Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-26
TO OUTJUMP ODLUM.
Acrobat Livingstone Claims to Have
Leaped from the Bridge.

From the Neao York Journal.
CHE beat Odlum and Sam Patch all
hollow!"
Thus exclaimed a sporting man yester-
day. Indeed the fraternity were bub-
bling over with excitement at Harry
HIPS yesterday afternoon, and gazing
with admiration at Frank Livingstone, an
acrobat and trapeze performer Edwin
LaRue, another tumbler, was telling how
Livingstone the previous evening had
eluded the police aud successfully jumped
from the Brooklyn bridge into the East
river.
''Did you really make that terrible
Ieap?" incredulously asked reporter of
Livingstone.
Eyes, sir, on my honor!" affirmed the
man of the flying trapeZe.
'But how did you elude the bridge OFF,
cials?" queried the reporter.
eve hired an undeCtaker's wagon"
said La Rue, sand Frank and l rode on the
seat. Frank wanted to jump from the
north side of the bridge, and so we had to
cross over to Brooklyn. We drove around
for half an hour and then returned. 1t
was nearly dark and we looked anxiOusly
for our yawl-boat."
La Rue went on to say that Livingstone
secreted himself in the wagon. When
they got about 100 feet from the New York
tower the wagon stopped. There was no
one on that side of the bridge at that time,
although the other drive and the prone
made were crowded.
Livingstone, La Rue affirmed, stepped
briskly out of the wagon in his shirt
sleeves.
Steadying himself and braciug his back
against the rail, Livingstone placed his
hands on his chest, with his elbows close
in. and giving one glance below and an
M har. a the sky 9fopnpd ont
La Rue rushed to the railing and saw
him shooting through space like bird.
Just before the aerial flyer struck the
water he turned nearly half way round.
But his hands were still on his breast, his
legs were as if strapped together, and
toes downward he shot into the waves.
He Immediately rose to the surface, APP
parently uniojured, and struck out vigOr-
Ously for the boat. some fifty yards away.
at was ten minutes wreste with the
tide.v said La Rue in conclusion.
Livingstone also stated that he rode 10
his home, No. Wilson street, Williams
burg, where his wife, mother and sister
live. The daring tumbler assured the re-
porter that he was all right with the ex-
ceptiOu Of pain in the back and a
trifling stiffness.
Livingstone, in the course Of conversa-
ton, said that be had jumped from High
Bridge, 1i6 feet. and Paterson Falls
Bridge, 80 feet.
livingstone is slightly built. boyish
looking man, 80 years OF age. He was
born at Newark, n. j., and his life has
been spent as Il yaulter and trapeze per-
former.
Harry Hill, when interviewed by the
reporter, said that he knew nothing of
Llvng5tOne's feat He characterized his
employe as "a plucky, Merry fellowv
and said that he (Livingst0ne) appeured
determined Friday 20 vault from the
bridge, foohardv as the jump was, and
despite Odlum's tracic fate.
He said Livingstone ala not show up at
the theatre on the evening wneu the jump
was claimed u have been made, and when
he did appear yesterday, he appeared 10
he ailug and eXhaa ted, as though he had
Oyer.eXcrted him ar.
Mr.. Hin said ouphatically that he had
no band IN the venture.
Bridge superintendent Martin secuted
the tale and denied that there had been
any bridge fights on Friday. lie assert
ed that The feat could not have been per-
formed without the knowledge Of TIE
bridge employees, or without some OF the
pedestrians seeing She leap.
The bridge officials denied the state
ment that Livingstone rode IN an under
takor's wagon, claiming that no vehicle
OF that description crossed the structure
that afternoon.
Against theso denials Of gentlemen who
did not see the terrific leap are the state
ments Of Livingstone, the actor, himself,
and OF his friend ana conldant In the
scheme, Mr.. la Rue.
The following note shows that other
athletes are willing TO jump from the big
bridre:
TO me Edftos ~ the Morning journal: In
rerdlngfyOur paper Of late issue, noticed
that QUINN " ns afraid OF bridge police inter
fercnce: therefore he did not make his jump
M safety. !, beng AN amateur high jumper.
wish % lot tha public know that | will jump
10 some time during The month Of June with
safety. JOSEPH WATSON.