The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-25
TIRE YOUNG Gymnastics END.
Feat that Sent IA shudder Through,
n Theatre.

JAMES sYLvEsTERs WEEK on THE sTAGE--A
FATAL AMBITION TO DO TIE IMPOSSIBLE
a BENEFIT FOR A soRRowING MOTHER
On Saturday Coroner Eickhoff held an
inquest over the body of Jas. Sylvester, the
gymnast, who leaped TO his death in the
Thirty Fourth street theatre on Thursday
night, and on Sunday the remains of the
daring young man were buried from the
"little church ronnd the corner" Sylves-
ter was only nineteen years of age; he
was well developed and handsome, and
was never in happier mood than on the
evening which was his last on earth SIEVE
raj weeks ago he and Edward Baldwin,
who was few years his senior, applied to
Jacob Berry, the proprietor of the Thirty
fourth street theatre, for employment.
Sylvester and Baldwin professed to be
first-class gymnasts The former had per-
formed with much SUCCESS in Cuba, Cam
ada, and also in the United States, and
both were hard pressed Tor money. AT
| first Baldwin was employed as an usher,
and about u week ago Sylvester and
he secured engagements as trapeze
performers. Mr.. Berry told Sylvester
that the theatre was not suited to
such performances, but the latter persisted
that it was, and at length trapeze was
rugged and he and Baldwin executed Won
derfu! feats on it. Sylvcsters aged mother
and his three brothers tried to persuade
him not to continue as professional GYM
n-s, and - stick to his trade. that of
printer; but the young man hoped to gain
celebrity as u gymnast and turned deaf
car to their entreaties.
When he and Baldwin approached Berry
they told kim that they were anxious to
reach Rochester, where they could yet a
splencid engagement, and Berry said that
he would see them through, and secured
their services for one week. They said
that they were in deep distrese and were
anxious to go from New York. Berry
watched their movements on the trapeze.
but hcsitated about Announcing them.
They continued 10 urge their claims, and
at length he put their names on the bills.
TIE THEATRE
is small place, capable of holding about
1900 persons. 1t has been used only for
variety performances, and has bccn well
patronized. a trapeze swinging over the
orchestra and about fifteen feet from the
floor, was put up for Sylvester and Bald
win. y rope attached to the ceiling and
reaching almost to the floor was on the
right and about fifteen feet from the ira
peze, as the spectators face the stage. On
Thursday evening Sylvester told his part
ner, Baldwin, in the dressing room that he
felt weak, but 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 programme which read, "James Syl
yester, the wonder of the nineteenth cen
tury, in his ceiling walking introducing |
the thrilling feat of throwing Il somcrsault |
from trapcze 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 irapeze Tho rings on
the ceiling in which he caught his feet and
did what he called ceiling walking were all |
secure, and after receiving the hearty APP
plause of the spectators, he prepared
to " produce the thrilling feat of throwing
a somersault from the trapeze to single
rope. The eyes OF all were fixed upon
him. and he confidently held to the bar of
the trapeze and began to swing through the
air with terrific velocity. The manager of
the theatre thought that Sylvester was
never before in so good a humor, and ex-
pected something wonderful from him.
All who saw it were spellbound. When
he let go 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 lac turned somersaut and
struck with terrible force against one of
the private boxes and fell into the arms of
Baldwin. The netting of tarred rope had
been taken away, but that could not have
saved Sylvester had it been there. The
force with which he swung himself was too
great, and his mscalculation cost him his
life. Baldwin held him tightly in his arms
and carried him to the dressing room.
where he died
Friday the dead gymnast lay in plain
pine coffin in the Morguc. He was still at
tired in the tights which he wore when he
came to his death. His neck was much
swollen and discolored but his SAGE wore
calm and almost smiling expression. On
Sunday. in the full costume which he wore
on the trapeze, he was laid in handsome
coffin and taken 10 the Little Church
Round the Corner" where the funeral GER
emonIes were performed. Warden Bren-
nan done everything IN his power to assist
the friends in their cndeavors to give him
respectable burial Mr.. Berry, the propri-
etor of the theatre, announces benefit for
the mother of Sylvester next Monday night,
and Mr. ii. j. Campbell, the stage mana
ger, promises to do his utmost to make it
realize large sum for her