Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-08
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,

NIAGARA FALLS, September 7.-Steve
Brodie claims to have gone over the falls
early this morning in his rubber suit. Only
thing about the trip. They are W. E.
Harding, of the Police Gazette; Earnest
Jerold, New York Sun; J. Mccarthy, New
York World, = and Louis Ledger, an
attendant No one living here saw
the trip, or knows anything
about it except by report. The
party are all from New York, arrived here
last evening and put up at the Waverly
House, Clifton, two miles below the falls.
They left the hotel at 4 o'clock this morn
ing and went to the falls. where the suit
had been placed in hiding last evening, and
the party claim that he got into it some 200
feet above the falls, and with his paddles
succeeded in reaching the center of the falls
before going over. He was out of sight
about two minutes, when he was seen float
ing toward the American shore, but changed
his course and came to the Canadian side,
and when about 400 feet from shore Ledger
plunged in, swan ont and fastened rope
around Brodie's waist, by which he was
towed in.
TAKEN OUT INSENsIBLE.
When Brodie was taken out of his suit
he was insensible, bleeding from mouth,
nose and ears, and it required some time to
bring him to, and then he was taken to his
hotel, where a physician was summoned.
An hour later he was seen in his room, ap-
parently none the worse for his trip. He
says that when he first entered the water his
heart failed him, and he tried to turn back,
but couldn't.
Il went over the brink" said Brodie,
"feet first, and felt as if was dying. All the
sins I ever committed passed before me
when became unconscious. 1t seems as if
went over two falls. I think must have
bounded when struck. The first thing I
fully realized I was on the shore.
For years I have wanted to 90 over
the falls, till it has become a mania with
me, and had to go over them or go to the
insane asylum. 1 do not think there is any
danger, and had as soon 60 over in life
preserver." He claims the reason for keep
ing so quiet was his fear of arrest
LOOKED ON AS A JOKE.
No one here takes any stock in the report
and it is looked upon as fake. The spot
where he claims to have entered the water
would compel him to 60 half way across the
river only few feet above the brink, Just
where the rapid and current are worst.
Where Ledger claims to have swan out for
Brodie it would be impossible for any per-
son to live two minutes Where he claims |
to have landed is close under the tails, and |
tine only way of reaching the point is by |
climbing over rock along the waters edge, |
which a man couldn't accomplish in an |
hour, and if Brodie was injured at all he |
couldn't have been taken out in several |
hours. Still only about two hours from the |
time the party left the hotel, the great feat |
had been accomplished and they were back.
By noon Brodie was as we'll as ever and |
soon after he was arrested for attempting to
commit suicide. The newspaper repre-
fearful of arrest for false reporta-
ton at the hotel, skipped out one by one, no
one knows where. Brodie was released on
bond that he wouldn't attempt the trip
again in year, and early in the evening
with his attendant left for New York.
HE REFUSED TO SWEAR.
Brodie said, when taken before Police
Magistrate A. G. Hill, that he did not 90
over the falls. The Magistrate then asked
him to swear to the following declaration:
l, Stephen Brodie, the party within charged,
Is within charged, and that story of having
gone over was all for the purpose of specula-
ion, and untrue.
Brodie refused to swear to the declaration,
'aying he was a Catholic and could not
commit perjury. He was then placed in
$500 bonds on his own reccgnizance to keep
he laws OF the Dominion, especially that of
lot attempting going over the falls for one
7ear.