The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-31
A FATAL LEAP:


THE BOY GYMNAsT AND HIS AMBITIoN-HIs
FIRST APPEARANCE AND ITS THRILLING
RESULT.
A few weeks ago James Sylvester, young
bow of nineteen, and Edward Baldwin APP
piled to Jacob Berry, proprietor ofthe Thirty
fourth street theatre, New York, for work.
They professed to be first-class gymnasts,
and the former had performed with much
success in Canada, Cuba, and also the United
States. Young Sylvester hoped TO gain ce-
lebrity as a professional gymnast, and be
turned a deaf ear to the entreaties OF his aged
mother and his three brothers not TO engage
in this dangerous business. The New York
Sun gives the following account OF the fatal
accident:
THE THEATER
| is a small place, capable Of holding about
| ], 500 persons. A trapeze, swinging over the
orchestra and about fifteen feet from the
floor, was put up for Sylvester and Baldwin.
| A rope attached to the ceiling and reaching
almost to the floor was on the right and
about fifteen feet from the trapeze, as the
spectators face the stage. On Thursday even
| ing Sylvester told his partner, Baldwin, in
| the dressing room that he felt weak, bnt
thought he could complete the performance.
They were announced on the bills as "the
monarchs of the air." After several songs
and Dances that part of The program which
read. "James Sylvester, the wonder of I he
nineteenth century, in his ceiling walking,
| introducing the thrilling feat of throwing
| somersault from trapeze to a single rope"
was reached. Sylvester briskly stepped out
| on the stage in his fancy-colored tights, and
| bowed to the house. Then he smilingly
raised himself to the trapeze. The rings on
the ceiling in which he caught his feet and
Ibid what he called ceiling walking were all
ffar iUin
of the spectators, he prepared TO produce
the thrilling feat of throwing somersault
4 from the trapeze to single rope" The eyes
OF all were fixed upon him, and he conf
DENLY held to the bar of the trapeze and be-
| gan to swing through the air with
/ TERRIFIC VELOCITY.
The manager of the theatre thought that
Sylvester was never before in so good hui
NOR, and expected something wonderful
| from him. All who saw it were spellbound
When he let 90 to catch the rope at his right
which was tightly held by Baldwin, who was
also attired in tights, and who was bearing
his whole weight on the rope to steady it, the
spectators were almost paralyZed as he
turned a somersault and struck with terrible
force against one of the private boxes ano
fell into the arms of Baldwin. The netting
of tarred rope had been taken away, but thai
could not have saved Sylvester had 1t beer
In6re. Inc lOrce With winch ne swung ulul
self was too great, and his miscalculatlon cos
him mis- life. Baldwin held him tightly in
his arms and carried him to the dressing
room, where he died.
Yesterday the dead gymnast lay in plaiI
, pine coffin in the morgue. He was still at
tired in the tights which he wore when h
came to his death. His neck was mucl
swollen and discolored, but his face bore
calm and almost smiling expression. To
morrow IN the full costume which he wor
f on the trapeze, he is to be laid in hand
some coffin, and taken to the Little Churcl
, Round the Corner" where the funeral cere
monies are to be performed. Warden Bren
nan has done everything in his power to as
sist the friends in their endeavors to Civ
him a respectable burial. Mr.. Berry, tn
proprietor of the theater, announces benet
3 for the mother of Sylvester, a week iron
next Monday, and Mr.. II. j. Campbell, tn
stage manager. promises to do his utmost t
make it realize large sum for. her.