The sun., 1900-12-09
DIVERS FATAL PLUNGE.
STARK WAS UNNERvED RErAUs6 OF
MS SIANCERS FUNERAL.
AZ Fail Speed on His Bicycle Hs Divsd I.ts
Tank At the Amateur Ciross ia MIS-
Nsrvoss Cosdition lie Miscaiesisted

the Distance and was Instantly Killed.
Joseph d. Stark. a trick bicycle rider and
o,Ver' whose feat OF riding down an inclined
plane on bicycle and diving from q height
OF iorty Iect into shallow tank. was to have
oeen the feature Of the amateur circus At the
Iwehty-sscond Regiment Armory yesterday
afternoon. was Instantly killed during the
performance as the result Of the dive he
undertook to make. Owing TO nervousness.
'he result IT 10 said OF attending the funeral
OF MS nancee only few hours before Stark
apparently miscaculated the distance OF
ms diVe ana plunged into the water at the end
instead OF the middle OF the tank His head
struck tho bottom Of the tank and his sku1
Was fractured. The accident wa. witnessed
by 5000 people. all OF whom were fll.d with
horror. Stark's sister was among tho snec-
tators and tainted when she saw her bro,hc-
plunge to his death
STARK was 2j years old and for tho last
nVe years ne has been giving exhibitions Of
uiok olcycle riding and diving none Of whlc,,
was as daring as that he undertook 10 elyo
yesterday. For the last week he and bis
partner. Harry Farrell have been p.rform-
ing at Proctor's Theatre under the rnanooo-
ment of Alexander Duchemn OF sa5 Por,
avenue. When tho amateur circus VIZ.
Planned Duchemin was selected as manager
ana ne secured Farrell and Stark, who's,
diNlng leat was to close each performance
the Two taxing turns at It, Farrels e,hi-
billion was given Friday night and wa. suc
cessfuI
The inclined plane from which the div,
was made Is at the southern end Of the armorv
IL Is 80 feet high at the start and Is 200 feet
long. the end Of 1t being 40 feet from the
ground. Thirty-fvs feet from the end OF tho
inclined plane Is the tank. which IL 50 feet
iohs ana only feet deep. The exhi-
oltlon which Farrell gave successfully the
night before and which Stark ATTEMPTED yes-
terday. consisted Of riding at full speed down
the inclined plane and diving into the tank.
The bicycle was caught in q net o. IL drop
ped from the end Of the inclined plane.
Starks turn to perform this feat came
about o'clock In the afternoon, at the close
OF the show. The girl TO whom he was en-
gagged died two days ago and the funeral,
"hich stark attended. took place yesterday
forenoon. stark was visibly affected and
his friends who heard Of his intention to per-
form his diving feat In the afternoon were
amazed. Several OF them attempted to dis
suade him from attempting 1t in the state
In which he was. but stark refused to lis
Ten 10 them. When he appeared at the cir
Gus the nervousness which he had shown
-. N"~ "eH'' ~ hhd kiONh Ou MN ana tnOs9
who were with him noticed It with a feeling
Of great uncasiness. When a remark was
made about 1t In Stark's presence he only
laughed.
"oh. I'm all right he said. and went on
70 put on his costume, which consisted Of a
sweater. tights and white slippers. In th,,
costume stark mounted to the top of the in
clined plane and got on his wheel. When the
signal was given he was OF with q flourish
OF the band a. an accompaniment Then
those who were watching saw q dive they
never will forget. Instead Of striking the
tank at the end nearest to him the momentum
attained was such that the body OF the diver
wss seen to 60 over not only the intervening
ss feet. but the entire length Of the tank itself
and strike the water at its farthest end. The
distance covered had been IS feet and a cry
OF astonishment went up from the hundreds
who were watching.
Those who realized how sh allow the tank
was and what It meant to strike that part
OF IL sent up cry OF horror. Stark's sister
sat directly opposite. with Farrell. his partner.
AZ the latter saw just where Stark was going
he involuntarily rose from his seat. Stark's
sister followed him. They reached the tank
only Q second or two after the diver had
plunged In.
The water was murky and they could not
see the bottom. nor did they see the diver
rise to the surface which the spectators were
expecting. In response to a cry for aid from
Farrell. W. F. Mclaughlin. a member Of the
regiment, and John Haskell Of $40 Eagle ave-
nue.. an attendant. ran up and both jumped
into the tank. moment later Haskell
appeared with stark's body In his arms.
Tho divers head was bleeding and the sight
made many who were watching feel deathly
sick. Stark's sister tainted. The crowd
started from their seats and made for the
tank. A call was sent for q policeman and
he had hard work clearing a spsce about the
tank. Or. Hooker Of Roosevelt Hospital. who
csno N response to hurry call. pronounced
Starh dead and said he had been killed In
stantly. His body was taken to the West
sixty ghth street station. where II was
claimed by his sister. The latter lives at
i3S West Forty first street and Stark. when
In this city. Lived with her. Duchemin.
starks manager. accompanied the body
to the station house and was placed under
arrest. The Coroner. after making an In
vesti CATION Of the accident paroled Duche-
min on his promise TO appear at the inquest.