Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-11-18
SIEVE BRODIE, B. J.
He Is Now an "Actor" and Is Making
success of the Buslness-Che Nan and


! He Il Now An "Actor" and Is Making y
success of the BusIness-rhe Man and
the show.
: Chicago Record
I He calls himself Steve Brodie, B. J..
/ he earned his degree by falling of the
/ Brooklyn bridge, and the TWO letters
| stand for Bridge Jumper"
The first meeting with Mr.. Brodie
was one long TO be remem 6ered. II was
| In New Orleans and on tGIeiul night.
| The circumstances were these:
Three minutes before q tall white and
supple man named Corbett had landed
right and left shower of blows on the
bruised and bleeding head Of big fell
| low named Sullivan. The big fellow bad
/ fallen Fat 90 his back in the red sand
| OF the ring. As be lay there the tall
Young person standing over him became
| the champion pugiist OF the world.
/ Thousands OF men skrieked like mad
men. and fought with one another 10
get nearer the ring. The shouts were
! taken up by the multitude packed in
/ the streets outside.
Then there was stampede from the
| arena and a wild rush for the vehicles
which seemed hopelesslY tangled to-
gether and wedged in the mob OF eX-
cited people II was only by means of
| a liberal bride that place was secured
/ on TOD OF a four-wheeler which had
picked its way out of the worst OF the
blockade. A thick, short man with a
hat drawn over his eyes elbowed his
way through the struggling mass Of hu-
manity and in some manner contrived
| 70 climb on top Of the slowly moving
carriage.
Hold o." shouted the driver, I've
got load now"
Cheese it, my boy" said the short
man. BE a good fellow. I've got TO
ride"
The driver whipped up and cleared
/ the crowd. He drove into side-street
and the roar OF noises around the arena
was left behind. The short man, squat
ted on top OF the cab, was silent for
| several moments. Then he murmured:
"Hully Gee.'
"Great fight, eh?" was suggested,
81 lose a bundle Of money; that's
what know. The big fellow never got
in with his right once. l said it was
/ a Cinch he'd eat that guy.
$50 you bet on sullivan"
me? I've followed the big IN for
wears. Maybe you've heard or me. I'm
| Steve Brodie from New York and /
amt sayin' word. / lose and that set
/ ties il"
With these remarks Mr.. BrOdie lapsed
1 into a melancholy silence, paying little
attention 10 the cheers and hUbbub, as
the carriage rolled into 81. Charles
street, which was boiling with the news
of the great battle.
Atthat time Mr.. Brodie was hacker
/ Of uugilists. Before and since that
/ time he had been many things, but az
present he is an actor. Each evening
/ at the Haymarket theatre three over
| loaded galleries shout their approval
when Mr., Brodie comes out OF the
Bowery saloon and says TO the tough
/ bow, say don't you know 10 ain'tright
for a gent to soak lady?'
Ii won't do to overlook Mr. Brodie.
| lie is a product Of city life and most
| interesting type. In his play be takes
I the part Of a bartender. II he gives
realistic effect TO the part il is because
| be rehearSed for many years.
Steve Brodie was born ia New York
city. at the corner Of Baxter and Grand
streets. When he was old enough 10
run the streets he sold newspapers. He
went in swimming around the wharveS
end became bold diver and Jumper.
In 1879 he was the "uewSboy pedes-
trian," and for two years engaged 10
walking matches in the principal cities.
Then he returned to New York and be-
came a wholesale bootblack. He OBJ
tanned control OF stands in prominent
buildings aud hired boys 20 work for
him. After be lost his bOotblack money
AT the race tracks he became a street
car driver. In 1854 he went broke
on Blaine, aud after hard winter he
decided 10 make a short cut 10 fortune,
so on July % Of that year he jumped
from Brooklyn bridge into East river, a
distance of las feet, and came cut of
the water only slightly injured.
lie secured the degree of b. j. and
went into a museum at salary OF $3.50
2 week. When the museum engage
ments ended, be Travelled around the
country as 4 bridge jumper, his greatest
accompl shmsnt, being the jump from
PoughkeeUsie bulge, NOvem Ger g,lSSS,
a distance OF 222 feet. He had previ-
ousy brancbed out as a professional
swimmer, and swan from Albany 10
New York city, q distance of lO4 miles,
IN six DAYS and one hour. lie was the
proprietor OF "place" on the B0wery
but couldn't endure a quiet life, so In
1889 be swan from Harlem bridge to the
Battery on wager. The next spring be
Jumped los feet into the rapids below
PassaIc Falls and was pulled out Of the
wster more dead than alive. But be
kept on jumping and swimming, earn
ing his right 10 be an actor, which some
people acquire by mere divorce suit OF
a diamond robbery.
During his long career Mr.. Brodie has
saved several lives, blufed Charlie
Mischief with a gun" and gone
through any number Of personal encOun-
tiers. Irhis year be decided that be had
a riERFto 80 on the stage.
son be Bowery" is full Of thrills and