The Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder. — 1885-05-30 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

TERRIBLE LEAP FROM A BRIDGE. Particulars are given by tho NeWlrork correspondent of the Standard of the horrible death of a man named Odium, a teacher of swimming, who dived into the East River from Brooklyn Bridge. Notice had been giten of the affair, and the police took precautions which were deemed eufficient to prevent the rash enterprise from being attempted. Odium, however, carrucl out his intention by a ruse. A decoy cab, in which a gaudily - dressed person who was a confederate of Odium was riding, drove upon the bridge, and while the attention of the police was occupied by him, Odium hims,lf alighted from a van which had passed unnoticed, at the spot upon which he had fixed for his daring deed. The roadway is protected by an iron lattice-work, _which the swimmer climbed with skid and speed. Having gained the top, whkh is nine feet from the path, he poised himself fora moment ,a perfect pizture of manly strength and grace. The level of the bridge is l3tl feet above the water. Odium stretched out his left arm at right angles, raised the right arm above his head, as if he was balancing, ' and threw his head backwards. The next mouronthe stepped off the bridge, the left foot forward. Re fell for a hundred feet as straight as a plummet. Thep the body swerved a little,possibly from the forge lithe wind, upon which Odium moved his right e'rm backwards, as if he WU trying to regain his l'erpendicular attitude. It was part of his plan, ii the directness of his fall should be modified, to azsume the shape of a ball as he neared the water, and accordingly be was noticed to draw up his legs, trying, as it were, to roll himself up. In this effort the unfortunate man failed, and when he struck the water his body N•as curved backwards. Although he went scarcely a dozen feet below the surface he was submerged for about three minutes. He came to the suiface face downwards, limp and helpless. Captain Boyton was close by, in a boat, and when he saw his friend's condition he plunged in and sopported Odium until further help came. When the wash diver was laid upon the deck of the re.euing vessel he presented a fearful spectacle. Such hail been the violence of the impact with the water that not only , 15.,. swimming costume was burst, but also his skin, throligh which blood was flowing. Upon touching the chest the blood poured from the lungs into the broken tissue with a horrible biasing noise. Oillura recovered consciousness sufficiently to a,k whether he had made a good jump. The arterial blmid then oozed from his lips ; and, after about half-an-ho,i. of intense agony, he died. A post modem examir thou shewed- that every rib had been broken, and Sr the principal internal organs were ruptured. ' all motives for this fatal adventure were partly to the toe himself and partly that, having is great dyerpride in his own skill, Odium wished to ehr deal of easy and wife such feats were. Several men ' as bow previonsly arrested.while attempting a simil aid been and there are men now who declare their i Sr exploit; provinz that they can succeed where Mention ot In all probability the associates of a Bum failed. prosecuted as accomplices to a suicide. lium will be