Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-12
sRopIE SHOOTS THE FALLS.
The Bridge Jumpers Marvellous Feat nj

Niagara
NIAGARA FALLS N. Y, Sept S-Steve
Brodie accomplished the perilous feat yes
terday of going over Niagara Falls in
rubber suit.
Brodie and his party arrived at Clifton
Friday night With Brodie were Ernest
| Gerold, John Ledger, John Mccarthy and
William E Harding and several newspa-
per correspondents. The party put up at
the Waverly Hotel under fictitious names
in order to avoid suspicion.
Brodie's suit was placed 200 feet above
| the Canadian falls Friday night ready for
use. Inflated rubber tubes, ropes, etc,
were also placed near the Maid OF the
Mist landing. Brodie left the hotel with
| the party at four a M. John Mccarthy,
Ernest Gerold and Brodie went TO point
200 feet above the falls. Brodie stripped
and had his body padded with cotton bat
ting. He then put on a rubber suit which
was inflated to the size of ffty-two inches
around the waist and seventy-five inches
around the chest the head gear being also
inflated, while two steel bands protected
his body.
At $3.50, Brodie, with his paddle entered
the water. He caught the current waved
his paddle to Gerold and Mccarthy and a
few seconds later was shot over the center
of the Horseshoe falls. Luckily he went
over the outside OF one of the falling VOL
umes of water. He was quickly lost in
the mist and foam.
He was buried from view for nearly two
minutes, when, a black speck, covered
with thick white coating. was seen bob
bing and jumping to and fro in the boil
ing caldron of rushing, gurgling waters
In short time Brodie was caught in the
rushing waters and carried at a brisk
pace toward the American shore. and
then all of a sudden he was hur-
ried toward the Canadian shore where
John Ledger had ropes ready to
drag him from the water. Ledger was
stripped and swan out 200 feet with a
rope fastened to his waist while W. E.
Harding held the other end on shore.
Ledger, after several attempts, reached
Brodie, fastened the rope to the iron bands
around his waist and then swan ashore
and assisted in pulling the daring swim
mer ashore.
Brodie was at oncs stripped. Brandy was
poured in small quantities on his temples,
and he was rubbed and chafed. He was
insensible and blood oozed from his mouth,
nose and ears, probably from the con-
cussion.
For twenty minutes Brodie lay uncon-
scious. Then ammonia was applied to his
nostrils, and he began to shiver and ges-
ticulate with his hands. He gradually re-
covered consciousness and it was then
found that his injuries were not serious.
He expects to be able to go to New York
to-day.
Brodie says that after he entered the
river he weakened and would have given
any thing in the world if he could have
reached solid ground once more. He at
tempted to get ashore by using his paddle,
when the swift current swept him back
and turned his feet towards the brink of
the cataract When he saw that it was i'm
possible to get out, he felt the same as
man who was about to meet death. and
prayed for dear life. just as he came to
the brink of the falls be became uncon-
scious through fright and remained so un-
til he struck the water. Then he again
lost consciousness and knew no more until
he found himself lying on his rubber suit
at the waters edge. There is no doubt
that Brodie successfully went over the
falls.
BRoDIE ARRESTED.
NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y, Sept 9.-Steve
Brodie was arrested here when about to
take the four o'clock train for New York,
charged with attempting suicide, by GO
ing over the falls Saturday morning. He
was taken before Police Magistrate Hall
and the charge read to him. Brodie said
he did not attempt to commit suicide by
going over the falls, but to show the
world that the trip could be made, and
also the usefulness of his rubber suit for
life saving. The magistrate said he did
not believe Brodie went over. and the
story was a humbug. He told Brodie that
if he did not go over to say so, and he
would discharge him, or if he persisted in
saying he went over, be would go on with
the case against him of attempted suicide.
"If tell you 1 did not 60 over" said
Brodie, twill you let me go:"
Justice Hill said Yes"
Brodie said: "Well, then, 1 did not 60
over, and am Off"
''Hold on" said the magistrate; 'I'm not
through with you yet"
Then he wrote the following declaration
and asked Brodie to sign it:
~, Stephen Brodie, hereby declare did
not go over Niagara Falls, and the story
of having gone over was all for the pur-
POSO Va q opCSuttaSIOIA,
Brodie asked if that was an oath.
''Yes," said the justice.
81 can not perjure myself" said Steve.
81 am Catholic and can not sign that"
The magistrate then told him be would
have to commence prosecution.
Brodie asked for counsel and Alex Fraser
was summoned to watch his case. After
testimony by Police Superintendent Nc
Dougall and others that Brodie had told
them he had gone over the falls, Louis
Ledger, who was said to have rescued
Brodie, was put on the stand. He said he
was not at the falls with Brodie and the
newspaper men. They told him the story
about going over at the hotel. No one could
be found who saw Brodie go over the falls
and the magistrate bound him over in
$500 bonds to keep the laws of the Domin-
ion, especially that of not attempting to
go over the falls for one year.
Brodie furnished bail and left for the
American side. Harding, Jerold and Nc
Carthy, of New York, who accompanied
Brodie. escaped to the American side
when they heard of Brodie's arrest aud
were not present at the examination.
~
End of the Dock Strike.
LONDON, Sept. S-The dock companies
have agresd to the demands of the strik-
ers, but the rates OF wages to be paid are