New-York tribune., 1910-06-30
HITS RIVER A HARD BLOW
Brooklyn Youth Dives 1876 Feet
and Lives to Get a Reprimand.
CROWDS WATCH RASH ACT
Eppers Says He Won Wager with
Clothing Dealer by His Plunge
from Brooklyn Bridge.

QUO bppers, seventeen years DID, of No.
$50 Dean street. Brooklyn, dove from the
Brooklyn Bridge into the East River YES
terday afternoon. He was not injured, and
when arraigned in the Tombs court on a
charge of disorderly conduct he was dis
charged with a reprimand.
Eppers describes himself as a cartoonist
out Of work. He fell in last week with
Harry Dressler, of Flatbush avenue, Brook
lyn who is in the clothing business. The
question of nigh diving came up for discus
sion, according to Otto and he told Dress
ler that he would do a "Brodie'' off the
Manhattan Bridge for glory and con-
sidera ton" DreSser and Eppers came to
an agreement by which Eppers said he was
TO receive $3.50 and two suits of clothes.
About / o'clock Yesterday afternoon Ep-
pers. a ragged, understood thinly fleshed
youth, dressed in bathing suit beneath his
clothes. was seen riding over the Manhat-
tan Bridge in the automobile belonging to
Harry Fisher, of Lafayette street, Brook
lyn. Two other men besides Eppers and
the chauffeur We're in the car, and as the
automobile crossed to Manhattan the occu-
pants glanced anxiously about.
At almost every step on the big bridge
stood a patroiman, for the police had heard
river. SO well guarded was the Manhattan
Bridge that Eppers and his companions de-
cided to change the jumping-off place to
the Brooklyn Bridge. and the machine was
then driven around the Manhattan loop and
swung to the Brooklyn Bridge. AS the
car approached the centre span Eppers,
sitting huddled in the rear seat was putting
at the stub of a cigarette, while he joked
with his companions
In the very centre of the bridge the car
was slowed down and Eppers leaped to the
roadway, glancing furtively about lest a
vigilant patrolman should Illustrate his
plan. His ragged suit clung loosely to his
figure, and on his bare feet he wore heavy
shoes. while perched at a rakish angle on
his head was small cap 1t was the boy s
intention to rid himself OF these garments
before he took the great leap. but when he
saw Patrolman Schoffman eying him from
the promenade above he didn't wait to di-
vest himself Of these outer coverings
Eppers ran swiftly across the roadway
squeezed his body through the iron graf
ing and emerged on the outer edge of the
bridgework Here. standing 135 feet above
the water Eppers buttoned his coat tightly
about his chest, gave a hitch to his trous-
ers, and poised himself for an instant, with
arms above his head
Just as those who had seen him stand
ing on the narrow ledge rushed forward to
prevent his act Eppers left the support
and shot down. turning three or four times
in the air in the first fifty feet. While
crowds on both sides of the river and on
the bridge above him gazed at the small
figure in its descent Eppers managed to
gain such a position that he struck the
water head first and disa ppeared in a whirl
of foam and bubbles.
Nobody VINO had seen the leap expected to
see Eppers picked up alive, but in less than
fifteen seconds the boys figure bobbed to
the surface and he struck out feebly for
the shore. The crew of the tug Florence
passing at the moment, went to his rescue
and pulled him out
The tug made for Pier 6. at the foot
of Fulton street. where Eppers was turned
over to DIR. DIETRICH. of st. Gregorys Hos
pital The boys first words were: Gee,
but hit 'er hardr' Having given vent thus
to his emotions Eppers was placed under
arrest by Patrolman Graves, of the traffic
SQUAD on a charge of disorderly conduct.
He was taken TO the Tombs court. and
when MAGISTRATE Appleton discharged him
he started out of the courtroom, saying he
v,as going TO see Dressler and collect his