The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-05-20
PROF. 0DLUM'S LAST LEAP.
HE JUMPS OFF BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Capt. Paul BoyntOn and Others Witness
His Daring and His Death-Control
Of His Body Lost When
Nearing the Water.

NEW YORK. May U,-IhlS afternoon
a cab entered the New York entrance
of Brooklyn bridge and was driven to
the middle of the great span. Here the
driver pulled up and two mon got out
and began to climb the rail-
ing. Before they had reach
ed the top bridge policeman
came running towards and Or
dered them TO "get down off that
While he was talking to the young mon
covered wagon containing Prof
Robert n. Odlum and companion stop.
ped about hundred feet behind
the cab and quickly divosting himself
Of the blue flannel coat in which he was
dressed. Prof. Odlum, clad in red shirt
and trunks, jumped from the carriage
and sprung lightly TO the railing.
lie quickly reached the top, and posing
himself for a momont, he stood erect
and glanced hurriedly at the surface
OF 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 In the river 1856 feet below.
The policeman, whose attention had
now been directed from the ladies',
rushed toward the professor. Be,
fore he had gonei q dozen
feet Prof Odlum, without a
moments hesitation, had lesped
from the railing into The air. lie had
one hand above his head as a ruddder
to guide him in his descent. The river
below was for the moment
clear Of shipping. A tug ana
"a schooner lloated lazily in
the stream, several hundred yards be-
low to bridge. The tug was filled with
reporters and club men. Boynton stood
near tho Prov anXiously watching the
bridge. The moment Prof. Odlum's
railing, Harry +. Dixon, the actor,
started stop watch which he held in
his hand in order 10 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 making him easily dis.
cernable for long distance.
Within 30 feet of the water his body be-
gan to turn. AS fTealizing his danger,
Prof. Odlum brought down his hand
with war-like motion to aid him in
recovering his balance. The movement
was, however, made too late. His BODY
had now turned so far that 1t was
impossible TO change his course. Half
" HRkNAh AhhtA AlAtA6 Mhh ~ lnlEnlN
splash, which threw up the water on
every side asif struck with a shell, as
the professors body struck
lhe water on one side and
sank out of sight. The tug
hurriodly pushed itself To the place
whore the body fell and Capt. Boyn.
ton, after seoing that a lite preserver
had been thrown out into the wauar
spreng over the side OF the boat an
waited for the body TO come to the sur-
face, Soon he saw the white face of the
professor rising from the water, and
moment later was by his side. Seeing
a life proserver near by, no placed IL
beneath tho body oil the insensihle
Prof. Blood, mingled with irOth come
from the mouth of the daring man. A
row boat soon came 20 The
rescue and Prof. Odum was taken
from the water. A few moments
later he WAS transferred 10 the tux and
reStorauves were administered. After
considerable rubbing tho eyes of the
professor opened.
What kind OF ajump did l make ~
he wills )orcd.
"Firstclass, my boy" responded
BoyntoR, "you viii be al right In a
little while.r
But he was inseusible again before the
words ntd hardly lett his lips.
The tug steamed hastily 10 retracs its
| steps, and just as the pier was reached
shuddor passed through the franc
Of the professor, and then, after
breathing hearty once or twlcs his
heart stopped beating and ho was pro-
nounced dead. The body was. taken
ashore and conveyed to the underta-
kers.
Prof. Robert G.. Odlum was formerly
the professor of swimming bath in
Washington, but latter has been
clerk in Willard's hotel. II
has been his ambition to jump
fro N the Brooklyn bridge. Ho made tho
attempt once before the bridge was COM
pleted, but was prevented from carry
ing out his scheme. He was 81 seconds
in the air before striking the water. he
was unmarried, 80 years OF age and a
man OF good habits.