Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-04-20
A New Sam Patch.

weighs lJ4 pounds. He measures thir-
ty-six inches around the chest and thirty
eight around the waist. He is as com
pactly built as Edward Hanlan. the
sculler. although his muscles are more
| flexible.
Mr.. Donaldson was introduced TO a
Sun reporter yesterday by Mr.. Richard
X. Fox as a gentleman who was DESTROYS
/ of making bet that he would Jump
from the Brooklyn Bridge into the East
/ River.
A glance into Mr.. Donaldson's eyes
failed 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. Donaldson2n
"A hundred times"
'ln public?"
"Only three times in public"
"Where?'
"Once in Sunderland and twice at
High Bridge
when did you jump from High
Bridge
August II and lS, 1880 When l
appeared on the bridge in tights, an Ex-
else 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 l would
have bet him $500 that would make the
jump safely. am always perfectly con-
iident, and confidence is nine-tenths of
a battle
do you think you could Jump from
Brooklyn Bridge and live?"
Il am certain of it, The bridge 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
leap?n
Always. l 90 to some retired place,
where can get jump of forty feet. so
as to make sure of my position when |
90 down"
What is your style of dropping?''
81 crouch with Bonded knees, and hop
off with my elbows nearly foot from
my sides. with my forearms and palms
OF my hands fiat in front of my breast
| work my hands little. like the ilutter
of birds wings. The first fifty feet
drop like shot, then the air catches
under my hands. my arms, armpits.
chin, and even my ears. 1t takes four
seconds TO drop one hundred feet |
breathe while l am descending. and
clap my hands over nv chest and
press my elbows TO my sides Just as
strike the water. All my vital parts are
protected. My knees guard my stom-
ach. believe ! could drop safely dis
lance of one thousand feet if | could be
sure of striking feet first in my crouched
position"
Did you jump from High Bridge the
first time YOU visited it?'
.'Oh, no: always familiarize myself
with a place from which l intend to
jump. 1 went to High Bridge every
morning for "a week, and crouched with
my toes on the edge of the wall BY
that means | knew Just where nv BODY
would catch the air. and just where
would breathe going down. Taking a
long breath just before YOU start is all
nonsense. Iou have TO 20 easy and
natural If should toss NV head back
nj the start. it would land me on my
head and shoulders and kill me. They
old me at High Bridge that man
named france was walking on the
bridge one day with two women. when
ne said: wait here until 90 and ret
another drink. then I'll show YOU the
greatest Jump You ever did see. He got
his drink and jumped straight down.
After that he laid ten weeks in a hos +.
piial before he died. \ German and a (,
negro also lost their lives by jumping |
there"
Can YOU swim weil?'
Ten miles, if necessary
.. W hat part Of the year do you prefer
for iumpinp9r