The Jersey City news., 1891-09-11
ACCIDENT OR Suicide.
Foolhardy Daring of Eron-
ant White at Wee
haWken.
IT COST HIM HIS LIFE.
Evidently inexperienced, But Il
Pretended to Be a Professional
and Expert.

r
at Weehawken, coupled with several
other fatal accidents Of the same kind
which have occurred recently should
lead to the passage Of law forbiddiEg
such toolhardy exhibitions. Whites
death was little less horrible than the
others. because he fell into the river aud
was drowned while the other victims
struck upon the earth and were crushed
and mangled into shapless masses.
White came from Chicago and claimed
to have made a dozen jumps with the
parachute at different points in Michigan
and Illinois, He was we'll built. of pleas
ing address and talked SO coolly OF going
up thousand feet and Jumping out that
Manager Walker, of the El Dorado, de-
cided to engage him.
Preparations for the ascension were
made Wednesday. The balloon used was
forty-eiQht feet high and thirty feet in
diameter when inflated. A trapeze bar
the basket used by Donald. This was in
Difference to the wishes of White, who
said he would perform some feaUs until
he got ready to use the parachute.
At half past four p. M. the balloon was
prepared. and in another hour all was
ready. No man In the crowd was cooler
than White. He wore light. blue COS
tune. his dark mustache was carefully
waxed and jocky cap YVES set jauntily
on his head. Manager Walker, Agent
McDermott, Stanley Daniels, George
Snow and several attaches looked after
the details. White grasped the bar firm
'.Are you readys" shouted Manager
Walker.
Eyes! let 'er cor' answered White.
In an Instant the ropes were cut and the
balloon sailed away. 1t bounded thou
sand feet into the air and the man on the
bar could not move. When almost out
of sight it was noticed tnat he drew MIN
self up and sat on the bar. The balloon
gradually settled over the river and on
reaching the limit of its fight started
downward at terrific pace.
A cry of horror spread through the
thousands who stood watching. IL was
known that the young man scorned to
use life preserver. saying that he could
not perform on the bar with such an iu-
cumbrance. Down came the balloon
straight for the river.
Apparently realizing his peril the aero
naut slipped from the bar and seemed
about to drop to the water. He did not
let go, probably believing that the wind
would drive him nearer the shore.
The ferryb boat Kingston, plying between
Jay street and Weehawken, was going
south, and 1t looked as though the balloon
was about to fall In its pathway. Captain
Penny steered close to the Jersey flats
and passed on. When opposite the Erie
freight docks the captain and passengers
saw the balloon drop TO the water and
collapse with the man underneath.
Several boats put out frCm shore and
three tugboats also went to the rescue. A
steam yacht going down the river turned
back to see If any assistance could be
given. They were all too late. When
they got to the collapsed balloon there
was no sign Of White.
The tugboat Palmer recovered the bal
loon. The captain waited around hoping
to get chance to pull the daring man
aut, but he never came to the surface.
'.This is a terrible accident" said
Manager Walker TO NEWS reporter last
night. ''IG would never have happened
but for the obstinacy of the young man
said he would think nothing of dip in
the river. What puzzles me is that he
did not drop wnen about thirty feet from
the water. If he had done that the boats
would have surely picked him up. :,
II nave no idea who he is. continued
Mr.. Walker. He came TO me as q pro-
fessiouai. and engaged him on trial. 1t
is the first serious accident we have had
and we feel badly over it. / will pay a
reward for his body, and we will give it u
decent burial. His relatives / know
nothing Of
II think the young man was expert
menring," said Agent McDermott
"Why, he never made an attempt to open
the parachute. 1t is quite probable that
he was horizontal bar performer and
saw d good chance to earn money in this
wny and tried 1t. He surely lost his
nerve for after going up TO the highest
pitch he had good opportunity OF cut
ting away the parachute aud coming
down. AS he fell beneath the balloon he
could not escape"
Among the spectators were Mayor
Simon Kelly OF Weehawken, George
Bauer and George Denzer. All agreed
that the young man was inexperienced
HE went up all right" said Mayor
Kelly, ''but there was lack of courage
in coming down. which proved to my sat-
isfaction that he was so badly scared he
could not Jump. In fact, he was paralyzed
with fear. You know that in moments
OF peril man loses all control Of himself
ana cannot move even to save his life.
That was the case of this young man. He
was so terribly frightened that he could
not lump into the water"
Captain Penny, of the Kingston, said
that he supposed the man holding the
trapeze was Daring Donald, who is an
expert swimmer. He did not turn 10
help the man because he saw the row.
boats and tugs close at hand.
The river was dragged for hours yes
terday and again today, but without
finding any trace of the body. Manager