The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-28
a JUMP OF 212 FEET.
Callahan Leaps From the POugh-
keepsie Bridge and Dies.

Poughkeepsie. n. y, Oct H-Patrick
King Callahan. more familarly known
as king Callahan, the professional
bridge jumper leaped from the Pough-
keepsie bridge into the Hudson river. a
distance Of 2l2 feet, at an early hour this
morning.
Callahan died at II: 20 o'clock tonight.
As the northbound Cos train on the
Westshore road steamed into the station
this morning a party Of about fifteen New
Workers alighted, among whom were
James r. Eckhart. william Lloyd, Thomas
Sullivan and Patrick King Callahan.
Callahan was escorted TO a barn near
the depot to allow MIN 20 put on his
jumping suit. Sullivan. William j. Ak
man and two other men procured a row.
boat ana roweq Tor the most westerly
pier of the bridge. After Callahan put
on his jumping suit, which was composed
OF pair of shoes, pair OF black trous-
ers, suit Of cotton underwear, a cork
vest ana a rought blue shirt. he started
with William Lloyd and two POughkeep-
slams To go out on the bridge.
They passed the watchman by saying
they were painters and when they reach
ed a point about hfty feet from the pier
Indicated above, Callahan said: That's
"A good place TO jump" and preparations
We're made for the leap. When Callahan
had reached the outer side Of the guard
rail, the other men in the party tied a
bladder filled with air TO each Of Gala
hans shoulders. This was done so that
the jumper could keep his equilibrium dur
ing his descent to the water.
10 was found impossible for him to jump
and clear the telegraph wires, so he
lowered his body down 10 the iron girder
which Is 2l2 feet from high water mark
He stood on the iron girder and clutched
the woodwork of the foot path 60 steady
himself. Good bye said his friends
on the bridge. Good bye, old sports, III
meet you down below" yelled Callahan,
and he gave push and leaped into
space
His body shot down toward the water
at a rapid rate and presented thrilling
spectacle as he wavered TO one side and
then TO the other. When about twenty
feet from the water Callahan's body in
clined and struck the water with terrific
force. He sank and came TO the surface
moaning like dying man. In about hf-
teen seconds Sullivan and his friends in
the boat, who were about twenty-five feet
from where he struck, pulled Callahan
into the boat and rowed for the shore.
When the shore was reached Callahan got
out Of the boat without any assistance
and walked to Deans hotel, which
is near the railroad depot. When
and was sH perfectly exhausted il Ills Hs iim5s 95
grew stiff and he was carried to a room
and put TO bed. Drs Merrill and Sheedy
were summoned ana worked over him for
an hour. IL was found that the perinaeum
was so badly lacerated that he was rap
idly growing weaker from the loss of
blood. Under the chin was a bad cut
received from the. cork vest, which had
been poorly adjusted. He was also in
jured internally and suffered greatly from
the shock The lower part of Callahan's
body was paralyzed. All of his friends
save one. returned 10 New York on an
early evening train.
Callahan was q years Of age and was
born In Ireland. About seven years ago
he leaped from Black Frlar's bridge In
London, and on July % 1885, he made
a similar leap from the Brooklyn bridge,
escaping injury in both cases. Callahan's
friends say there was no wager made
on the jump, as 1t was only made for no
toriety.