Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-08-19
HE DIVES $50 FEET.
4 Frenchman's Daily Exhibition
at Rockaway Beach.
LEAPs PROM A TOWER IETO ANET.

uIAA y 00M a AZ " G0 Nv Az - MAJ
Thrilling Exhlbition og Nerve and
skilI-The Acrobat Claims 60 he Heir
to Large Estate in Baltimore-H
Haa Jumped zoo Feet and Beaten An
Records.
NEW YORK. Aug. 10.-All American
high diving records are being beaten
twice day now BY Baptiste Peynaud.
a chunky little Frenchman, who spends
his days loIling about the piazza Of the
Seaside house, at Rockaway Beach, ex-
cept at 2 and 4:3O O'Clock every after
noon. at which times he varies the
monotoE les Of beach life for the Rock
away public and gives himself q very
lively quarter of an hour by climbing to
the top Of q skeleton tower, 100 feet
high, in the back yard Of the hotel, and
jumping head foremost TO the ground.
He has done tins every day for two
weeks now. and has two weeks more of
il before him, provided he does not
break his neck or his contract.
Heir TO an Estate In Baltimore.
Peynaud came to this country on
other business than jumping. His
jumping is merely an incidental feature
of his visit to the United States. Forty
five years ago Peynaud's uncle, Antonio
Tren. died in Baltimore, owning some
property which has since become very
valuable. Four heirs, Baptiste, his
brother, his sister and his aunt, were
living in France. They were advertised
for, but it was many years before the
advertisements came to their notice, and
meantime the estate had passed into
other hands. Baptiste's brother came
to Baltimore and began fight to regain
the estate, which he has continued ever
since, living in Baltimore all the time.
While the suit goes on he must stay
here in case he should be needed. So
he Jumps for living while waiting for
the ripe millions to which he is heir to
drop into his hands. After he gets the
money, he says, he will quit jumping.
Has jumped All Over the world.
He was originally a circus performer
in Europe, and commenced jumping
from towers five years ago, and he has
been jumping ever since, In Europe and
South America. In Rome and Milan he
made his highest jumps, of 200 feet.
About 100 feet is his usual dive. It is
hard to get place higher than that
from which TO jump, he says. Ordinary
carpenters refuse to build higher than
that. There is considerable danger to
them even in building that high. He
claims to have wanted the Rockaway
beach tower built fifty feet higher than
il is, but TO have been unable TO induce
the carpenters to take the risk of going
higher.
FIimsy Tower.
The tower is simply a square Frame
work of slender scantling. 1t is about
twenty feet square at the base, and
slopes to nearly half that size at the top,
where two large flags, one French and
the other American, wave all the time.
There are no platforms on the tower ex-
cept the one on top, and the only means
Of ascent is by cleats nailed upon the
corner beans, projecting on each side of
the timber, and about a foot apart all
the way up.
In front Of the bottom of the tower
are a number Of stout posts, arranged to
hold about ten feet above the ground a
strong net Is feet wide by 40 feet long.
The net is like those used in circuses,
and has large piece of stout canvas
stretched in the center. BY meanasOE
pulleys and strong ropes the net is
stretched taut before every jump.
IS Preparing for the Jump.
About fifteen minutes before the hour
set for each dive Peynaud appears on
the hotel piazza in thick white flannel
jacket and with gaudy red tights incas-
ing his plump legs. He goes out TO the
tower and begins to climb up by the
cleats at one corner. BY the time he
has reached the top large crowd is col-
lected beneath, and from all parts of
Rockaway people are directing their
eyes upon him. They cheer him, and
he waves first the French and the1l the
American flag at them. There Is no
railing around the platform on top of
the tower, nut on the front there are
two small rails. Peynaud stands at the
edge Of the platform, between these
rails, with hand upon each. and bends
far over. The crowd holds its breath,
and 60 does Penaud. apparently, as he
leans over, gazing down for several sec
onds, a full minute, all the breathless
spectators are ready to declare.
Topples Over Into space.
Then slowly he leans further down,
seems to tremble for a moment in bal
ance, and then topples over, straightens
out. and shoots downward, head first,
with fT1ght1uL speed. Ills red legs wave
in the AIR a little, but he does not 20
over until about fifteen or twenty feet
before he reaches the net. Then his legs
fall away from the tower, and the next
instant he thumps into the canvas strip
IN the a. fiat up0n his back, with his
shoulders bearing most Of the shock.
The net says far down under the tre-
mendous force Of his falling body, then
recoveTs with 4 suddeness like that Of
rubber. and hurls him fifteen feet IN the
air. As he goes up he turns somer-
sault. comes down ON his feet in The net,
and by the time the crowd has drawnits
tower he i b0wing and smiling to it,
prancing about like . monkey on q hot
plate as he tries to keep his feet in the
frearlprous nett The next moment he
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