New-York tribune., 1912-02-03
'DROPS 272 FEET FROM
LIBERTY STATUE TORCH
Frederick Law, SteepIejaCk, De-
SCendS in Parachute, in Teeth
Of Gale, as an Experiment.
ARMY OFFICER ON WATCH
Falls 100 Feet Before Canvas
Opens-Lands on His Back,
but Is Not Injured After
Flight Through Air.

Three men climbed up the great bronze
arm Of the Statue of Liberty yesterday,
and on reaching the torch held in the
hand of Liberty Enlightening the Wor
one of them jumped over the sile into
space. falling nearly three hundred feet.
The jumper was Frederick Law.
steeplejaCk. who has assumed the more
dignified title Of aerial contractor" Law
paints hagpoles and rigs tackles at dizzy
heights-in short. does any old job in
lofty and dangerous places where the
nerve of the average man would fail
Persons who would add To their fame
by having their initials inscribed upon
the golden balls Of the hagpoles of sucn
structures as the Singer. Metropolitan
Flatiron and Whitehall buildings shout
employ Mr.. Law He will do the trick
and never turn a hair. Therefore. it was
not surprising yesterday when he went
up to the torch in the right hand of Miss
Liberty and jumped boldly into the teeth
of fairly stiff blow from the south
southwest.
jump Sergeant q. +. EnGstrom. l.. :. a.
was ordered to go to Bellows Island and
escort to the torch two men who had
permission from the War Department Il
make "A little experiment" The soldier
led the way up the winding, winding.
winding stairs. Behind him followed
Law and his assistant, dragging aloft
canvas parachute about fifteen feet n
diameter
Once dt the top Law wanted a plat
form on which he might lay carefully
his canvas gear before making his leap
The platform had been overlooked. but
being "A man Of resource the aerial con-
tractor observed wooden door at the
entrance 10 the torch and suggested that
1t be lifted from its hinges Presently 1t
was in place on the outer rail that sur
rounds the huge metallic hand Of Miss
Liberty, and on 1t was spread the nimsy
canvas envelope.
Sergeant Engstrom. who has faced two
OF three bullets in battle. looked over the
side and then glanced at Law Of
man wanted t. jump three hundred feet
He had his orders to let him do it, 50 ne
made no suggestion To the Jumper. II
required more courage 10 jump than 10
face bullets, SO the soldier thought. but
ne was game enough to help Law make
his leap of death
Quickly the aerial contractor adjusted
ropes around his torso and announced
that he was ready.
Ready" asked the assistant
Yes. l guess so, replied Law. -
no, not yet. Give me few puns IN
that cigarette of yours"
The helper tore off the moist end of
the smokelet and handed /, 10 Law. Hc
took three long puffs. and before the
smoke had melted into the air was
remaining in the torch il seemed for
moment as II the parachute never would
open. But the breeze finally caught II.
and blowing II out quickly carried Law
of to the northeast.
Law struck the ice-crusted soil of the
pdidBtt. ne IdHbeO on MS back and
rolled over. with his left leg doubled up
under his body. on top Of him was the
parachute. For several seconds tho
jumper remained still, and it was feared
he had been killed. but he got up and
folding his aerial tent stole away 10 tn,
city.
Law dropped about 272 feet. Had he
fallen into the water his drop would
have been 312 feet from the torch. tn.
parapet being 40 feet above the surface
of the bay.
The ferryboat Osprey steamed about
the statue ready TO pick up Law n he
fell into the water Those on board de
clared that he dropped at least one hun |
dred feet before his parachute opened.
Few persons saw the descension. az
Laws experiment with his safety appli- |
ance for steeplejack work had not been
1t is said that he applied to the own |
ers of the Metropolitan Life Building for
permission to drop from the tower OF
that structure, but the owners being , |
life insurance company and not inclined |
TO encourage suicide, the request was de- |
MED.