The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-02
RIDE
he FAILS WITH MS BICYCLE 10
FEET FROM A LIVE WIRE.

Prank Doaobue. = wciI-Enown Aerial HicS-
cIIst. KILLED whiie PerrorninE NJ Ridge
wood Park-ne Topples. Fails. and tho
IAGhts &c OF Academia systery.
Frank Donohuc, who. under the name Prof.
Arion," had given throughout the West exhibi
lions OF aerial bicycling on . bicycle illuminated
BY electricity, fell scventy-hve feet at Wissel's
Ridgewood Park, Queens county, last evening.
He died a short time aftor.
Donohue's act was TO rido q safety bicycle on
a tight wire charged with electricity, and
stretched on poles high above the ground. The
bicycle wheels had metal tires with grooves
that dtted the wire. The frame and wheels
we're decorated with incandescent lamps OF va
rioQs colors, which blazed with light as he ped
allied along the wire.
BE also carried lamps on his clothing which
were connected By wires to feeders on the bicycle.
and as he rode those were lighted or extinguished
BY means Of switches which no controlled.
Donohue was engaged to give exhibitions at
wissels Ridgewood Park. a resort owned by
the Brooklyn City Railroad Company, which
employed him. He was to ride about 800 yards
on a wire supported by two poles, each seventy
Eve feet tall, and charged with electricity from
the trolley lines which run past the park.
He gave the first show on Saturday night,
riding from one pole TO the other several times
and furnishing amusement for q large crowd.
he went through tho performance safely and
without incident other than those provided in
the regular programme
Yesterday the Hessian Volksfest held an out
ing at the park. About $500 men and women
were there in the evening. all anxious to sec
Donohue ride. His performance was put down
TO begin at 0 o'clock. and as that hour arrived
the people In the park crowded to the SPOT where
The two poles supported the wire
The poles were erected In an open place SO
that there might be room for the sightseers,
and the people wero kept back q distance from
them. so that the circle of front row specta-
tors might DO as largo as possible. Around
the poles the lights were extinguished
In order to increase the brflliancy of the spects-
Gle. and all that could DO seen when the people
had taken their places TO watch the show were
the two poles, dimly outlined. and q white line
surrounding them where tho faces Of the spec
tstors stood out in tho gloom. The crowd was
very quiet.
Donohue was ready Mt 8 o'clock. He dressed
for the part In q small house on the grounds.
His bicycle had been hauled to q small platform
on one Of the poles early In the evening, and
was in readiness for the performance. Donohue
after reaching tho foot of the pole put his foot
In a loop. and was drawn up to the platform by
his assistants. When he reached the platform he
ao11bDSh IL " LII NV LhASuBh "hiSh
strong current of electricity was flowing. and
took his seat in the saddle. He balanced him.
self by means of the platform. and when he had
got his feet on the pedals and the switch ad.
justed, he started over the wire, making the
proper connection with tho wire at the Same
time
As the front wheel of tho bicycle ran of the
insulated end Of the wire and struck the metal
part the electricity ran through the wires in the
IL
machine and its rider. The bulbs on tho wheels
formed circles of fire as the wheels revolved.
and the colored lamps on the frame made the
sight more picturesque.
Donohue's body was thrown into strong relief
by the blaze from his wheel and by the lamps he
carried. and as he glided out m the wire. itself
invisible, he seemed to float in the air. From
the crowd a murmur of applause arose. and
Donohue bowed slightly in recognition OF the
salute.
As he pushed his wheel along the points of
contact between it and the wire were shown by
flashes of blue flame, which leaped to the wheel
as Donohue rode along. BY the time he had
Como 100 feet the crowd cheerod him. He did
not acknowledge the shouts. but pushed the
wheel along. blazing with light.
Donohue had gone about $50 feet when, with.
out warning, he toppled to ono side. and. cling
ing to the bicycle, fell. The lights went out sud
denly. Some OF the crowd saw Donohue fall.
Every one present heard the crash when he
struck the ground. The lights were started up
ct once, and Donohue's assistants ran forward
TO where he lay.
He was still alive, but they could sec that he
was severely hurt Tho bicycle, which lay in
pieces around him, had been smashed TO bits.
One OF the assistants called for a physician. and
tho others carried Donohue to the small house in
which he had dressed for the exhibition. DR.. G. J.
Hettenheimer was one of the spectators. He ro-
sponded to the request for q physician and went
into the house. He found Donohue unconscious.
While he was making an examination Donohue
died In his arms.
When an ambulance arrived from st. CathA.
rne's Hospital, the ambulance surgeon and DR..
Hettenheimer examined Donohue and found
that three ribs on tho right side and the
right arm had boon broken. There was
nothing about tho body to indicate that
the man had received q shock and Il
could not DO determined. from the superficial OF,
accidentally came In contact with an uninsu'
lated conductor. or whether he lost his balance
moro complete examination will DO made to
day.
Donohue was about % years old. He Lived In
Fort Wayne, Ind. and leaves q widow and q
baby three months old They are In Brooklyn,
but were not in tho park at tho time of tho 40
oident Donohue had been giving similar OF
hibitions for several years. He 10 said to have
ridden across the Niagara Rapids two years ago
RAJ PRORARIY