Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-01-23
Sam Patch's Last Lean.

Eli PERKINS writes: Whlle IN ROcheS-
ter met Mr.. Hubbard, an old resident
Of Genesee county, who saw Sam Patch
make his famous Jump off Genesee Falls,
so or 40 years ago. He says that Jump
day was great day in Rochester. The
people gathered for miles around to see
this intermittent American jumper, as
he performed his last feat. shouldn't
say intermittent jumper, but chronic
jumper, for Sam was all the time as crazy
to jump down a waterfall as George
Francis, our chronic candidate for the
Presidency, is crazy to run for the White
House.
Sam Patch had previously jumped
over Niagra Falls. Then, saying, "Some
things can be done as well as others, y
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
circus man, md led it over the turnpike
| to RochesteA.
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 his father knew more than his
grandfather, and that he knew more
than his father.
"Why, thunderation Sam. by your
arguefying, your grandfather must have
been a darned fool" interposed a by
stander but he only turned around and
commenced talking about something
else.
Sam was great talker. His tongue
was always son the rum and his body
| a11 -ia4xr
Sam himself said he once came home
tight, washed the face of the clock,
wound up the baby and set it forward
IS 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 hundredfee
downtown the terrible fall into the
boiling caldron below A staging had
been built over the water, and Sam ap-
peared on it dressed in sailors fancy
, Jacket. His friends now took up a col
lection on shore while Sam swung his
hat, saying that after jumping he would
return and throw the bear over. Then,
, amid a death-hke stiffness, he ran a few
; steps and gave one leap into the air and
fell, cutting the mist like a lead sinker,
J 200 feet into the seething whirlpool. AS
t he left the staging his body assumed an
: oblique position, his head foremost, but
above his feet AS he struck the watei
= there was a dreadful silence, while the
3 populace awaited, with choking breath
| his temperance. One minute-twC
: minutes three minues-and no signs O
r the daring jumper. Then the people
sent up loud wail-a long murmur O.
sorrow lf
This was the end of Sam Patch.
They say he had been drinking during
= the morning, and failed to keep his fee
. together and his, body perpendicular, a
: on previous occasions. So, when h'
:, struck the water, the breath left hi
I body, and he was knocked senseless
A month or SO afterward they found hi
: body away down below Rochester, drift
: ed upon the rocks. He never returne'
:. to throw the bear in, or claim the none
! collected.
- [ believe in the doctrine of TRANSMIT
= grafton of souls, but ON looking at tn
" almanac nobody was born during til
!, whole of that fatal day but George Fran
: els Train
n The Indianapolis Meas says that
J. gentleman of that city has made a
s agreement with his wife that he will Civ
n her 800 if she can eat quail day &c
6 thirty days. She has the privilege {
}, cooking the bird in any manner, of ca:
is ing it at any time of day she chooses
e but one quail she must eat every day
n She has got through with eighteen, an
e bids fair to win the wager. The theor
is that quail soon nauseates, and til
n proudest stomach quails before the tas
!, of devouring one daily. A similar wage
= was made and won in Washington tw
lr years age, but the winner got qua
h enough to last him the rest of his life.