Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-10-06
Another Sam Patch.


Another Sam Patch.
Visitors to High Bridge and pleasure
parties on the Harlem River YESTERDAY
afternoon were startled by the unusual
spectacle of large and well-developed
man OF middle age disrobing himself at
the highest point of the bridge, as in
preparation for leap into the water,
116 feet below. Oars ceased to plv,
pedestrians stood still. and all was ex-
pectancy to learn the result OF the
man singular movements The crowd
Gid not have long to wait, however, for,
planting his hands firmly on his knees
looking below for an instant. he sprang.
and the concOurse which had assembled
were horror-stricken to see a man ilving
through the air with the velocity of the
wind.
While ENJOYING social glass with 4
number of jolly companions on Satur-
day evening, John ID. Brumley, a pain
ter residing at No. 402 East Forty
eighth street, where he has a wife and
five children, was treating them to Il
number of sailor yarns, in the course of
which he stated that he had made some
prodigious jumps in his time from the
fore. main and mizzcn mast heads
without receiving the leas: injury.
These stories were regarded as entirely
too Munchausen. and the relator was
made the subject of much ridcule, and
in a determined manner he said:
''Ill tell you what I'll do with you.
I'll bet yOu the drinks that can Jump
from High Bridge at high water, any
day you name: or. if you don't care to
bet the drinks I'll be hanged if l don't
do it for fun"
This caused very lively discussion,
and upon Brumley insisting that the
feat was rs easy as walking around the
block, one of his festive companions
made the bet. 1t was finally agreed
that the party would proceed to Harlem
early yesterday morning. and as
double precaution boat was hired, in
which they rowed to High Bridge. The
jolly souls liquored up freely and anx-
iously awaited the hour of noon for high
water. I'naccompanied, Brumley
passed up to the center of the bridge,
where he divested himself of his coat
and shoes. and IN response to one. two,
three on the part of his friends who
were located at n neighboring boat
house, he took the hazardous leap. He
was cool, and proved that he was much
more scientific bridge-leaper than
his companions gave him credit for, as
during the descent he turned two SOM
ersets. He struck the water with his
arms close to his sides. while his feet
were tightly crossed. and cut through
the water like n ball from cannon.
When he appeared on the surface Mr..
George Reilly, who was in Il row-boat
with lady, and who witnessed the dar-
ing leap, rowed quickly toward the
spot and caught Brumley by the shoul-
der. Meantime another boat put out,
and between the two the man was
brought ashore in an unconscious con-
dition. His friends, fearing that he
was either dead or seriously injured.
fled for fear of their arrest. Officer
Scborske hastened to the boat-house
and aided in the difficult task of resus-
citating Brumley. He soon gained con-
sciousness, and did not appear to be
hurt either internally or externally. AT
first he appeared to he thoroughly
sobered, but the quantity of ardent
spirits he had disposed of prior to his
leap soon began to tell upon him. which,
unfortunately for the unseltish hero,
gave the officer an opportunity to pre-
fer charge of intOxication against
him.
After walk of two and half miles
Brumley felt somewhat better and was
in a condition to speak more intelii-
gently. He stated to a reporter for the
Star that it was true that he agreed to
accomplish the feat for drinks for the
crowd, and that before starting for
Harlem he told his wife what he was
about to do, and she, like an obedient
and faithful spouse, advised him to
make the jump. Brumley is a man
about 35 years of age, weighs loo
pounds. and claims that on one or two
occasions during his life on the ocean
wave" he jumped from the mainmast
top, a distance of 160 feet. He is a
drummer in Company of the Seventy
] first Regiment n. &. S. N. Y. He also
stated, with marked nonchalance, that
his next feat would be a Jump from the
! Brooklyn brid ge, and left the impression
on the reporters mind that the leap
yesterday was merely an experimental
effort in order to see if he could attempt
the more hazardous Brooklyn bridge
I ileap.-N. !. Star.
4.