To Jump From The Big Bridge - Paterson Daily Guardian - 8 June 1885

Dennis F. Butler, a brother-in-law of "Mike" Donovan, the well known Brooklyn "sport," is preparing to ump from the East River Bridge "one of these days" and says that Paul Boyton, Dr. O'Leary, of High street, Brooklyn, and John W. Barton, of Adam street, Brooklyn, are prepared to bet anything that the thing will be done. "This is no advertising job or anything of that kind," Dr. O'Leary said to a reporter. "Butler means business, and if you go down to the house you'll see whether I am not right."

Butter was found in a rather poorly furnished room at No, 33 Sands street, Brooklyn, diligently working on the curious wearing apparel which he says will insure him against all injury when he strikes the water. He is five feet ten inches in height, strong and wiry, and looks as if he never knew or cared for a knock down blow in the series of encounters he has had in the ring. He is twenty-seven years of age, weighs 156 pounds and is of dark complexion. "I jumped from Passaic Falls," he said, "last Summer, in the presence of 'Mike' Donovan and several others, and you know that is 90 feet.

I'll try how my apparatus works there, when I have it finished, then I'll go right down from the Brooklyn Bridge with the most absolute confidence. In 1875 I jumped from the derrick in the Navy Yard at Philadelphia into the Delaware, and that's 100 feet."   ...


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