The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-10-12
[From the Rochester Union. September 14.J q
THE DROWNING OF o'coyNER, THE JUK-
PER-HIs LIFE. ;s

| Z
We had barely time last evening to give the.
substanoe of the telegraphic despatch from
Niagara Falls, announcing the death by drown
ing, of Shields, the Jumper, who had advertised
to make a leap of ninety feet into the river on
the 18th inst. We have since received fur
ther particulars of the unfortunate affair, to-.
gether with something of the history of the
man, whose true name is Patrick S. O'Conner.
He left this city on Saturday evening, for
the Falls, to make arrangements for his leap
There was little or nothing known of the man
there and some Thought he world not make
his appearance. He went there however, and
announced his purpose to jump from scafold
to be erected by the, river side, at Whites
pleasure Grounds, near where Blondin's rope
was suspended. Yesterday morning he went
down to the water to ascertainits depth, and to
determine where he would erect his scafold.
He was accompanied by men, who had skifs
there to assist him. O'Conner swan out
into the river and dove once or twice. He
then went down in a small whirlpool and rose,
but could not escape from the current which
| drew him down, and so he sank to rise no more.
The men in boats could not reach him, and
nothing could be done. His body no doubt
Immediately drifted into the great whirlpool
and mi some time be found near the mouth
| of che river or in Lake Ontario. This is all
that relates to his adventure at the Falls. He
| left his cloths and few effects to be delivered
to his friends when they appear He has an.
uncle named Shehan residing at Lockport. i
| O'Conner was 27 years of age, and was born
at Peterboro; Canada West, and has lived there
the best part of his life, following, since he
came to manhood, the occupation of a mill
whright. /. His father is dead, but his mother,
| widow resides at Peterboro. He was wild
over, and leaves child with his mother at
| Peterboro. Deceased came to this city about
three mon hs since but does not apper to have
been employed much. He worked a short
time for Hayden & Bromley, and this is the
only instance that we hear of his being en-
ployed here. About five weeks since, he went
| to board with his family on Vousht Street
He told something of his history there, and
said he had brother who was a Catholic priest
in Canada. He spent much Of his time read
ing and announced his purpose to go through
college and attain a thorough education. The
member of the family where he boarded, to
whom he disclosed his intep ton to jump into
Niagara river, states that O'Conner said he
inoended to apply the proceeds of his exhib-
| ton of daring to the object he had avowed of
obtaining an education. tsft7t}si
He took the name Of shields for this occa-
sion, as his relatives respectable, and he
| did not want to give them an .upenyiable no
| ",
pleasure, and be known no more to the world
as jumper: One day last week O'Conner
jumped from 7Clarissa street bridge intoithe
river, and the water being very shallow, he
| injured one of his feet by the experiment--
The descent there was about thirty feet, we
suppose. .'i7''i '-43i't'I 10 -.a2lshi
We expressed yesterday the conviction that
this man was not in sound mind. Conversation
had with others since has confirmed that i'm
preston, although the people where he boarded
| regarded him as only an eccentric individual.
| The first move he made toward self-destruction
| by jumping, so far as we can learn, was three
weeks or more ago, when he proposed to Mr..
| Hotchkin, the lessee of Falls Field, to perform
the feat at Genesee F u.s. Mr. Hotchlin re-
fused to have anything to do with the matter,
and advised O'Conner to abandon the foolish
| idea. When he told him his life would be
sacrificed, the man replied that his life was OF
no great value. He appeared to be entirely
Indifferent as to the result of the attempt, and
eve, proposed to jumpof the Falls at once to
satisfy Mr.. Hotchkin thtthe could perform the
feat. Finally he proposed to let Mr.. Hotchkin
take three-tourths of the receipts of the field
in case he would assist him to make the leap in
public.
Finding all attempts to operate with Mr..
Hotchkin's assistance useless, he turned his
attention to Niagara Falls. But without max
ing any definite arrangement there, he went to
the job Office of the Union AMI AalOsrtiser,
and ordered handbill, the same that is now
posted 1t is headed "Miracles will never
cease" and sets forth that "Shields, the re-
nawned jun per- will leap from a scafold, at
Niagara Falls, on the 10Th, swim to the shore,
&c. He was regarded at this Office as man
not exactly right in mind. ae prepared an
advertisement for the paper, which was insert
ed once, without the knowledge of those having
charge of the business, and then discontinued,
to the dissatisfaction Of the patron. We re-
ferred to this man in an item last week, ex-
pressing the hope that he would not make the
attempt he contemplated. Aud we told him,
when he called upon Us. just whas we thought,
but it was of no use. Our advice harf no ap-
parent effect to move him from his purpose
We never saw lin but once, and that was on
the day our last notice of him appeared. 80
The poor fellow has prematurely found his
end, and though he struggled desperately, we
are told, to save that life, which he had pro-
nounced of 80 little value, his efforts were Lse-
less.
A LOOK OF HA1R-Hair is at once the
most delicate andlasting of our materials, and
L H.