Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-29

Proposing 90 Drop from the East River
Bridge-Fornfer Feats.
From the View York Sun.

From the View York Sun.
Among the remarkable athletes In New York
Is Mr.. Robert Donaldson, harness manufacturer
Mr.. Donaldson was born in Tain, Highlands Of
Scotland, twenty-six years ago. He is feet "a
inches high, and weighs Isl pounds. He meas
ures SO inches around the chest and 80 around
the waist. He is as compactly built as Edward
Hanlan the seuler, although his muscles are
more flexible.
Mr.. Donaldson was introduced to Sun re-
porter yesterday by Mr.. Richard X Fox as a
gentleman who was DESTROYS of making a bet
that ne would jump from the Brooklyn bridge
into the East river.
glance into Mr.. Donaldson's eyes failed to
reveal any CLEAN of madness or reckless dar-
ing In fact, he was very mild hammered and
quiet.
Mr. Donaldson"
"A hundred times"
"1n pubc?"
"Only three times in public"
"Where?"
"Once in Sunderland and twice at High
Bridge"
when did you jump from High Bridge?"
august IL and 49, 1880. When appeared
on the bridge in tights an excise commissioner
of New York bet me S25 that wouldn't Jump
When he paid me the S25 afterward he said the
sight was worth the money. / would have bet
him $500 thatT would make the jump safely
am always perfectly confident, and confidence is
nine-tenths of battle"
DO you think you could jump from Brooklyn
Bridge and live 2"
81 I'm certain of it. The bridge is only ten feet
higher than High Bridge Besides. the water is
umpy and safer. There il only ten feet of water
under High Bridge. prefer broken water to q
smooth surface"
''Do you practice before making a leap?"
Always go to some retired place where 1
can get a jump of forty feet so as to make sure
n m NOS ion yuh0 n dow
What is your style of dropping?'
vi crouch with Bonded knees and hop Off
with my elbows nearly foot from my sides,
with my forearms and palms of my hands flat
IN front of my breast / work my hands little
ike flutter of a birds wing The first fifty feet
drop like shot, then the air catches under my
hands, my arms. armpts chin. and even my
ears lt takes four seconds to drop 100 feet.
breathe while i am descending, and clap my
hands over my chest and press my elbows to my
sides just as strike the water. All nv vital
parts are protected. My knees guard my
stomach believe | could drop safely dis
tance OF goo feet if could be sure of striking
feet first in my crouched position"
IBID you jump from High Bridge the first
time you visited it?''
'Oh, no; l always famliarize myself with a
place from which / intend to jump. / went to
High Bridge every morning for a week. and
crouched with my toes on the edge of wall By
that means knew inst where nv body would
catch the air, and just where / would breathe
going down. Taking long breath lust before
you start is all nonsense You have to 90 easy
and natural III should toss my head back at
the start, it would land me on my head and
shoulders and kill ME. They told me at High
Bridge that a man named Francis was walking
on the bridge one day with two women, when
he said: wait here until / 90 and get another
drink, then III show YOU the greatest Jump YOU
eyerdld see He got his drink and jumped straight
down. After that he laid ten weeks in a hospital
Deiore ne died. German and negro also lost
their lives by leaping there"
"Can you swim well?''
''Yes. ten miles, if necessary"
"What part Of the year do YOU prefer for
Jumping"
MAY is the best time"
Mr.. Fox said he would give Donaldson 800
If he would jump from the East River Bridge.