The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-28
JUMPERS ARE MADE THE
VICTIMS OF WOODMEN
Unnerved by Nagging They Be
come a Cruel Amusement IN
Logging Camps.
TRAGEDY OFTEN RESULTS

MONTREAL, Feb. 27.-In the woods along
the Canadian border during the months
when deep snow covers the ground and the
stiffness is broken only by the ring Of the
woodmans ak time hangs heavily on the
hands Of the crews Of the Il yging camps.
They are buried in the wilderness. and
sometimes go mad OF fall i'll OF melan-
eholia, but for the most part they spend
the time when their labors are over in
devising some new form of diversion or
variations of amusements that have be-
come traditional like that Of compelling
a new hand to climb a tree, after which
they chop the tree down, permitting the
victim Of their sport TO make a sudden
descent into a convenient snow bank.
II. however. camp is provided with
Jumper the men never feel called upon
TO look further for means and source OF
amusement. A Jumper" is about as luck
less a specimen of humanity as walks the
earth. He is seldom found far away from
the woods because it is in their shade that
he first begins his jumping career. To start
with. he is a man whose nerves are alb
normally sensitive. There many such
among the half-breed French-Canadians.
Ordinarily they would simply be very
nervous, but when such one Is discovered
In a logging camp drastic and persistent
full-nedged Jumper" by which is meant
one who has lost control of his muscles
that they will act involuntarily at the COM
mand of another.
This result is obtained by constant nag
glng and ceaseless petty annOyances, until
the nerves OF the victim become unstrung,
as the saying is, and he is helpless in the
hands Of his tormentors. The luckless log
ger straightens up from his work and
stick from some unknown source strikes
him In the back. He goes TO bed at night
and no eooner is he asleep than shower
OF boots and shoes beats down upon him.
y string is tied to each toe as he dozes in
his bunk and one string pulled at time
until his foot seems TO be burning up.
He gets no peace by night or day. and
before many months his nervous system
has become shattered and the camp has its
Jumper" the butt Of all it's jokes and the
cause OF boundless hilarity.
fully developed Jumper" is as helpless
rs a baby In the hands OF a strong -willed
man. shout sends him high into the
air. A poke in the ribs sends him almost
into Mysteries. To control himself he often
resorts TO biting his fingers, and L nave
seen Jumper" with hands bleeding and
raw from constant gnawing. Point finger
at the unfortunate man and he will beat his
hands fiercely against board or stone
wall.
Sometimes a Jumper" acts like a man
hypnotized. He will sway from side to
side and go in any direction indicated by
the motion of a hand. He will even beat
but, being perfectly conscious Of what he
IS doing, although powerless to help HIM
ser, Will cry out plteously: L can nelp II!
Don't hit mel
Sometimes a tragedy follows attempt
TO have sport with one Of these unfortu--
nate individuals. 1t is related that several
choppers, among them a Jumper" were
once walking through the woods in single
file. their axes over their shoulders, when
some thoughtless fellow threw a stick of
wood, which struck the Jumper" The
latter sprang into the air and brought
down his keen-edged with great force,
cleaving the skull of the man walking in
front OF him.
More often IL is the Jumper himself
who is injured for the men of the lumber
camps are not inclined to think first before
playing their jokes their afflicted com
rade and may cause him TO come tumbling
down from pile of logs or even jump into
the fire
Probably in nearly all cases the Jump
ers mind becomes affected after a few
years He sets neither sympathy help
from his fellows, for they cannot under
stand his weakness, and their sport is
nearly always rough. His antics make
them laugh and relieve the tedium of a
long and lonely winter, far away from
civilization