A Sensational Leap.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12758, 11 January 1905, Page 7

A Sensational Leap.

[Sydney, December 30. Yesterday afternoon's programme of ring ctvents at the Chinese Village Fete at the sjiowgrouuds terminated 'in a .sensational manlier. An item [billed as "A Leap for Life" was ntiJnounced to take place at half-past j j four o'clock, and punctually 4" ♦ athlete named J. Hamilton, attired in coloured tights and singlet, appeared to make the leap. A pole about GOfit. m height had been erected in the midjdle of the ring, and beneatTi it was. stretched out on poles about \Q ft. above the ground a rope net, injo whidh Hamilton was to moke bis leap. He got on to the net aa-d wnUtxXl abo"ut on it, and apparently was satisfied that it was able to bear tiie strain whidh it would bo put to •when he fell upon it. A band was stationed on the spot, and members of the "Wild West Show Companyi" which has daily given peiiormances Ut the fote, were assembled near the wit. Standing upon the little platforpn near the summit of the pole, Hamilton remained erect fo» a few seconds, I and then made his leap. In his descent he fell feet downwards. Hi? body 1 and legu gradually dhlanged from a peiipendicitfar position, aud'hi strWdk the net with the lower part of his baclk 1 . The not gave way alojig its whole length, and Hamilton fell to the gnojuiti. As he landed on hi'bacic it was feared he whs seriously in juiced. Assrstanvo was at onve a( hanid, aud Hamilton was lifted out "of the net. The fea;-s of the onlookers that he might have been badly hulrt incfrcasod when it was seen that two men retained a hold of him. However, Hamilton i-oon recovered sufficiently from the shock to be able to walk without Iveip, and he was grcctted with cheers when hp aefcually ran a sliost distamrtj. Stimulants wore given him, and Hamilton did not seem to have been more than dazed. Mr Page, of the Civil Ambulance Brigade, promptly attended upon Hamilton, who had a remarkable escape from being seriously injured, in tjie evening he comfplaincd of an injujry to his sihdulder and of shock, and he d.id not attempt to again make tlw> leap. Hamilton was of opinion that lie landed on. his feet, as a rent was made in the net. In the forenoon he made a successful trial of the fcajt, and the mis-hap in the afternoon is attributed to a miscalculation in regaiVl to landing in the net.