The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-07-16
From the NJ Y. Journal Of Commerce.

NJ. agreeably TO appointment, hair-brained
fellow in Patterson, whose name we do not
recollect, leaped from the Passaic falls, Just
to CRAFTY an idle whim of his own. This is
the third time he has done 1.-THE first time
he did it privately by way of experiment.
he then gave out that he would do it pub
licly for the qualification Of any who pleased
to attend. The authorities in Patterson
were justly alarmed, and put him under
keeping till they supposed he had abandon
ed the purpose, but he watched the oppor-
tunlty after he was freed from restraint,
and when a number of persons were pres
ent, i'll favorable position, he carried it in
to execution. Since that time the authori-
ties have allowed him to consult for his own
safety, and he leaps from a precipice of a
100 feet whenever it takes his fancy. 1t
does not appear that he receives or expects
any compensation for performing this dar-
ing feat. He says he " merely 'oGats to Sho,0
that some things may be done as aUeN as 9TH
erS." The position from which he leaped
on Friday, is few rods below the bridge
on the side towards the village and, if the
falls are 20 feet las commonly estimated
about IS or 80 5bove the water. The giddy
precipices around the chasm were covered
with q proniscuous multitude of both sexes,
whose curiosity had brought them together
to see this singular feat of temerity. The
universal anxiety ofthe multitude was man.
! ifest in their countenances, and still more
! perfectly in the silence that PREVAILED.
When the man made his appearance dark
cloud had come over the spot, adding TO the
subllmty OF the cataract that of an ap-
I preaching storm. As he walked deliber-
ately forward to his position you might have
heard the beating of their hearts had it not
been for the mingled thunders from the
chasm beneath and the clouds above. When
| he had Invested himself of his coat, vest and
shoes, and laid them carefully by, az if de-
batting the question whether he should want
| them again, he commenced short speech
to the spectators which but few of course
could hear. He then stepped forward to
the edge of the rock and looked down, and
the spectators on that side supposing that
he was going off, came forward as their
curiosity or their fears moved them, and
seemed to those opposite as if all about to
make the fatal leap; indeed there was
( great danger Of whole line OF those in
front being crowded off. After he had
looked down moment, he stepped back ii
few feet, ran forward, and leaped into the
abyss. He went down with his feet fore
most, though somewhat drawn up. For
this reason, or some other past comprehen-
sion, he did but just go under water, for he
was Immediately seen swimming off as qui.
city as if he had done nothing, and nothing
had befallen him. The maniac, flor what
else can he be called p was greeted with
shout from the spectators when they saw
that he was still safe; and when he had
reached the shore he marched round to his
clothes with look of composure and salts
faction, and they to their homes, some adj
miring his courage, but more plying his
temerity.
j FRAUD. Another instance has occurred
of misconduct and villany on the part of
} clerk in monied institution, arising OF
mainly produced, as there is every reason
to believe. from gambling in lotteries A
Mr.. Hlnsdale, one OF the clerks OF the Hart
ford Bank, has been in the habit, since he
was first employed in that institution, Of
making overdrafts upon his deposits, and Of
keeping the balance by wrong posting.
| This course he has actually been pursuing
! for eighteen years and upwards and it was
not known until Wednesday last that dis
I covery had taken place. The development
created much sensation in Hartford. He
IS deiaulter to the amount of thirty or for
ty thousand dollars. BY his own account
he has lost this sum in speculations in lot
terry tickets. A broker in New York paid
HIM some years since ten thousand dollars.
| If such repeated instances as have occurred
IN this country within few years, of ruin,
! degradation, and often suicide, brought ON
by the spirit of gambling, are not sufficient
to warn those who are liable to temptation.
all admonition and reason would be thrown
away.-N Y Commercial .4doertiSer.
School FUND IN NEW York. Abstract
of the report of the commissioners of COM
mon schools in New York.
II appears by the report, that of the 742
towns and wards in the State, 741 have
made reports according to law, and only one
town is delinquent. This town is Bush
wick, in the county of Kings. That there
! are In the towns which have made reports,
| 8, S29S school districts, and that returns have
been received from 1900 OF those districts.
That l79 new school districts have been
formed during the year 1927, and that the
number of districts which have made returns,
exceeds that of the preceding year by $50
That there are in the districts whose trust
ees have made returns, 419,216 children,
between the age of 5 and Is, and the com
mon schools of the same districts, AL, 1856
children have been taught during the year
lS27-the general average of instruction
having been about eight months. The
number OF children instructed in the com.
mon schools, exceeds by 1854, the whole
number between the ages offs and Is years.
Inns estimate does not include the cities OF
New York and Albany, where the children
between5 and Is are not reported The
returns show an increase of 1850 of the
children between and Is: and the num-