The daily sentinel., 1905-08-12
FAILED TO LEAP GAP,
AND voLo MEETS DEATH.

Volo, the volitant, who did the
daredevil act of "leaping the gap
with Barnum & Bailey's circus, and
who was seen in this city in his
death defying act on Monday, July
81, failed to make the jump at Hell
ana. Mont, "Wednesday night, and,
falling to the ground, received inter
nal injuries which resulted in his
death
In the presence of thousands OF
people, Volo walked up the dizzy in
cline Wednesday night, mounted on
his wheel, and, making the wild ride
down the incline, he flew high into
the air, expecting to land safely on
the second track, 30 feet away: but.
while in the air his wheel turned
slightly, struck the receiving track
just on the edge. and he fell heavily
10 the ground amid the groans of the
thousands of awe-strickeu spccta-
tors.
Volo had made his last leap.
The unfortunate biryclist was
picked up in an unconscious condi-
tion and was carried from the big
tent to the physicians tont. He re
gained consciousness after an hour
had passed. only to suffer terribly
The doctors pronounced him in an
nal injuries had been received.
The performance of the big show
was interrupted only few minutes
by the accident.
The little lady who makes the
dip of death" in the automobile is
Volo's wife, and her act, which was
scheduled to follow that of her hus-
bands, was announced and carried
out Immediately after the accident.
The little automobilist then jumped
out of the auto car in which she had
braved death so many times and
rushed to the side of her injured
husband.
The injured man, under the care
IF two physicians and his wife, left
Helena with the circus. He contin-
ued to grow worse during the night,
and at Missoula, Mont, the next day,
where the show gave n performance,
Volo passed away, death, which he
lad so long delied, having conquered
him at last.
Volo's act was one of the greatest
laring and recklessness and his death
could not have been unexpected at
my time. His act was far more dan
gerous and thrilling than the dip
II death"
Volo's real name was Thomas But
.er. In commenting upon his life,
he Salt Lake Herald says:
"The tragic death of Tom Butler
removes one of the most famous fig
ures in the history of cycle racing.
The three brothers. Nat, Frank and
rom. have cut quite a figure among
he heavy prize winners and record
breakers on the cycle track, Nat
Butler first broke into the promi-
Ience in 1894. and a short time later
his brother Frank appeared on the
rack For long time they were
practically invincible as a record
breaking tandem team.
In 1896 Tom Butler first jumped
nto prominence, and for a short
line was the talk of the cycling pub
ic. He developed remarkable sprint
ing ability while following the New
York state circuit and was taken to
he national circuit as n member of
he famous yellow Fellow" team.
N the first race he ran away from
iuch men as Eddie Bald, Tom Coop
er, Arthur Gardner and other sprint
racks of those days. He continued
rs winning streak for a couple of
weeks and then went stale; but, new
ertheless, he carved a name for him
self in cycle history,
while in the city a week ago
with the circus, Butler met all of
hese riders, and remarked at the
ime that If he did not have such a
GOOD contract with the Barnum &
Bailey shows he would quit and
start racing at the saucer track. He
borrowed a wheel, and. after making
1 few turns, said Il gave him the
4ever again. AS Il was. he came near
Iuitting and joining the riders. where
chances for a long life are better"