The times., 1899-03-09
DoNALDsoN's LAST DIVE.
Cracked His Skull in His Daring
Leap Last Night.

New York March S.-Tom Donaldson,
, the daring diver. whose leap from the roof
girders of Madison Square Garden has
been the thrilling feature of the Sports
mems Show. fractured his skull this after
noon in performing the feat. Donaldson'S
dive was arranged as climax to the
aquatic exhibitions in the tank by Holyrod
kistler. and Meffert, the swimming in
strgctors of Columbia University of Penn
sylvania, and the Knckerbocker Club.
The three professionals concluded their
show with an Illustration of saving a
drowning mans life. Donaldson did not
appear, and murmur Of disappointment
spread through the waiting crowd at the
| thought that the crowning act was TO be
eliminated On other afternoons the
three professionals have waited until after
the dive in readiness to jump to the res
cue of the diver in case of accident. They
were told today that the dive would not
take place and skipped away TO the dress
ing room. A few moments later Donald
son entered the building and sent word
that he would perform as usual. The wild
crowd which had commenced to scatter
made a rush again to the side of the tank
Three thousand anxious faces gazed Up
at Donaldson as he commenced his c.aWl
along the girders. Some directly under
meath his line of march moved untasiy.
He reached the narrow platform midway
between the Twenty-sixth and Twenty
seventh Street side OF the building with
out mishap.
Are you ready" the announcer shout
ed. In answer the diver Strengthened him
self to his full height. lifted his hands
above his head. and. bending slightly TO-.
ward. leaped. No skillful turn of the
hands marked Donaldsons contact with
the water. AS he struck the POOLS sur
face his body was perpendicular and the
velocity made it almost certain that he
would reach the bottom unless he turned
quickly. Seconds that seemed minutes
| elapsed and after the first ripp,e there was
no sign from the diver.
Hes fooling.' said the experts, but the
big crowd was clearly nervous. Announcer
Harvey was the first TO realize the danger.
| Fetch him out he yelled. No move was
made by the spectators at the end of the
! tank in which Donaldson had disappeared,
| but Frank NJ. Spohn. one of the decorators
| of the building. quickly ran along the mar
row wooden border Of the tank. His coat
was off and without a moments hesita
F.! tion he plunged in. Spohn is no expert
diver and failed to discover trace of DON
/ aldson. The alarm reached Harry ReedeT.
| the Knickerbocker Athletic Club champion
! swimmer who dashed through the crowd,
| throwing of his coat as he ran. He leaped
| TO the side and dived cut to the middle of
I fht tdih prone at tHe ne
/ discovered Donaldson and. assisted by
! SpOhn. brought him ashore. Bicycle Po-
| liceman Bremen and several attendants
| helped to drag cut the divers limp body.
| The injured man was laid out on the floor
| OF the garden. The police cleared a
| breathing space and a squad of physicians
rushed to his assistance.
An injection of strychnine was admin
/ istered and after ten minutes Donaldson
showed signs of life. His left eye was
! closed entirely. but this may have been
| due to the jump of last Friday. i'll which
| he injured il and brought on a hemOr-
! rhage. He moved his arm slightly and
| half opened the other eye, but did not
| appear conscious. He was taken in an
| ambulance to the New York Hospital,
| where an examination showed that the left
side of his skull was factured.
! The performance today was Donaldson
| third descent from the roof girders. fifty
| four feet above the tanks surface. The
| fact that the water is only seven feet
deep of course, added to the danger OF the
| feat.
In addition to Donaldson, George W.
! Ellis, a brakeman on the New York, New
| Haven and Hartford Railroad. has dived
| into the artificial lake during the present
| show. He arrived in New York each day.
! diyed in the afternoon, and returned on
! the midnight train. Ellis wanted 10 dive
| from the top balcony of the garden. which
! Is forty feet away from the tank, but the
authorities would not permit it.
Donaldson received So for each dive.
| in which he risked his life. The accident
/ will put an end to this feature of The show.