The colored patriot., 1882-04-20
A New Sam Patch.

:, AEAFg the remarkable athletes 4
New York is Mr.. Robert Donaldson
harness manufacturer. Mr.. DonaldSoI
was porn In Tain, Highlands of Scot
tanu' twenty-six years ago. He is fiy
leet seven and a half inches HIGH. an,
weighs 154 pounds. He measures tbir
ty-Slx inches around the chest and thirty
elght around the waist. He is as com
P"cIly built as Edward Hanlan, thu
flexible. "'o ii'o''
Mr.. Donaldson was introduced to ,
. 1"& reporter yesterday by Mr.. Richard
n. FOX as a gentleman who was desirou,
Oh making bet that he would iumr
rom rom the Brooklyn Bridge into the East
A glance into Mr.. Donaldson's eyes
tailed to reveal any CLEAN of madness or
reckless daring. In fact he was very
mild-mannered and quiet.
" Have you ever jumped from great
heights. Mr.. DonaldSonP''
'' A hundred times"
In public?"
Only three times in public"
Where?"
"Once in Sunderland and twice at
High Bridge" ' ~
Bridge?" Il
August II and 18, 1880. When I
appeared on the bridge in tights, an Ex-
clse Commissioner of New York bet me
go that L wouldn't jump. When he
pald me the S25, afterward, he said the
sight was worth the money. I would
have bet him $500 that l would make the
Jump safely. L am always perfectly con-
hdent, and confidence is nine-tenths of
a battle.'
DO you think you could Jump from
Brooklyn Bridge and live?''
'' am certain of it. The bridpe is
only ten feet higher than High Bridge.
Besides, the water is lumpy and safer.
There is only ten feet of water under
high Bridge. Iprefer broken water to
a smooth surface"
"Do you practice before making a
leap?''
always. 1 60 to some retired place.
where can get Jump of forty feet. so
as to make sure of my position when |
go down"
8 What is your style of dropping?'
81 crouch with bended knees. and hon
OFT with my elbows nearly foot from
my sides, with my forearms and palms
OF my hands flat in front of nv breast.
work my hands little, like the fiutter
OF birds wings. The first fifty feet |
arop like a shot, then the air catches |
tmdtt M hands, my arms, armpits. I
chln, ana even ny ears. 1t takes four |
seconds to Irop one hundred feet. I
breathe while | am DESCENDING. and
'lap my hands over my chest and
press my elbows to my sides Just as |
strike the water. All my vital parts are
protected. My knees guard my stom-
lch. L believe | could drop safely dis
ance OF one thousand feet if | could be
ure OF striking feet first in my crouched
,Osition."
Did you jump from High Bridge the
lrst time you visited it?''
Oh, no; always familiarize myself
With place from which | intend to
Jump. L went to High Bridge every
nornng for week, and crouched with
ny toes on the edge of the wall Bv
hat means | knew just where my body
Iould catch the air, and just where /
'ould breathe going down. Taking q
ong breath just before you start is all
onsense. You have to 90 easy end
atural. If should toss my head back
the start, it would land me on nv
cad and shoulders and kill me. They ,
Did me at High Bridge that man ;
AIMED France was walking on the :
ridge one day with two women, when +
e said: "Wait here until 90 and oet :
mother drink, then I'll show YOU the q
rcatest Jump you ever did see. He got q
IS drink and jumped straight down. +
ttcr that he laid ten weeks in hos /
tai before he died. A German and n a
egro also lost their lives by jumping q
ere.'
= Can you swim well?" i
" len miles, if necessary" n
g What part of the year do you pl cfer 1
r Jumping" q
" May is the best time" :,
Mr.. Fox said he would give Donald
n 500 if he would jump from the D
Ist River Bridge.-N y. Sun. s