The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-05-29

Prof. Robert =. oaium Jumps 1ss Feet
asst River From Brooklyn Bridge
ana Dies >. on After.
Last Tuesday alleraOs2n, the 10Th inst, ac.s
left the New York e~Rtfaaea Of .eee brooklyn
bridge and was driven To Sic middle sf The
great span. Here the driver pulled up, ard
two lien got out and began To- climb the rail-
ing. Before they had reached the top a bridge
policeman came running toward them, brand
ishing his club, and orderedt them to get dowa
out of thai" While he was talking to the
Young men a covered wagon containing Prof
Robert E. Odlum and a companion stopped
100 feet behind the cab. Quickly aiyest-
ing himself of the blue flannel snit. In
which he was dressed, Prof. 0dlum Glad
in a red shirt and trunks. jumped from the
carriage and sprang lightly TO he railing. He
quickly reached the top, and, posing himself a
moment, he stood erect and glanced hurried.
" 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 of the bridge into the river, 135 feet
beneath his feet. The policeman, whose atten-
tion had now been directed from the first man.
rushed toward tho professor, Before he had
gone a dozen feet, Prof. Odlum, without
a moments hesitation, had leaped out
from the railing into the air. He
held one hand above his head, as a rudder.
to guide him in his descent. The river below
was at the moment clear of shipping. A tug
and a schooner floated lazily in the stream
several hundred yards below the bridge. The
tug was filled with reporters and club men.
Bovton stood near the Prov a~nxieusly watch
ing the bridge. The moment Prof. Odlum's
body was seen to leave the railing Harry e.
Dixey. the actor, started a 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 a meteor, his red suit max
ing him easily discernible for a long distance.
When within thirty feet of the water his body
began to turn. As if realizing Prof. Odium
brought down his hand with a warlike motion
to aid him in recovering his balance. The
movement was, however, made too late. His
body had now turned so far that it was impos-
sible to change its course. Hall a
second later, with a mighty splash, that
threw ND the water on all sides as il
torn with a shell, Prof, Odlum's body
struck the water on ono side and sank, ont of
sight The tug hurriedIy 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 a moment later he was by his side.
Selling a life presGr-cr NEARLY he plaeed it
beneath the body Of tho insensible professor.
Blood, mingled with froth came from the
mouth of the dying man. A row boat came to
the rescue and Professor Odlum was taken
from the water. A few moments later he was
transferred to the tug and restoratiyes were
administered. After considerable rubbing the
ewes of the professor opened. ''What kind
of ajump did maker" he whispered 'sFirst-
class my boy" responded Boyton, 3you will be
alright in a little while. > Buthe was insensible
again before the words had hardly left his lips
The tug steamed hastily to his ship, and just
as the shore was reached a 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. Robert i. Odlum was
formerly the proprietor of a swimming bath
in Washington, but latterly has been a 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 carryir gout his
scheme by the police. He was 81 seconds in
the air before striking the water. He was un-
married, SO years of age and a man OF good
habits.