The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-01
HUNG HEADLoNGINMIDA
INVENTOR COOKIES PARACHUTE
TRIAL At MON BRIDGE
when Iet Down from the BridEe with His
Machine Rc Fell and was Held Suspended
By q Rope Around His Antte Eighty Feet
from tho Gronnd-IIIa Cnmrnnion Rlrd.

when Iet Down from the BridFe with His
Machine 1Hc Fell and was Held Suspended
by n Rope Around his Ankle Eighty Feet
from tho Ground-His Companion Fled.
Patrick Cooke, a gateman on the Ninth ave-
nue. elevated railway, went to High Bridge
carly yesterday with q friend whose name he
won't tell, 10 try a parachute which formed part
OF a flying machine he has invented. On reach
ing the bridge, about l A. NJ, Cookies COM
panion proceeded to lower him and the para
chute with n rope over the side Of the bridge
near the second span. The bridge is over 100
feet high Mt that point. Cooke put his foot in n
loop Of tho rope, standing up and holding on
with one hand, and arranging his parachute
with tho other hand. The rope was about
twenty-five feet long. When the full length OF
the rope had been paid out the man on the bridge
fastened the end to tho iron railing. It was
then about 2 o'clock, Cooke Thought. Cooke
was busy for several minutes in fixing the para
chute ropes, which were much ontangled. Just
rs he was getting everything shipshape and
was almost ready TO give tho signal to his com
banl9n to lot go the rope, his hand slipped and
His hand was 30 tired he could. hold on no
Longer long and he hung suspended d in the air by tho
separated him from the earth. below. The
prospect was not especially cheerful, and Cooke
bridge. No one answered, and Cooke heard the
i raHpidd y retreating footsteps Of his friend as he
ACAt NAho
Cooke hung suspended, trying to reach the
rope with his hand, but could not do It. He
called loudly for help, and ''in about u week
the, policeman came" said Cooke. 1t was in
reality just $3.50. o'clock when Policeman Della
mater of the Washington Heights police sta
Ing the bridge, and as the cries of Help! Muir
looked over tho side, and twenty feet below
him saw Cooke ontangled In ropes and canvas.
lanai summoned Policeman Quinn, and
together the policemen managed to lift Cooke
10 the bridge flooring and nick him nut of hia
rope puzzle, Cooke was, nearly. senseless from
the rush of blood to his head. He could move
only with difficulty. The party repaired to the
High Bridge police station, where "a dose Of
whiskey and water revived Cooke somewhat.
When arraigned before Magistrate Crane In
no had discovered a method Of utilizing the
aeroplane as O means Of accomplishing flight in
the air; His method was the opposite to kite
principles. Tho pressure of wind against q
kite, he said, heldit up, but by his PLAINTIFF aero
plane. was, to be kept up by tho air and pro-
PEELED by being inclined against II.
III machine was a large aeroplane fashioned
after the Eddy kite, on which he would suspend
himself on a trapeze twenty or thirty yards be-
low the craft. II would DO propelled by his
standing up and working the trapeze like a
springboard. He said that he applied to the
parachute leap from Washington Bridge, but
1t was denied him.
Magistrate Crane asked Cooke II he did not
think he was q trifie misty in his head. Cooke
said decidedly not. He said tho plans for his
airship were in the Patent Ofnce pending APP
after warning:him to stop:his attempts at flying.
Cooke said he would make his plans and ideas
public az soon as he received word from the Pat
ent Office that his invention had been approved.