, appearing
to be measuring the distance and pre-
pairing for it by several long drawn
inspirations. Distant as he was, this
was readily detected from below, and
beyond this
SYMPTOMS OF NERVOUSNESS
were manifest in his quivering limbs.
The betting men, of sang frold, who
had staked against his leaping, when
they noted these indications, felt ju-
bilant, and the sympathetic skud-
dered. Once Thorne lifted his right
hand in the air. and all thought the
Jump would follow, but he dropped it
to his side and again inflated his chest
with air. A second time he lifted
his hand, as if in salute, a second
time dropsed it without making the
plunge, and turning stepped back up
on the roof of the elevator. Many
thought his heart had failed him, but
when it was seen that the plank was
being readjusted, the general opinion
was that there was some fault In the ar
rangements. All were wrong, as the
fact was that his attendant, noticing
his nervousness, called him back, and
the moving of the plank was a blind.
In a moment he seemed to recover
himself, aud as he stepped out on the
plank the second time, he seemed far
more "nervy" than at first.
THE LEAP.
His hesitation then was slight. He
waved his right hand once in the air:
then, holding both arms tight to his
body and his legs close together. he
made the perilous jump. The most
intense stiffness reigned as his down.
ward progress was watched. The dis
tance was about one hundred and
twenty. five instead of one hundred
and eighty feet, even the former fig
ures making the highest leap ever at
tempted in the world, except for de.
liberate suicide. OF course the OBJ
ject of Thorne was to enter the water
as he started, feet first, and the uni
versal feeling was. that if he he lost
his perpendicular, death was certain.
For about a third of the descent his
legs were kept together and his posi-
ton maintained, but at this point he
was observed to spread them apart.