New-York tribune., 1886-08-24
CASH TALUE OF NOTORIETY

Tbe man Kendall who went through the Whirl-
pool Rapids at Niagara frankly declares that he
did it for the money it would bring him. success III
the attempt meant for him gain OF at least
$4,000, and probably much more. In Judging the
motives Of such perilous deeds we are pernaps 100
apt to hold the actor responsible beyond MS real
accountability. We forget that IN these days noto'
riety Of almost any kind possesses cash va'ue so
considerable and certain as to constitute serious
temptation to the poor and adventurous IL Is
indeed hardly correct to look upon such an act as
this of KendalPs, for instance. as mere reckless
caprice or q wilful tempting Of Providence lhe
encountering q risk of death certainly cannot DC
held to prove the folly Of the deed for there are
whole classes of men who face that r;sk every day
In the pursuit of their regular business When then
a man sees an opportunity Of making what 70 nIm
is a large sum by putting his life at hazafu once
and for few minutes 1t IS not so easy 10 decioe
that from his point Of view the TRANSACTION was
wrong and foolish.
II has been shown recently that whoever will do
such things can rely npon being well paid for tnen
The young man who Jumped OIL the brooklyn
Bridge was promptly engaged by dime museum
manager at a salary which many popular actors
would he glad to receive. No doubt the attraction
of such curiosity Is brief but even three months
Of exhibition at one or two hundred dollars week
The man Who went through the Niagara Rapids in
n cask would have made an excellent thing OF IL
had not Kendall so completely taken the WIND out
of his sails The truth is that popular CURIOSITY 10
80 Unsuitable that nptoriety pays almost as well as
talent and at least for time better shab many
kinds of talent man has only to make himself
remarkable or notorious Sit matters little WINCH
and crowds will cheerfully pay for looking at hiin
II he has done something daring or extraordinary
whether criminal lawful the interest VIII DO yet
more general It ls not long since the perpetrators
of treacherous homicide were enabled to trade
proftably upon their work in this way.
While notorety is thus lucrative 1t must be ex-
pected that many will seek 1t. and by Whatever
roads present themselves OF course such methods
of obtaining it as jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge
or going through the Niagara Rapids will no' con-
tnue to pay long. When such things have been
done over once or twice the interest in them dies
ont MANY people however will always be willing to
see such experiments made because there must In
variably be the chance of seeing the man killed DO
fore their eyes, OF course this Is the fascination CT
witnessing the doings of liontamers and OF perfor-
mers on the high rope like Blondin. II 1t were
merely the skill of the tight-rOpe walker that was
admired he might just as well have his wire
stretched yard from the solid ground. The COM
mon curiosity aud that survival of the old Roman
savagery which gives o relish to the sight OF
imperlled life stimulates adventure and leads to
such dan ngerous essays as have lately been made
And so long as the public, or a large part OF the
public is eager and willing to pay for seeing the
people who have thus put their necks In jeopardy,
il must be expected that the heaviest risks will con-
tinue to be taken by individuals.