American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-02-01
Sam Patch's Jump.

| While in Rochester met Mr.. Hebbard
an old resident OF Genessee county, who
saw Sam Patch make his famous jump of
Genessee Falls, thirty or forty years ago
He says that jump day was great day in
Rochester. The people gathered fol
American jumper, as he performed his
last feat. 1 shouldn't say intermittent
jumper, but chronic jumper, for Sam was
all the time as crazy to jump down wa
ter-fall as George Francis, our chronic
candidate for the Presidency, is crazy to
run for the White House.
Sam Patch had previously jumped over
Niagara. Then, saying ''some things can
be done as well as Others" he slashed
around like Sergeant Bates through the
Western part of the State to back up his
proverb. Before his last jump he bought
big black bear of a circus man, and led
him over the turnpike to Rochester.
Sam was queer philosopher. He had
| theory that each new generation had
| more knowledge and could do greater
deeds than its predecessor. He often said
| that his father knew more than his grand
father, and that lie knew more than his
father.
"Why, thunderation! Sam, by your
hhr sgu your grandIather must have ave
| stander; but he only turned around and
commenced talking about something
else.
Sam was a great talker. His tongue
was always, on the run, ;" and his body ION
the Jumps" and all for notOriety..
One day when he was little boy, his
mother, who lived in clearing near
Brockport, was speaking of Sans pre-
cocity.
Why said she, ''our Sam can read
the Bible like a spelling-book, repeat the
catechism from ind to ind, and Slice ap-
pies as well as his mother"
yes" said Sam; ''an' yesterday 1
licked Bill Simpson, throwed the kittens
in the well, and jumped off the saw-mill
into the dume.'
Sam himself said he once came home
tight, washed the face of the clock, and
then wound up the baby and set it for
ward fifteen minutes.
But about the great jump.
The morning of the day came. Sam
had arrived in town with the black bear,
and the crowd rushed into Rochester from
miles around. Twelve o'clock was the
hour to jump-to jump hundred feet
downtown the terrible fall into the
boiling caldrOn below. A staging had
been built out over the water, and Sam
appeared on the staging dressed in sail
or fancy jacket. His friends now took
up collection on shore, while Sam swung
his hat and said, after jumping himself
he would return and throw the bear over.
Then, amid death-like stiffness, he ran
a few steps and gave one leap into the air |
and fell, cutting the mist like lead sink |
er, two hundred feet into the seething |
whirlpool. As he left the staging his body |
assumed an oblique position, his mead |
foremost, but above his feet. AS he struck |
the water there was dreadful silence.
while the pOpulace awaited with choking
breath his temperance. One minute
two minutes-three minutes-and mol
signs of the daring jumper. Then the
people set up a loud wail-a long muir
muir of sorrow.
This was the end of Sam Patch.
They say he had been drinking during
the morning, and failed to keep his feet
together and his body perpendicular, as
on previous occasions So, when he |
struck the water the breath left his body.
and he was knocked senseless. A month
Or so afterward they found his body away
down below Rochester, drifted upon the
rocks. He never returned to throw in
the bear, or claim the money collected.
believe in the doctrine of the transmit
grafton of souls; but looking at the al
nanac, nobody was born during the
whole of that fatal day, but George Fran
els Train.-Eli Perkins.