The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-11-18
DROPPED TO DEATH.
Joe Van TaSSell, The Handsome
AerOnaut," Makes His Last
Parachute Jump.
Melancholy End Of Holiday Ex-
hibition.

The balloon ascension and para
chute jump by Joe Van Tassel an
nOunced for the Kings birthday at
tracted the attention of an immense
number of people. AT /: 80 p. M.
the fire bell at the Central Tower
announced that preparations were
all made for the event, and that the
aeronaut would soon commence his
daring trip. The balloon was in.
flated in the quarry at the foot of
Punchbowl. There was strong
breeze blowing at the time, but the
quarry being well sheltered it was
not felt much. Two minutes before
two O'Clock the imitation of the mon
ster commenced and it went along.
very rapidly. Al y minutes past
two O'Clock u BULLETIN represent
alive had n brief conversation with
Joe, asking him about his parachute
lines, and where he intended to
drop. He said his lines were all
right and that he would try and
descend into the palace grounds. On
being asked if the wind was too
strong, he said it would not make
much difference. After shaking
hands and wishing him pleasant
trip, the BULLETIN scribe moved
away and Joe went to his parachute.
He was advised to put on life
buoy, as the wind was blowing con-
siderably and he might drop on the
water, and actually did put one on
but took 1t off just before he started.
At exactly seventeen minutes past
2 O'Clock ''let go" was heard and
the balloon with the parachute at
tached rose quickly in the air and
Joe seated on the trapeze waved his
hand TO the crowd below. There
were hundreds of people on Punch
bowl who cheered as the daring
aeronaut assembled gracefully up
wards. Soon he reached an altitude
OF over two thousand feet, and
directly over the Opera House. He
had moment previously partially
opened the parachute. At the point
mentioned Joe cut loose from the
parachute, but instead of coming
down MS was expected, the parachute
was carried gradually away to sea.
1t came down short distance and
then began to ascend. Soon it was
over the harbor with not the slight
est indication of coming down. The
reef was passed and the parachute
| of ol, hn al In
1t was an agonizing sight to those
who were looking on, to find that the
poor fellow was drifting out sea-
wards to watery grave, as there
were no beats anywhere within
reach. At last the parachute is
descending and finally the aeronaut
drops into the water out of sight
about six hundred yards beyond the
reef. A chill ran through the crowd
collected on the water front, for the
tug Eleu had not steam up, the mem
of-war launches did not move, and
nothing could he done. There were
three small yachts just outside of
the harbor and they at once headed
for the scene. The balloon dropped
into the water nearly five minutes
after the parachute, but they were a
long distance apart.
Major Gulick, who was at Kalihi,
used very powerful glass and
states that while the aeronaut was
over the harbor he could see quite
distinctly the parachute ropes, and
also that Van Tassell was wearing
overalls. He was standing on the
trapeze and was doing something
with the ropes of the parachute.
When the parachute finally com
menced to descend Van Tassell was
noticed by Mr.. Gulick to be sitting
on the trapeze in doubled-up posi-
ton, as if trying to get Off his boots.
just before he reached the water he
was hanging from the trapaze by his
hands. After he struck the water
Mr.. Gulick saw the poor fellows
head twice and then he was lost tC
view, as well as the parachute.
Whether he was attacked by shark
or sank from exhaustion will never
be known. 1t was sad death fOI
the young man, and much regret
was expressed at his untimely end.
In the meantime it was found that
there was not small steamer In the
harbor with steam up. Capt. John
Rice soon got.up steam on the tug
Eleu, and at two minutes before
three O'Clock, or nearly half an houl
after Van TasSell had touched tht
water, she steamed out of the har
Dor, having on board amongst other,
Frank Frost the manager, Van Tas
sell who attends to the imitation, ant
representative of the BULLETIN anC
Advertiser, who all assisted in keep
ing a. sharp lookout. The tug wa
soon near the spot where the aero
naut was supposed to have dropped
but there was not the least sign o
,, him. 1t seemed strange to those OIL
board that nothing was seen of th,
parachute. The yacht Hawaii will
Minister Thurston on board WI
spoken, but the answer was, shay
seen nothing of the man and para
chute" The yacht Kahihilani will
,, natives, and a cutter from II. b. M
S. Espiegle manned by blue jackets
F. | L.. II. A H..