SENSATIONAL JUMP.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14, 17 January 1914, Page 3

SENSATIONAL JUMP.

NLW ZEALANDER'S DARING LEAP.

After having walked about all night as a result of not being able to sleep, a young man, Thomas Joseph Galla- ! gher, a recent arrival from New Zea- ! land, decided at about half-past 6 the 1 other morning that he would like a dip ' in the salt water, and jumping off Pyr- ' mont Bridge, Sydney, swam over to ! the piles, from which he was rescued. Although there--were not many people abouii at the time, the incident i (reports the Sydney Evening News) j caused considerable excitement among j the-few who witnessed it. While ! Gallagher was walking over the bridge \ in the direction of the city he did not 'attract any attention, , but when he ! halted in the centre and looked abont, ; as if desirous of ascertaining whether ' or not he was being Avatched, the men Iwho were bound for their work- at VPyrmont took more notice of him. j • After standing for a few seconds, j.- Gallagher sllowly removed his coat, j j and folding it xxp neatly placed it on t the footpath. Ho then.climbed on to , j the top of the railing on £he southern i j side, and before anyone was able to-! | realise his intention sprang into space. ! j Tho fe\v men about .rushed to the side "'■ of the bridge, expecting to'see hini.; Hashed to pieces -on the piles—they ; : had gained an erroneous idea asito the j : ■ spot from which he jumped—but' Gallagher /had not made any mistake, ! and a iew seconds later Tie plunged feet first into the water, 50ft below. ] ' When he reached the surface again, i Gallagher did not appear to be die- ] tressed in the slighitest, and, striking ' out strongly, swam to the piles , about j 'fifteen yards away, and secured a hold \ 'on them. In the meantime the shouts j of the pedestrians on the bridge had \ alarmed workers on tlhe wharvea be- i low, and it Avas a matter of a few j minutes before assistance was forth- I coming. A. night-watchman and an j engineer hurried * over to the piles,! and lifted •Gallagher out of the water. ] They detained him, and afterwards : handed him over ito Constable Led- { den. The drenched man was taken to ; the Clarence-street Police Station. j After being assisted from the water, •■ Gallagher stated that he arrived in j Sydney from New Zealand on the ■ steamer Ulimaroa on Ist January, j He could not sleep and consequently,; walked about the streets. That morning he thought he would like a <ftp, and jumped into the water.;.* ; .■ < • Gallagher did not shttw even a small j scratch or a. bruise" as a result of his i j sensational leap. ■ ' ■ !