The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-05-02


rramp-one Of the variety known as
"stew-bums." He came into Denver
Friday morning on freight train; left
the same afternoon or evening on
brake beam, TO where, no one knows.
Condor was once highly respected and
was one of the leading young men OF
Oakland, Cal where he was In ;he
commission business. He was an attn
lete, a club member and general
good fellow.
one Sunday. in n spirit Of banter, he
volunteered 10 make balloon ascen-
sion in the stead of man disabled
who was to have afforded entertain
ment for crowds at a public resort.
Some of his comrades took him up
Offering to wager that he would not
dare TO go up on a trapeze, swinging
beneath the great hot air bag.
Condor placed his money, announced
TO the park manager that he was an
aeronaut of experience and was Will
ing to satisfy the cravings of the crowd
b. making the ascent. He quickly
changed Sunday clothes for suit OF
tights and was greeted with plaudits
as he appeared ready TO undertake
a perllous feat he had not dreamed or
an hour before
When his friends saw that Condor
was in earnest, they begged him to de
sist. but his spirit OF bravado would
not allow. Before the park manager
realized he was sending an entirely
inexperienced man up in the balloon,
the guy ropes were cut loose and
Condor with a running bound sat on
the trapeze and was n hundred feet
In the air.
A number Of men and boys had held
the balloon captive by the guy ropes IN
readiness for It's flight All but one
let 90 as the balloon was released. On
one Of the ropes, either holding Oh or
being caught In a tangle, was "A lad
utterly powerless TO help himself and
afraid to drop.
Up went the balloon. The people
shouted from below, beckoning fran
tically TO Condor to bring the big bag
back to earth fearful for the life Of
the dangling lad. All unconscious of
the boys presence, Condor continued
evolutions on the trapeze, believing the
tumult below to be- applause for his dar-
ing.
The balloon had ascended over 1000
feet before Condor caught glimpse of
the lad. clinging for life to the frail
rope and utterly without support other
than his own strength. Then realizing
that the cutting loose of the para
chute would mean death to the lad, he
schemed to get him on the trapeze be
side him.
The boy was swinging from n rope
on the other side of the balloon as the
wind swayed it, and Condor found 1t
impossible to reach him. The only
hope was to make the lad hold on until
the hot air bag became sufficiently
cooled to descend. Condor cried to the
lad; begged him to hold tight; cursed,
pleaded, threatened, knowing II was
useless. At an elevation of nearly
2000 feet the youngsters strength gave
way and ne dropped. The fall was wit
messed by the thousands in the park.
The little body fell on the doorstep
of a house less than mile from
the park. On the doorstep was an in
valid mother and her married daugh-
ter. who had watched the flight of
the balloon. The mother died shortly
after from heart failure and the daugh-
ter was sent to the hospital insane.
There her child was born few weeks
later. On seeing the lad fall. Condor
pulled the cord which cut the para
chute loose. He came down safely. but
was picked up unconscious as n result
Of his, fright. When he recovered weeks
after he was not right mentally. His
business went to ruin and he took to
drink. He disappeared within year
and friends failed to find him. IL was
learned he tried to enlist for the Cuba
war, but was refused. What he has
done in the meantime or how he has
lived Is best explained by his appear.
ance as he reached Denver.
Stoop-shouldered, unkempt with a
beard covering his face he shambled
to the Union Hotel. The porter put
him out, and he sought resting place
in nearby saloon, where he promptly
went to sleep in a chair
Where have l been?" he quer!ed
with the unmistakable leer of mind
mentally unbalanced. why. I've been
everywhere. I'm bum. just com
mon bum. | went up in n balloon once
and 1t was my finish. I'd go up again
If there Were no kids hanging TO 1t
and | could drop out.
Tell you about it? No, that's dead /;
SOS the kid. Awful thing 1t was My
first time up and my last till 60 up
to die myself The Condor. the wreck
of the former man, grew silent
DO your friends in Oakland know
where you are?' was asked
Friends? l haven't any since l
went up. l had 'em once. but they've
forgotten all about me, and want TO
forget about them. l don't want to see
any one | know"
Where are you going tonight"
""Hit the beam, l guess. | don't
know where TO. Anywhere will do
Good-by. Denver Post
A sure-Enough Wildcat Mine.