The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-22
BRIDGE JUMPER NO.. "a.
HE rs WILLIAM n. 9ANTg, AND HE
ESCAPED UNHURT.
Dropped from the worth Roadway Yesterday
Arsrnoon to Prove pts Courage and Win .
wager OF s~ll-Nlhny Persona Saw Hiu'
Lean. and the shock Did Not Even stun Him

hIIeEnn0u 10 10y WE oNEeho sa@ = |
wager OF sll-Mhny Pcrsons saw Him
Leap. ana the sheck Did Not Even stuu Hin
II jumping from the Brooklyn Bridge had
not become too common Of late to give q sue
cessful Jumper a commercial value as q freak, |
then William II. GantE, who performed tho
feat yesterday afternoon, would have before him
a future on the Bowery and sewhere where
dime museums throw open their doors. I'm.
like many OF his predecessors, Gantz's feat was
witnessed by scores Of persons. and II was
probably the neatest drop ever made for such q
distance.
At 1925 o'clock. according to the report of
Bridge Policeman Edward Harktns, j. e. Jack
son. n newspaper artist, who was walking to-
ward Brooklyn on the tootway, saw Gantz jump
off the tail Of n truck which was coming this
way on tho north roadway. He ran toward
tho netting OF wire which forms the protection
for passengers outside the roadway, throwing
OFT his coat, waistcoat and hat as he went.
At that part Of the bridge, whichfs about 200
feet or so east Of tho New York tower, q lot of
painters and mechanics were at work. No one
who saw Gantz's actions could doubt for a
moment his object. even had they not heard
him cry to a comrade on the footpath: I'm
going, Jack!' Even before he began to climb
over the outer trusswork the painters raised q
warning cry. Some OF the painters and Police
mar Harkins rushed forward to stop GantZ, but
he was as agile as a squirrel, and long before
any one could get near enough to hinder him
he had climbed over the truss and down It's
outside until all was clear below him. There
he hung. balancing for a moment by his hands,
and then dropped. As he let go he crossed his
feet and held his arms half raised. with his
hands above his head.
He dropped without n change In his compare.
tive position and struck the water feet first.
He was under only a few seconds. When he came
up he shook his head to clear It OF water and
struck out down river with q strong breast
stroke. Not far above him and headed down was
the United States revenue cutter Manhattan,
bound for her berth at the Barge Office. Capt
George f. Mcconnell and his deck hands had
seen Gantz's jump. and the cutter was headed
for him at once. Tho deck hands shouted to
him. and turning, Gantz struck out Tor the
Manhattan. Her crew threw q life buoy to
him. which he caught, and they hauled him on
board.
Did you jump from tho bridgei' asked
Capt. Mcconnell.
Yes CAN'T replied: wasn't It as neat q
bit OF work as ever you sawl"
CAN'T declared that he was not hurt, and he
walked about the deck until he Manhattan
arrived at the Barge Office landing. In tho
meantime the bridge police had been notified
OF Gautz's jump. and a policeman had been
The bridge POLICEMAN was at hand almost az
soon as the Manhattan arrived at her berth.
Sa,hougn m mSl,I sronn ,b nh Hudso an S SnoaiI mm'e
pltal. The surgeon examined Gantz ana found
no marks, upon him except. some bruises on
his LETT thigh. II was decided, however, as a
matter OF preCaGtion to send him TO the hos
pital. He was taken there a prisoner and put
TO bed. lie VIII be taken 10 ponce court To-
tiantz's drop, ms nearly as can be learned.
was done out Of pure bravado. and because the
man had nothing else to do for the time being.
He Is u pressm9n, who has been employed, re-
en;h floor a, 2Ie William street. He, is Is
years old and married. a mn who has known
pioyed d'P him nj them MI as AZ AN E ottirs boy boy s says Mn is : Sin,
most powerful man physically that he has ever
known. He is short about . feet q inches;
but broad shouidrred and weighs nearly 200
pounds. Before he wen TO work as an office
boy, he travelled with the Martelli family.
years aso and ives With HI wife and three chill ii
dren at lol4 Fulton street, Brooklyn. Gantz
thought he was at work ali the time, When
he left her he said: III | don't come home to.
night YOU will know 1t is all right. l will be
Mrs Gantz said yesterday that she thought
turned on Monday night. but she supposed he
was still at work; She spent the greater part
get supper FOR her husband. She was away
aSain Yesterday, and a Sun reporter met her
With the the news So OF . her - h%s6 ban, 30 lump from from
told her Of his intention to make the leap, but
she did not seem surprised that he had done y.
John W, Bergen. a fellow pressman and
s MonGa9 Of a hS' M iaSsS that niU S@n ,ar snd he G spent
s SfsSsRh 's sEpd sfiil, 09 &mons o # ~ ;hi hssss he Ss
at Bath Beach into the water, 'Oh. tut. tut"
said Bergen. "If you are such a Jumper. why
f B2phidtsefF!" you I go wins hn' sa sa%p Ga ut 'n Finn niyof Bsr,
gen laid a wager that Gantz would not make
CANT owed me 81. Bergen said. land
put 81 to that and made the BET Sill"
and Ths sep swS T for S WORK. early BY, Yfs cremsSy R meyn tos
day. well" said CAN'T. this is as good a
hung about the printing building ali The fore,
noon. and told All the men there that he was
He had three or four drinks. and then started
for the bridge; Bergen followed him. .,.
About ll:3O o'clock A. VI. they got to the
bridge entrance. and Gantz Jumped on the tail
of {. truck going across. Bergen followed on
under Tie, bridge all the way across on that
trip: and CAN'T caught a ride back on another r
i6e w.y This Cain tine m 5adee a ws second ai'o round Snssei ,ri In
Bergen says, with no better result, and. then
given up the idea when on tho third return
"trip to this city CAN'T suddenly threw up his
jack" q ''Sna' " 'D'u's S''As
In a pocket in the clothing which GantI loft
vi Which eh' w Ssa Egit tens "M iGe' "ains Is William IL i.
Cant. II do no. 70; come out all rifh hs,oppE leiSse
nOtlfy my WIG, lOli fultOn Street, brooklyh IL.
and oblige William II. Gantz."
CAN'T Is a candidate, for the Brooklyn Fro
tion recently, and is on the lists for the mental
examination. He is the twenty. fourth man TO
leap from the bridge.
Commissioner Hopper Died or HydroDhobia.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 21.-Andrew Patton Hop.
pee. a citizen OF the United States and Commits
sioner OF Customs at New Chwang. China. died
there on July 81 Of hydrOphobia. caused by the
hitan Il N dnn q N nnc IL lnaf In rnnnriInn Liz