The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-05-27
SAM PATCH OUrDONE.
Prof. .. OdIum Pays the Penalty Of
His FOOlhardIness.

In New York May 10Th cab left the
New York entrance of the BROOKLYN
bridge and was driven out to the middle
OF the great span. Here the driver
pulled up and two men got out and be-
gan to climb the railing. Before they
had reached the top of the bridge po-
liceman came toward them, brandishing
his club and ordering them to "come
down ont of that" While he was talk
ing with the young men, covere wag-
on containing Prof Z Odlum and a
companion stopped hundred feet be-
hind the cab. Quickly divesting him
self of the blue flannel in which he was
dressed, Prof. 0dlum, clad in a red shirt
and trunks jumped from the carriage
and sprang lightly to railing. He quick
reached the top, and posing himself for
moment, he stood erect and glanced
hurriedly at the surface of the East river
far below him. The people at the
bridge
SENT UP A CRY OF HORROR
when they saw the Professor prepare to
plunge off into the river, 1876 feet beneath
him. The policeman, whose attention
had now been directed from the young
men. rushed toward the professor. Be
fore he had gone dozen feet, Professor
Odlum, without moments hesitation,
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 foated
lazily in the stream several hundred
yards below the bridge. The tug was
filed with club men and reporters. Royn-
ton stood near the prov anxiously
watching the bridge. The moment
Professor Odlum's body was seen to leave
the railing, Hardy f. Dixey, the actor,
started stop watch which he held in
his hand in order to time the descent.
For nearly hundred feet the profess
sor came down all right, feet foremost.
He shot downward with the speed of
meteor, his red suit making him easily
diseernible for long distance. When
within 80 feet of the water his body be-
gan to turn, and as if realizing his dan
ger Prof Odlum brought down his hand
with warlike motion to aid him in re-
covering his balance. The movement
was, however, made too late His body
had now turned so far it was impossible
to change his course, half a second
later there was a mighty splash that
threw up the water on all sides as if |
torn with she'll
Prof. Odlum struck the water
ON ONE SIDE AND SANK
out of sight. A tug hurriedly pushed it. !
self forward to the place where the body /
fell, and Capt. Boynton, after seeing that
life-preservers had been thrown into the
water, plunged over the side of the boat
and waited for the body to come to the
Surface The moment he saw the white
face Of the professor rising from the
water be was at his side, and Selling a
near by he placed it be-
meath the body of the insensible man.
Blood mingled with froth came from the
naouth of the daring man. A row boat
Came to the rescue and Prot. Odlum was
taken rom the water A few moments
later he was transferred to the tug and
restorative administered. After consid- |
cradle rubbing the eyes of the professor
opened. "What kind of jump did I |
maker he whispered. "First-class; my
boy" responded Boynton; "you'lI be all
night in a little while" But the profess
sor was insensible again before the words
had hardly left his lips, The tug steamed
hastily to her slip, and just as the pier
was reached 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 undertak-
er's. Prof. Robert E. Odlum was form
erly professor of a swimming bath in
Washington. He was 3S years of age
and man of good habits.