New-York tribune., 1901-06-05
DEATH JUMP FROM BRIDGE
son OF WEALTHY ORANGE GROWER
WAVES FLAG AS HE LEAPS.

man, who, from papers and letters found IN
his pockets. is supposed to be Robert Gibbons
Bidwell. of No. 1,425 East Adan1s-st., Jackson
vile, Fla. jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge
yesterday afternoon and at 6:15 p. m he was
taken from the East River. at OIiver-st. hurry
call was at once sent to Gouverneur Hospital
but when the ambulance arrived the surgeon
said the man had been dead an hour.
The man was evidently prepared for the jump
as he life preserver, and towels were
swathed around his body, and thought to he in
tended to lessen the impact when the body
struck the water a number of newspapers
were also stuffed between his body and the life
preserver.
The police a the Manhattan end of the bridge
said that at about 4::0 o'clock conductor on
Fulton-st. car reported at the Brooklyn end of
the bridge that man had left his car, and
waving two American flags jumped from the
bridge. Policemen We're at once sent to look for
the body on both sides of the river but they
found nothing, and later reported that they
thought the whole story fake. At G:l3
two longshoremen employed at the Clyde Line
Pier No. "a, East River, floating in
the water near the pier. They called Policemen
Raphael and Sullivan and pulled the body from
the water. The man was about five feet ten
inches tall. about thirty years old, and wore a
dark gray sack suit and rubber soled canvas
shoes. In his pockets several letters a
bicycle whistle, a pair of silver link cuff buttons
81 II in money and n key to room No. I6
Colonial Hotel. One hundred and twenty fifth
st. and Eighth-ave He also had a copy of the
Jacksonville Fla. Times Union Of April -
which contained account of a series of lect-
ures he was to deliver at the Park Opera House
in that city
The letters in his pockets We're addressed to
Robert @. BidweH care of William Turner. No
223 West One hundred and -twelfth-s this city
One of them was from the mother of the dead
man, Mrs. A. G. Bidwell. Of No. $50 Oregon
ave. Washington, D. c., and another from
"Alys." No. 1925 East Adams-st.. Jacksonville
Fla
In the dead mans pocket also postal
card addressed to him az No. 500 Coumbus-ave
In this he was requested to call on Mrs. William
Alicheena. No. 203 Bedford Park, New-York
There were several cards of the Colonial Hotel
the back Of one OF which written: Rob
ert Gbbens Bidwel, author Of The Reign Of
Mind No. 1S32 OreEOn-ave.. y. w, Washing
ton, D. c.. and No. ,42l East Adams-st. Jack
sonville, Fla. June :. 1901. Veni viii. vci.' "
The clipping from the Jacksonville. Fla
"Times-Un referred to a course Of lectures
the following subjects: Electricity and
Life" one and the Same Infinite Conscious
ness" The Coming Wars in Europe and Asia"
Washington, j. c. and Our Presidents Con
Destiny-Winiam J. Bryan Love and Its
Affinity and Proofs Of Immortality
Mrs Turner, mother Of William Irving
Turner to whom one of the letters found IN
No. 2G3 West one hundred and -twelfth-st. said
that Bidwen her nephew He and his
mother n widow, and two sisters, lived in
Washington She said the father Of the family
was one of the most prominent orange growers
in Florida and was wsaithy .,,,.
a week ago 10 pay them visit and see the
city. There illness in the Turner family
and at their suggestion Bidwell went TO the
Colonial
He called on us twice" she said TO take
tea and each time il seemed as if his actions
were strange. l cannot account for his jump
off the bridge, unless he was crazy.
Mrs. Turner knew nothing about his lectur-
ing as ne did not speak of il to the family.
Mrs Turner said her son had gone 70 the police
station to about the care Of the body. Mes
sages have been sent to the mother and sisters
in Washington.
Washington, June 4.-BidweI = native Of
this city. and about thirty years old. About
three months ago ne and his wife went 10 Jack
sonvIe where they formerly had lived. Several
days ago letter received by Mrs. BidWell
from her sons wife. in Jacksonville. saying that
her husband about to sail to New-York, and
that she would not accompany him. To-day
BidwelIs mother received affectOnate letter
from him telling Of his arrival The mother
was greatly shocked at the news Of her sons
act It was said that while Robert Bidwell was
never moody or Respondent for some time he
has been unfortunately affected, and at times
was irresponsible. The opinion of his mother
and sister is that he became temporarily unbal-
anced in mind when he committed the resh act
which caused his death. While in Jacksonville
FdweIl had written to his sisters husband mere,
saving that he had been offered several places.
and expected 10 accept one Of them which Of
fered good advantages.
Jacksonville. Fla. June 4.-Robert G. Bidwell
was son of a l. Bidwel. who lived at Airing
ton across the ST. Johns River, from here, ff-
ieen wears ago. and afterward moved to Orlando,
Fla where he died A. |. Bidwell was in his
dav perhaps, the leading nurseryman in Florida.
and owned a beautiful orange grove at Orlando.
Young Rfdwell was we'll known here. He was
regarded as a man of more than average intelli-
gence but not well balanced. He was con-
tributor to horticultural publications here The
Orlando grove was killed by the freeze in 1899.
and it is said that since then his mental aberra-
tion was manifested. After the freeze the grove
was sold and Ridweil left the State
He leaves widow at Orlando, who is daugh-
ter Of DR. Duer, retired physician, and one
little girl
p G Bidwell came here early in April and
placed a lecture advertisement in The Times
Union and The Citizen in which he claimed
TO p0ssess a variety OF extraordinary powers.
The proposed lecture was never given.