River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-05-28
A PLUNGE TO DEATH.
Prof. Robert e odlum Jumps 135 rest
Into East River From Brooklyn Bridge
and Dies Soon After.


Prof. Robert e. odlum Jumps 135 ve,t
! Into East River From Brooklyn Bridge
and Dies Soon After.
Last Tuesday afternoon, the 10th inst, a cab
left the New York entrance of the Brooklyn
bridge and was driven to the middle OF the
| great span Here the driver pulled up, and
| two Len got out and began to climb the rail-
ing. Before they had reached the top bridge
policeman came running toward them, brand
| lshing his clnb, and ordered them to 1tget down
out of that While he was talking to the
young men covered wagon containing Prof
Robert =. Odlum and a companion stopped
100 feet behind the cab. Quickly diyest-
ing himself of the blue flannel suit, in
which he was dressed, Prof. 0dlum clad
in a red shirt and trunks, Jumped from the
carriage and sprang lightly to the railing. He
quickly reached the top, and, posing himself a
moment, he stood erect and glanced hurried
| ly at the surface of the east river, far below
him. The people on the bridge sent up cry
of horror, when they saw the professor prepare
to plunge off the bridge into the river l35 feet
beneath his feet The policeman, whose atten-
ton had now been directed from the first man,
rushed toward the professor Before he had
gone dozen feet, Prof. 0dlum, without
moments hesitation, had leaped out
from the railing into the air. He
held one hand above his head as rudder,
to guide him in his descent The river below
was at the moment clear of shipping. tug
and a schooner fioated lazily in the stream
several hundred yards below Tho bridge. The
ting was filled with reporters and club men,
Boyton stood near the prov anxiously watch
ing the bridge. The moment Prof. Odlums
body was seen to leave the railing Harry E.
Dixey, the actor, started stop watch which he
held in his hand in order to time the descent.
For nearly 100 feet the professor came down
all right feet foremost He shot downward
with the speed of meteor, his red suit max
ing him easily discernible for long distance
When within thirty feet of the water his body
began to turn. As if realizing Prof 0dium
brought down his hand with warlike motion
to aid him in recovering his balance The
movement was, however, made too late. His
body had now turned so far that ii was mpos-
second later, with a mighty splash, that
threw up the water on all sides as if
torn with q SHE'LL Prof 0dums body
struck the water on one side and sank ont of
sight The tug hurriedly pushed itself for
ward to the place where the body FELL and
Copt Boynton, after seeing that life presery-
ers had been thrown out into the water, sprang
over the side of the boat and waited for the
body to come to the surface. Soon he saw the
white face of the professor rising from the
water, and moment later he was by his side
SEEING a life preserYer NEARLY he placed II
beneath the body of the insensble professor.
Blood mingled with froth came from the
mouth of the dying man. row boat came to
the rescue and Professor Odlum was taken
from the water A few moments later he was
transferred to the ting and restoratives were
administered After considerable rubbing the
eyes of the professor opened ''What kind
Of jump did make?" he whispered. "First-
class my boy" responded Boyton, "you Will be
alright in little while" Buthe was insensible
again before the words had hardly lett his lips
The tug steamed hastily to his ship, and just
as the shore was reached q shudder passed
through the frame of the professor, and then,
after breathing heavily once or twice his heart
stopped beating and he was pronounced dead.
The body was taken ashore and conveyed to
the undertakers. Prof. Rob. It j.. Odlum was
formerly the proprietor OF a swimming bath
in Washington, but latterly has been clerk in
Wizards hotel 1t has been his ambition to
jump from the Brooklyn bridge. He made
the attempt once before the bridge was COM
pleted, but was prevented from carryil Z out his
scheme by the police He was 31I seconds in
the air before striking the water He was I'M
married, So years of age and man of good
habits.
conviction OF Dynamiters in London.
The trial of Cunningham and Burton was
brought to a conclusion recently The court
room was crowded, among the notables being
United States Minister Phelps The prisoners
wore an anxious look and followed Judge
Hawkins charge with intense interest The
drift of the charge was clearly against the
prisoners. The judge, after explaining the ma
ture of the charge against the prisoners, ana
lyzed the evidence, calling the jury's attention
to the fact that Burton's statement was not
made under OATH and therefore entitled to
very little credence The jury retired, and in
fifteen minutes returned with a verdict of
guilty against both prisoners The court at
once sentenced both to penal servitude for life.
The announcement was received by the spec
tators with applause Cunningham maintained
his self-composure, but Burton broke down and
sobbed when the verdict was rendered. When
asked why the sentence of law should not be
passed upon them, Cunningham protested that
he was innocent He said he was willing to
accept penal servitude for life, but they could
not touch his soul Burton simply declared
he was innocent In sentencing the prisoners,
Justice hawkins said they had been convicted
of crime as bad, cruel and wicked as has
entered the heart of man 1t could not be too
well known that neither the queen nor her
advisers could be inundated by any such
means. The humanity of those in charge of
the prosecution alone prevented them from in
dieting the prisoners for high treason, on con-
vlcton of which their lives had been forfeited.
Minister Phelps sat beside Justice Hawkins
while he was sentencing the prisoners.