Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-05-29
i TLUHaE 70 DHATH.


Rrok 1obsrt ). odlum Jumps 138 Feet
into Hast Rivsr From Brooklyn Bridge
and Dies Soon Aftsr. s
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
greatspan. Here the driver pulled mp and
two Men got out and began to climb the rail-
ing Before they had reached the top bridga
policeman came running toward them, brand
ishing his club, and ordered them to .sget down
out Of that While he was talking to the
young men i covered wagon containing Prof,
Robert =. Odlum and . companion stopped
100 feet behind the cab Quickly divest-
ing himself Of the blue flannel suit, in
in : red shirt and trunks, jumped from the
carriage and sprang lightly to the railing: He
quickly reached the top, and POSING himself
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
to plunge of the bridge into the river, 1875 feet
beneath his feet The policeman, whose alton
ton had now been directed from the first man,
rushed toward the professor. Before he had
gone dozen feet, Prof Odlum, without
from she rans into hso The a air He H.
held one hand above his head, as 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 filled with reporters and club men.
Boyton stood near the prov anxiously watch
ing the bridge. The moment Prof. Odlum's
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
all right feet foremost He shot downward
with the speed of a meteor, his red suit max
ing him easily discernible for q long distance
When within thirty feet Of the water his body
began to turn. As if realizing Prof. Odium
brought down his hand with warlike motion
movement was, however. made too late. His
body had now turned go far that it WAS impos-
sible to change its course. Half
second later, with q mighty splash, that
threw up the water on all sides as if
torn with q shell, Prot, Odlum's body
struck the water on one side and sank ont Of
sight The tug hurriediy pushed itself for
ward to the place where the body fell, and
CopG Boynton, alter seeing that life preserv-
ers had been thrown out into the water, sprang
over the side of the boat and waited for the
body to como 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 life preserver NEARLY he placed it
beneath the body of the insensible professor.
Blood, mingled with froth came from the
mouth of the dying man. A row boat came to
the rescue and Professor Oalum was taken
from the water. A few moments later he WAS
transferred to the tug and restoratves were
administered After considerable rubbing the
eyes of the professor opened "What kind
Of jump did I make?" he whispered. ''First-
class my boy" responded Boyton, "you will be
albright in a little while" But he 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 a shudder passed
through the frame of the professor, and then,
after breatling heavily once OF twice his heart
stopped beating and he was pronounced dead.
The body was taken ashore and conveyed to
the undertakers Prof. Robert E. Odlum was
formerly the proprietor Of q swimming bath
in Washington, but latterly has been clerk in
! Wizards hotel It has been his ambition to
jump from the Rrooklyn bridge. He made
the attempt once before the bridge WAS COM
pleted, but was prevented from carryi1 o 1t his
scheme by the police. He was 81 seconds in
the air before striking the water. He WAS I'M
married, 50 years Of age and a man Of good
habits.